Feeling that he could probably escape through one of the windows when he pleased, though at the cost of considerable trouble, Frank did not trouble himself much, or allow himself to feel unhappy. He decided to continue his explorations.
In the corner of the room was a door, probably admitting to a closet.
“I suppose it is locked,” thought Frank, but on trying it, he found that such was not the case. He looked curiously about him, but found little to repay him. His attention was drawn, however to several dark-colored masks lying upon a shelf.
He also discovered a small hole in the wall of the size of a marble. Actuated by curiosity, he applied his eye to the opening, and peeped into what was probably the adjoining room. It was furnished in very much the same way as the one in which he was confined, but at present it was untenanted. Having seen what little there was to be seen, Frank withdrew from his post of observation and returned to his room.
It was several hours later when he again heard steps ascending the stairs, and the slide in the door was moved.
He looked toward it, but the face that he saw was not that of Nathan Graves.
It was the face of a woman.
CHAPTER XVIII
“OVER THE HILL TO THE POORHOUSE”