"Oh, Sarah, is that you? Come here quickly, for I am in trouble," the young girl cried, appealingly.
Sarah put down her tray, but took the precaution to change the key from the outside of the door to the inside and lock it before going to the other room.
Then she went to see what was the matter.
"Why, Miss Violet," she cried, with dismay, as she took in the situation, "how did that happen?"
"The cord has parted," panted Violet, as she glanced at the ragged ends where she had sawed it asunder with her dull knife. "You will have to help me," she added, "and I think we can manage to lift it to the floor without breaking it. I do not dare to leave it standing here; it might slip on the marble."
"No," said the girl, never suspecting any ruse to outwit her, "we must take it down."
She seized one side of it in her strong arms, and, with Violet's help, managed to get it safely down upon the floor.
"Hold it a moment, please, until I get my breath," Violet said, as if wearied out by the exertion.
"Have you had to hold it there long?" Sarah asked, innocently, as she allowed the heavy frame to rest against her.
"No, not very long; but I am so glad that you came just as you did, for if it had fallen it would have frightened me terribly," Violet answered, and she uttered no untruth, for she was glad that Sarah came just as she did, because she was getting very anxious to go to Wallace and she would have been frightened if the glass had been broken.