And when, some hours later, the sun rose on the same chill scene its rays made no perceptible impression on the cold and the mercury stayed down at its lowest winter record.
And so even the stolid Japanese Ito, shivered, and his yellow teeth chattered as he knocked at Mrs. Peytons door in the early dawn of Monday morning.
What is it? she cried, springing from her bed to unbolt her door.
Grave news, madam, and the Oriental bowed before her.
What has happened? Tell me, Ito.
I am not sure, madam but, the master
Yes, what about Doctor Waring?
He is he is asleep in his study.
Asleep in his study! Ito, what do you mean?
That, madam. His bed is unslept in. His room door ajar. I looked in the study through from the dining-room he is there by his desk
Asleep, Ito you said asleep!
Yes madam but I do not know. And Nogi he is gone.
Gone! Where to?
That also, I do not know. Will madam come and look?
No; I will not! I know something has happened! I knew something would happen! Ito, he is not asleep he is
Dont say it, madam. We do not know.
Find out! Go in and speak to him.
But the door is locked. I tried it.
Locked! The study door locked, and Doctor Waring still in there? How do you know?
I peeped from the dining-room window and I could see him, leaning down on his desk.
From the dining-room window! What do you mean?
The small little inside windows. Madam knows?
The study had been added to the Waring house after the house had been built for some years. Wherefore, the dining-room, previously with a lake view from its windows, was cut off from that view. But, the windows, three small, square ones, remained, and so, looked into the new study.
However, the study, a higher ceiling being desired, had its floor sunken six feet or more, which brought the windows far too high to see through from the study side, but one could look through them from the dining-room. The original sashes had been replaced by beautiful stained glass, opaque save for a few tiny transparent bits through which a persistent and curious-minded person might discern some parts of the study.
The stained glass sashes were immovable, and were there more as a decoration than for utilitys sake.