Amy and Ruth were trembling violently, while Alex. felt a little nervous as the light grew brighter and the steps came nearer. Then, with a smothered exclamation, he rose to his feet as Sherry came into view, carrying the brocade dress and the box of jewelry in one hand and in the other a candle, which she held raised directly in front of her, while she seemed to be looking steadily at it. She had on her dressing-gown and slippers, and her hair was falling over her shoulders. Her face was very pale, with a fixed and strained expression upon it, as if she were in pain or feeling her way over some dangerous place. “It is Fanny. Who would have thought her a thief?” Amy gasped, while Alex.’s “Sh-sh!” came warningly. “Don’t you see she is asleep?” he said, and Amy continued, “Let’s wake her, then.” “No, wait,” Alex. answered, curious to know if Sherry would return to the attic for more goods. She entered her room and they heard her moving around. “Hiding the things,” Amy said excitedly, but Alex. kept her quiet until Sherry reappeared, candle in hand, and went to the attic again. She was not gone long, and when she came back she had the old Bible under her arm and walked very slowly, saying, as she was opposite them, “I’m so tired and this is heavy, but it is mine.” “Hers,” Amy repeated, in so loud a tone that Sherry stopped as if to listen, but neither turned her head nor her eyes. Then she went into her room and shut the door. “Aren’t you going in to wake her now?” Amy asked, and Alex. replied, “Certainly not. It would frighten and mystify her.” “Yes, but my dress and jewels! She is welcome to the old Bible,” Amy continued; and Alex. replied, “They are safe. When she finds them in the morning she will put them back or bring them to us, and feel crushed and humiliated, no doubt. Go to bed, and hold your tongues. No one but ourselves need know what we have seen. The poor girl has had her mind so full of the dresses and is so tired working on them as she did and then waiting upon us so late last night that she is walking in her sleep. Not the first time probably.” He was ready to find excuses for her, and told his sister a second time to hold her tongue. It was not in Amy’s nature to hold her tongue when there was an occasion to loosen it, and the occasion came at once. Mrs. Groves, whose room was at the end of the hall, and who boasted that she slept with one eye open, had heard the sound of voices, and coming from her room to investigate, met Amy and Ruth. “What’s the matter?” she asked. “Why are you here in your dressing-gowns, and what’s that light doing at this time of night?” She pointed to the light shining over the open transom of Sherry’s door, and started in that direction. “Don’t go there,” Amy said in a mysterious whisper, and then the whole story came out, Mrs. Groves listening with an incredulous sneer and look of exultation.