“You are not yet satisfied,” said Henry, as he observed the doubtful look of Charles Holland’s face.

“My dear friend,” said Charles, “I will not deceive you.  I am much disappointed that we have made no discovery behind that picture.”

“Heaven knows we have mysteries enough in our family,” said Henry.

Even as he spoke they were both startled by a strange clattering noise at the window, which was accompanied by a shrill, odd kind of shriek, which sounded fearful and preternatural on the night air.

“What is that?” said Charles.

“God only knows,” said Henry.

The two young men naturally turned their earnest gaze in the direction of the window, which we have before remarked was one unprovided with shutters, and there, to their intense surprise, they saw, slowly rising up from the lower part of it, what appeared to be a human form.  Henry would have dashed forward, but Charles restrained him, and drawing quickly from its case a large holster pistol, he levelled it carefully at the figure, saying in a whisper,—­

“Henry, if I don’t hit it, I will consent to forfeit my head.”

He pulled the trigger—­a loud report followed—­the room was filled with smoke, and then all was still.  A circumstance, however, had occurred, as a consequence of the concussion of air produced by the discharge of the pistol, which neither of the young men had for the moment calculated upon, and that was the putting out of the only light they there had.

In spite of this circumstance, Charles, the moment he had discharged the pistol, dropped it and sprung forward to the window.  But here he was perplexed, for he could not find the old fashioned, intricate fastening which held it shut, and he had to call to Henry,—­

“Henry!  For God’s sake open the window for me, Henry!  The fastening of the window is known to you, but not to me.  Open it for me.”

Thus called upon, Henry sprung forward, and by this time the report of the pistol had effectually alarmed the whole household.  The flashing of lights from the corridor came into the room, and in another minute, just as Henry succeeded in getting the window wide open, and Charles Holland had made his way on to the balcony, both George Bannerworth and Mr. Marchdale entered the chamber, eager to know what had occurred.  To their eager questions Henry replied,—­

“Ask me not now;” and then calling to Charles, he said,—­“Remain where you are, Charles, while I run down to the garden immediately beneath the balcony.”

“Yes—­yes,” said Charles.

Henry made prodigious haste, and was in the garden immediately below the bay window in a wonderfully short space of time.  He spoke to Charles, saying,—­

“Will you now descend?  I can see nothing here; but we will both make a search.”

George and Mr. Marchdale were both now in the balcony, and they would have descended likewise, but Henry said,—­