Once inside, however, she drew a long breath. The doors were still
locked, and the keys gone. So Herman had not returned. But as she
stood there, hurried stealthy footsteps came along the street and
turned in at the gate. In a panic she flew up the stairs and into
her room, where the door still hung crazily on its hinges. She
stood there, listening, her heart pounding in her ears, and below
she distinctly heard a key in the kitchen door. She did the only
thing she could think of. She lifted the door into place, and
stood against it, bracing it with her body.
Whoever it was was in the kitchen now, moving however more swiftly
than Herman. She heard matches striking. Then:
"Hsst!"
She knew that it was Rudolph, and she braced herself mentally.
Rudolph was keener than Herman. If he found her door in that
condition, and she herself dressed?! Working silently and still
holding the door in place, she flung off her coat. She even
unpinned her hair and unfastened her dress.
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