ainted white, and perched directly on the edge of
the cliff. The automobile halted before the porch and Nyoda and Gladys
got out. A woman, evidently a servant, came to the screen door and held
it open, motioning them to come in. Neither Mrs. Bates nor any of the
girls were in evidence. The servant said nothing.

"I believe they're all hiding on us!" said Nyoda, getting a sudden light
on this apparently neglectful reception. "I know Norma's tricks of old.
If we could only think of some way to turn the laugh on them!" The
servant who had admitted them led the way to an inner room and opened a
door, stepping aside to let them go first. Then she followed and closed
the door after them. They found that they were in an elevator. The woman
pushed a button and they began to rise. "Of all things, an elevator in a
country house!" said Gladys. They rose to a height which must have
equalled the third story of the house, although they passed no open
floor. They came to a halt before an opening covered with an iron
grating. To the girls it looked like the ordinary elevator entrance. At
a touch from the woman the grating moved aside and they stepped out into
the room. The elevator descended noiselessly and Nyoda and Gladys were
alone.

"It's a tower room!" said Gladys. The chamber they were in was square,
about fifteen by fifteen, furnished as a bedroom. Through a door which
opened at one side they could see a luxurious tiled bath. The walls and
ceiling of the chamber were tinted a deep violet, and the covers on the
bed, dresser, table and the upholstery of the chairs were of the same
shade. The lamp globes hanging from the ceiling were deep purple.

"What an extraordinary color to decorate a room in," said Nyoda. "I
wonder if this is where we are going to sleep. Where can Mrs. Bates be,
I wonder?" she said, getting rather impatient for the joke to be sprung.

Just at this time Gladys made a discovery. There was only one window in
the room, curtained with heavy cretonne, purple, to match the rest of
the hangings. Drawing the curtain aside to look out at the landscape,
she suddenly stood still, frozen to the spot. At her exclamation Nyoda
turned around and also stood as if turned to stone. _The window was
barred_! "What does it mean?" asked Gladys in a horrified voice. The two
hastened back to the elevator entrance and looked for the button to
summon the elevator. There was none. They called down the shaft
repeatedly, but there was