It was twenty minutes before Frank, waiting impatiently, heard the stepsof his late companion ascending the stairs.
But the door was not unlocked. Instead, a slide was revealed, abouteight inches square, through which his late traveling companion pushed aplate of cold meat and bread.
"Here's something to eat," he said; "take it."
"Why do you lock me in?" demanded our hero.
"You can get along without knowing, I suppose," said the other, with asneer.
"I don't mean to," said Frank, firmly. "I demand an explanation. Howlong do you intend to keep me here?"
"I am sorry I can't gratify your curiosity, but I don't know myself."
"Perhaps you think that I am rich, but I am not. I have no money. Youcan't get anything out of me," said Frank.
"That may be so, but I shall keep you."
"I suppose that was all a lie about your keeping store?"
"It was a pretty little story, told for your amusement, my dear boy,"said Graves. "I was afraid you wouldn't come without it."
"You are a villain!" said Frank.
"Look here, boy," said Graves, in a different tone, his face darkening,"you had better not talk in that way. I advise you to eat your dinnerand be quiet. Some supper will be brought to you before night."
So saying, he abruptly closed the slide, and descended the stairs,leaving Frank to his reflections, which it may be supposed, were not ofthe pleasantest character.
Frank did not allow his unpleasant situation to take away his appetite,and though he was fully determined to make the earliest possible attemptto escape, he was sensible enough first to eat the food which his jailerhad brought him.
His lunch dispatched, he began at once to revolve plans of escape.
There were three windows in the room, two on the front of the house, theother at the side.
He tried one after another, but the result was the same. All were sofastened that it was quite impossible to raise them.
Feeling that he could probably escape through one of the windows whenhe pleased, though at the cost of considerable trouble, Frank did nottrouble himself much, or allow himself to feel unhappy. He decided tocontinue his explorations.
In the corner of the room was a door, probably admitting to a closet.
"I suppose it is locked," thought Frank, but on trying it, he found thatsuch was not the case. He looked curiously about him, but found littleto repay him. His attention was drawn, however to several dark-coloredmasks lying upon a shelf.
He also discovered a small hole in the wall of the size of a marble.Actuated by curiosity, he applied his eye to the opening, and peepedinto what was probably the adjoining room. It was furnished in very muchthe same way as the one in which he was confined, but at present it wasuntenanted. Having seen what little there was to be seen, Frank withdrewfrom his post of observation and returned to his room.
It was several hours later when he again heard steps ascending thestairs, and the slide in the door was moved.
He looked toward it, but the face that he saw was not that of NathanGraves.