The stairs leading to the upper floors were not carpeted and their footsteps resounded on the bare boards with a dismal hollow sound.
The fourth-floor-middle was not such a miserable place, however, as they had expected. In the dimness of one flickering candle they could see that it was fairly well furnished with a big double bed, a rickety chest of drawers, a table and two chairs.
“Good night, my dears, sleep well,” said Miss Felicia Rivers. “You won’t be sorry in the morning that you accepted Felicia Rivers’ ‘ospitality.”
Then the great creature removed herself into the hall and Billie quickly locked and bolted the door. There was another door in the room already locked, but from which side it was impossible to say. At any rate there was no key in the keyhole. After taking the precaution to look through, and seeing nothing whatever, Billie went over and placed her hands on Nancy’s shoulders.
“Nancy, dear, I have decided not to be frightened,” she exclaimed. “It will only make matters worse for us to go off so. I know I’ve been just as terrified as you, but, after all, what else could the woman do? She couldn’t turn us into the rain at this hour and she couldn’t go herself. I am afraid Cousin Helen will have an awful night, but I really think the only thing for us to do is to go to bed and try to get a little rest.”
“I don’t see how we can sleep,” said Nancy. “How do we know whether the sheets are clean?”
They examined the linen. It appeared perfectly fresh, and in their extreme weariness the bed indeed looked almost comfortable. At the end of another ten minutes they had crawled wearily under the strange covers, having removed only their shoes and dresses. What few pieces of jewelry they had, they had tied into a handkerchief and put under Billie’s pillow. At last, worn out with their strange adventures, they fell into a deep sleep.
CHAPTER VII.—THE ESCAPE.
It was dawn when the two girls waked, a cold, gray dawn. Through the half-opened window a wet fog poured into the room. Even without the burden of uneasiness on their souls, they would not have felt cheerful at the prospect; and now, leaning on one elbow, Billie, who was the first to come back to consciousness, stared at the shabby place incredulously. Was it a bad dream? Where were they? Then memory returned and she jumped down to the floor. In the night, fears and suspicions had crowded into her mind, and she was determined to get away from this terrible Miss Rivers and her lodging house the instant daylight appeared. As soon as they could find their friends, Miss Rivers should be paid. In the meantime, they must escape. All these thoughts flew through Billie’s mind while she drew on her shoes.
“Nancy,” she said, in a low distinct voice, “get up. We must dress and escape from this house before that awful woman is awake.”