“I do see something—a faint shadow,” put in Florence slowly. “Why, Jo! I do believe you’re right! There was an arch there.”
“Sure I’m right,” declared Jo Ann triumphantly. “This arch is the end of a wide hall that connected this back hall with the patio and the rest of the house. I believe your father’s office was the dining room. Can’t you just imagine a long banquet table down the center of that huge room and——”
“But why would they have such a huge dining room?” Florence asked quickly. “What could the house have been used for?”
“That’s exactly what I’m going to find out.” Jo Ann’s chin took on a determined tilt. “Maybe I can find something in Señor Rodriguez’s books that will help me to solve the problem. I believe that mysterious window has something important to do with it—at least, that’s the way it looks to me.”
“Sh! Not so loud, Jo; you’ll wake Daddy.”
Quietly the three girls slipped back to their room to talk far into the night about the unexplained mysteries of the old house.
CHAPTER VIII
THE SEÑOR’S LIBRARY
In spite of all the ointment and salve Jo Ann had applied to her face, neck, and arms, she spent a restless night. By morning some of the soreness had disappeared, but her appearance was not much improved. Before venturing out of her room she carefully put on some make-up and viewed the effect critically in the mirror.
“I may be able to cover up my sunburn from the servants, but not from Dr. Blackwell,” she told herself. “His trained eyes’ll be sure to penetrate my mask in the daylight. Here’s hoping he doesn’t eat lunch with us today. Florence says he’s nearly always late.”
To her inward consternation, no sooner had she stepped into the hall than she saw Dr. Blackwell coming toward her. Immediately she slowed her steps. “If he comes any closer. I’m sunk—even if this hall is dark.”