Suddenly she heard the swift patter of bare feet.

They were near, for he could hear that multitudinous pattering on the ice, when the din of their cries permitted it, and they were running fast.

After a time she heard a little pattering of feet in the distance, and she hastily dried her eyes to see what was coming.

From outside came the hum of many voices, dull and subdued, like the buzzing of a swarm of bees, and against the small window panes the incessant patter of icy rain driven and lashed by the gale.

His quickened senses perceive a busy patter of sandalled feet outside his cell, and a whispering of consultation,and then the silvery, snaky tones of Father Johannes, which had that oily, penetrative quality which passes through all substances with such distinctness.

A moment later there was a continuous patter, as the storm, which had been gathering all day, broke in earnest.

And I hear the gentle patter of the rain.

I walked softly here and there, still puzzling over that odd sound of infinite pattering, and of that pressure upon the tent that had wakened me.

Now take your place while I give them a little patter.

But she would not relinquish her hold, only she turned and looked steadily at the young lad, whilst her voice rose firm and harsh above the loud patter of the rain and the moaning of the wind through the distant; trees.

Next came a fox, slouching warily and cautiously along; then a couple of lean, hungry-looking jackals; next a sharp patter on the crisp dry leaves, and several peafowl with resplendent plumage ran rapidly past.

Something cold touched him lightly on the eyelid, a tiny pattering sounded from the seats, and then swish, down came the rain.

" Chapter Fourteen Her Little Joke A brief ten minutes of waiting beside the front door of the house, and then Ronicky Doone heard a swift pattering of feet on the stairs.

When all is still around, and only the distant shouts of the beaters fall faintly at intervals on the ear, his keen hearing detects the light patter of hoof or paw on the crisp, withered leaves.

By and bye they ceased to scold me, and I was left to listen to the wind, and to the tiny patter of dropping seeds and needles from the spruces.

A dull patter on the windowif one sits unbuttoned on the hearthgives a zest to a languid chapter.

Entirely against her will Suewhilst she looked on her guardiancould think of nothing save of that day in Dover, the lonely church, the gloomy vestry, and that weird patter of the rain against the window panes.

A dreary day, with a leaden sky overhead and the monotonous patter of incessant rain against the window panes.

Then I could hear a curious pattering upon the door, almost like some one feeling for the handle in the dark, and Pyecraft's familiar grunts.

An occasional shower patters on the dry leaves, but it does not silence the robin on the outskirts of the wood: indeed, he sings louder than ever, though the song-sparrow and the bluebird are silent.

There is a good share of pleasant patter in the following abridged from the Metropolitan.

There was no preliminary patter, but the storm broke suddenly, hurling great gray drops of moisture against the windows.

He leaned over the rail, unmindful of the ragged patter of bullets from below, and with a judicial eye observed the prospect.

Forgetful of every possible danger and of all prudence, I had already darted down the corridor, determined to do my duty as a gentleman as soon as I had ascertained whence had come those cries of anguish, when I heard the frou-frou of skirts and a rapid patter of small feet down the stairs.

" Here there was a rapid pattering of feet down the staircase.