“Who did it—and why?” I croaked at last.
“Two of the men-servants tied me up—and—a Russian named Ivanovitch beat me. I guess it wasn’t a very hard beating, Jack, dear, but I’ve never been hit before. And it—it sort of—hurt my pride so.”
“Why did they do it?” I whispered.
“They—they told me,” came the girlish whisper, “that I was not to go near the banquet hall to-night, but to stay in my room. But I thought it might be because there was some one coming that I knew, and I took the risk and crept out and tried to look in. But they caught me and beat me and brought me here. And they told me that next time they would send me to the gardens. Oh, Jack, I can’t bear it! Can’t you open the door and take me home?”
“Not yet, darling. God knows, I’d take you now if I could. But I’m all alone here and I could not get you out with me. I don’t know whether I can get out myself. Tell me about the gardens. Do you know how to get to them?”
“Oh, Jack, it’s awful! All the girls they have captured here seem nice. But the ones in the gardens are not nice at all. And they tell us that if we disobey or try to escape, they’ll send us to the gardens. So we don’t dare do anything.”
“Do you know how to get to them from here? Could I get out that way?”
“Oh, I don’t know, Jack. When we’re not locked in our rooms they guard us all the time. And I’ve only been from my room to the dressing-room of the theater and to the banquet hall once. They let us sit out on an enclosed porch, too, every day. But they won’t let us talk to each other much. Oh, Jack, when will you come for me?”
“To-morrow if I can, dear. Next day at the latest. Do just what they tell you, dear, until then, won’t you? And keep a stiff upper lip. It won’t be long now until we’re home again together. Have—have you seen another girl come here lately? Her name is Natalie Van Cleef and she comes from Utica. She’s very pretty, with gray eyes and brown hair and lovely features. Have you seen her?”
“Oh, yes, Jack, I think so! They brought a girl like that here yesterday. And she is terribly frightened. They must have maltreated her or something. I think she is going to the banquet hall, but they locked her up to-night. Do you know her?”