ill help me to brace up. How far is it to Mr. Stevens' house?"

"Mile and a half," answered Tom.

"Come with me, Tommy. We will be there and back in twenty minutes. Do
you know the way?"

"Yes, he knows the way. He knows too much about everything in these
parts," answered Mr. Presby testily. "I will telephone to Mr. Stuart."

"Oh, don't, please. At least--not un--until I get back. Per--perhaps Mr.
Stevens may find her."

"He will, if anyone can," declared Olive. Everyone in the room was
overwhelmed with the mystery of it all. That a person could disappear so
completely from a room that had only one entrance and with that entrance
guarded at the moment passed all comprehension.

Once more Mollie set herself to examining every nook and corner of the
room. She even raised the lids of the closed trunks and chests, thinking
that possibly Barbara might have hidden in one of them. There was no
trace whatever of the missing girl.

"Has anyone found the diary?" questioned Olive.

"Could it be that she fell through a trap in the floor?" queried Grace.

"There are no traps in the floor," answered Mr. Presby sharply.

"If there were, and Bab had fallen in, she would have dropped into one
of our rooms," explained Olive. "I believe I will go all over the
house," she decided as an afterthought.

"We will go with you," declared Grace. "Oh, Bab, Bab; where are you?"
Grace broke into a paroxysm of heart-breaking sobs. This was too much
for Mollie, who began sobbing also.

"Come, come, girls; this won't do," chided Olive. "We must keep our
heads clear. Something has happened to Bab, but I'll venture to say that
she is all right, no matter where she is."

"But--but if she _is_ all right, why doesn't she call to us?" questioned
Mollie, gazing at Olive through her tears.

Olive was unable to answer that question. The same thought had occurred
to her. Now Mr. Presby began thumping the sides of the room with his
cane. They understood his purpose and waited in breathless silence until
he had gone all the way around the room.

"All sounds alike," he announced. "I didn't know but there might be
another of those secret passages up here. I see, however, that it is not
possible. Come, there is nothing to be gained by remaining here. Come,
Mollie. Do not take it too much to heart," soothed Mr. Presby.

Mollie was now leaning against the wall with head buried in her arms,
crying softly. The others had started for the stairway. A serv