Hastily hitching the horse to the nearest tree I reconnoitered at once the long veranda. Each door that I tried was locked; the windows were fastened, and the inside blinds closed.
Close at my heels followed the dogs, now wildly excited.
As a last resort, I decided to urge them to lead me.
"Dear Pachita! dear Pancho!" I cried, patting encouragingly their long, beautiful heads, while I entreated their almost human eyes to reply. "Take me to Mariposilla."
"Where is Mariposilla?" I repeated, slowly, "your dear little mistress, Mariposilla?"
For a moment, the poor brutes whined piteously; the next, they had darted away to the rear of the hotel.
I followed hotly, and at the corner of the house I perceived them wild with excitement at the foot of the escape ladder, leading from the ground to the upper veranda.
I needed no more to convince me of the truth.
Mariposilla had ascended the ladder which the dogs had not been able to scale. The half-frantic girl had sought to enter again the rooms once occupied by the Sandersons.
I delayed no longer. In a moment I was above, trying in vain the doors. As I approached the window of Sidney's now deserted bedroom, I perceived instantly that its glass had been shattered, and knew at once that Mariposilla was within.