it was twenty minutes before frank, waitingimpatiently, heard the steps of his late companionascending the stairs.

but the door was not unlocked. instead, a slidewas revealed, about eight inches square, throughwhich his late traveling companion pushed a plateof cold meat and bread.

``here's something to eat,'' he said; ``take it.''

``why do you lock me in?'' demanded our hero.

``you can get along without knowing, i suppose,''

said the other, with a sneer.

``i don't mean to,'' said frank, firmly. ``i demandan explanation. how long do you intend to keepme here?''

``i am sorry i can't gratify your curiosity, but idon't know myself.''

``perhaps you think that i am rich, but i am not.

i have no money. you can't get anything out ofme,'' said frank.

``that may be so, but i shall keep you.''

``i suppose that was all a lie about your keepingstore?''

``it was a pretty little story, told for your amusement,my dear boy,'' said graves. ``i was afraidyou wouldn't come without it.''

``you are a villain!'' said frank.

``look here, boy,'' said graves, in a different tone,his face darkening, ``you had better not talk in thatway. i advise you to eat your dinner and be quiet.

some supper will be brought to you before night.''

so saying, he abruptly closed the slide, anddescended the stairs, leaving frank to his reflections,which it may be supposed, were not of the pleasantestcharacter.

frank did not allow his unpleasant situation totake away his appetite, and though he was fullydetermined to make the earliest possible attempt toescape, he was sensible enough first to eat the foodwhich his jailer had brought him.

his lunch dispatched, he began at once to revolveplans of escape.

there were three windows in the room, two onthe front of the house, the other at the side.

he tried one after another, but the result wasthe same. all were so fastened that it was quiteimpossible to raise them.

feeling that he could probably escape through oneof the windows when he pleased, though at the costof considerable trouble, frank did not trouble himselfmuch, or allow himself to feel unhappy. he decidedto continue his explorations.

in the corner of the room was a door, probablyadmitting to a closet.

``i suppose it is locked,'' thought frank, but ontrying it, he found that such was not the case. helooked curiously about him, but found little to repayhim. his attention was drawn, however to severaldark-colored masks lying upon a shelf.

he also discovered a small hole in the wall of thesize of a marble. actuated by curiosity, he appliedhis eye to the opening, and peeped into what wasprobably the adjoining room. it was furnished invery much the same way as the one in which he wasconfined, but at present it was untenanted. havingseen what little there was to be seen, frankwithdrew from his post of observation and returned tohis room.

it was several hours later when he again heardsteps ascending the stairs, and the slide in the doorwas moved.

he looked toward it, but the face that he saw wasnot that of nathan graves.

it was the face of a woman.