She sprang toward it, and turned the handle.
It was locked, of course. She told herself she might have known it would be, but she had acted upon an uncontrollable impulse.
But as she released her hold upon the knob she thought she heard some one moving about within the other room.
Perhaps the gentleman had his wife with him, and impelled by a wild hope, Mona knocked upon a panel to attract attention, and the next moment she was sure she caught the rustle of skirts as some one glided toward her.
Putting her lips to the key-hole, she said, in a low, appealing tone:
"Oh! can you speak English, French, or German? Pray answer me."
She thought she had never heard sweeter music than when the clear, gentle voice of a woman replied:
"I can speak English, but no other language."
"Oh! I am so glad!" almost sobbed Mona. "Please put your ear close to the key-hole, and let me tell you something. I dare not talk loud for fear of being overheard. I am a young girl, a little more than eighteen years old, and I am in a fearful extremity. Will you help me?"
"Certainly, if you are in need of help," returned the other voice.