that she had strayed into a short
blind passage. Having made this discovery, she began creeping back,
hugging the right-hand wall of the passage, believing that the main
passage must begin on the right-hand side. In this she was correct.

Barbara had proceeded but a short distance before she found the junction
of the two passages. She had not observed this shorter passage when
following Tom, and no doubt he had known that she would be almost sure
to lose her way, just as she had done. But there was no Tom present on
whom to vent her displeasure. Neither was Barbara yet out of the tunnel.
For all she knew she might be in a wholly new passage. Before going
ahead she sat down to think over her situation carefully.

"No, I can't be mistaken. I must be right. But I ought to see the light
from the dining room from this point. However, I will go on and trust to
luck."

Barbara started on at once, though she took no chance of losing herself.
Every foot of the walls on either side was carefully groped over by her
hands as she made her way. The earth felt cold and damp. To touch it
made her shiver. But Barbara was plucky. She continued bravely on.

"Oh, there's the light," she cried. "I'll call to let them know I am
coming. No, I won't. I'll give them a scare. Lucky for me that I kept my
head. I might have been lost in that short passage and never found
again. How terrible. But an 'Automobile Girl' never gives up. I hear
voices. The girls must be wondering what has become of me. I think I
hear Tom in the dining room. I wonder what I had better do to punish him
for the trick he played on me? I shall have to think it over. I----

"Gracious! What would I do if the girls should happen to have company in
the old dining room? I shouldn't dare to come out, for I know I must
look a fright." Bab soon reached the panel, which was still as she had
left it upon entering the passage. Then as she craned her neck forward
and peered into the dining room she uttered a smothered exclamation.

Mr. and Mrs. Presby were sitting facing the fire, talking. The girl in
the passage drew back as she saw Mr. Presby's eye fixed upon the panel.
He appeared to be looking straight at her. A moment more and she was
convinced that he was not.

Bab was in a quandary. She dared not show herself. What would they think
of her, their daughter's guest, were she to be seen crawling from a hole
in the wall? Her first meeting with Mr. Presby had been unfortunate
e