CHAPTER XVIII THE FLOOR ABOVE Wondering what it was her chum had discovered, Doris followed her down the hall. Kitty paused at the door of their own bedroom. “We’d better leave Wags here until we come back,” she whispered. “He might take it into his head to bark at the wrong moment and give us away.” Leaving the dog in the bedroom, they listened to make certain that the coast was clear and then stole softly down the long dark hallway until they came to a flight of stairs leading to the attic floor. “This is as far as I came when I chased Wags,” Kitty whispered, “but I distinctly could hear the strangest sounds coming from that room at the top of the stairs. I was afraid to go on alone.” “Why, this must be part of the quarters occupied by the Sullys,” Doris told her. “I’ve seen them go up the back stairs any number of times. Do you think we should go up when they aren’t here? Cora is working in the kitchen and Henry is out in the garden.” “But just listen,” Kitty commanded. “Some one is up there.” The girls listened intently and to their startled ears there came a low moan, not unlike the sound they had heard during the night. “You don’t suppose Henry _could_ be up there?” Kitty whispered. “Perhaps he’s drunk.” Doris shook her head. “No, I saw him in the yard just before I came up to find you. It can’t be either Cora or Henry.” “Then who can it be?” “We’ll find out.” Noiselessly, they crept up the stairs which creaked alarmingly underfoot. At the top of the landing they hesitated, a little afraid to open the door leading into the Sully suite. At last, summoning all of her courage, Doris turned the knob and pushed the door back a tiny way. Peeping through the crack, the girls saw only an empty and very untidy sitting room. Becoming bolder, Doris opened the door wider and they stepped inside. “There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong here,” she murmured in perplexity. Just at that moment there came another, moan, louder than before. Kitty clutched her chum nervously by the arm and would have retreated from the room had not Doris held her back. “It’s coming from that bedroom,” she whispered, indicating a closed door. “Let’s go back,” Kitty begged. “No, I intend to find out what that noise is.” “But some one may come up the stairs.” They listened, but heard nothing behind them. “Do you think it could be an animal?” questioned Kitty, wide-eyed with fear, as another moan came from the room beyond. “Hush!” warned Doris. They took a step forward. Another groan. “I’m getting frightened,” whispered Kitty in a voice full of distress. “Oh, Kitty, I think—” “What can it be, Doris?” “Look down the stairs again!” Kitty obeyed, stepping noiselessly backward. “It seems all right down there,” Kitty said, motioning with her hand in the direction of the floor below. “Come!” said Doris.