That was the ladder gliding over the rail as Walter let it down from the balcony. So long as he had seen the light in Lilly's room, he had wisely remained on the balcony. She could hear him remove the ladder and set it where it belonged. Now at length, now that she felt they were both secure, came a shuddering realisation of what had happened, accompanied by a desire to call out and cry aloud. Anna von Schwertfeger! What had her conduct meant? What had impelled her to implicate herself in so sinful a deed? Wasn't she risking her name, her existence, the reward of many years' labour? How had Lilly, wretched sinner that she was, come to deserve so great a sacrifice? Her heart expanded in gratitude. She could no longer endure lying in bed. She would have to go down and thank Anna forthwith. She dressed without making a sound, took the precaution to bolt the door between the two bedrooms, and slipped out into the dark corridor, where she peeped through the keyhole of the colonel's room, and saw him lying in bed already. The old oak steps cracked frightfully; but they had that habit even when no one was walking on them, and often kept up the sound of a tread all night. Light was shining in Miss von Schwertfeger's room. Lilly heard her sharp, hard steps as she paced to and fro. Finally she ventured to knock. "Who's there?" "I, Anna. I--Lilly." "What do you want? Go back to bed." "No, no, no. I must speak to you. I must." The door opened. "Well, then, come in." Lilly wanted to throw her arms about Miss von Schwertfeger's neck, but she shook her off. "I'm not in the mood for scenes," she said. Her trumpet-toned voice, which she muffled with difficulty, had lost all traces of sympathy. "And you needn't thank me, because I did not act from love of you." Lilly seemed very small to herself and very much scolded. Since the days of her thrashings at the hands of Mrs. Asmussen no one had ever given her such a reception. "First you help me," she faltered, "and then--" "Since you are here, you might as well answer some questions I have to ask," said Miss von Schwertfeger. "Close your dress--it's cold here--and sit down." Lilly obeyed. "In the first place: did I in any way ever help to bring about a meeting between you and that man?" "When could you have?" "That's what I am asking." "On the contrary. You weren't even willing for me to take the riding lessons." "Then, later, did I ever leave you without supervision while you were taking your lessons?" "Without supervision? Why, almost always you yourself were present." "Was it I who proposed your going out riding alone with him?" "You? Of course not. The first time we went without asking, and after that it was the colonel who wanted us to." "Was I careful to see that everything in your room was in order?" "I don't know. I think so. Why, even lately I've noticed you come to my room before you went to bed as if to say good-night." "You've probably taken me to be your enemy, your spy."