Violet responded.

"Very well, then; just as you choose," Mrs. Mencke returned, irritably,
and suddenly swept from the room, locking the door after her.

As the bolt shot into its socket, Violet sprang to her feet.

"Belle, what do you mean?" she cried, a flood of angry crimson surging
to her brow.

"I mean that if you will not go with me, you shall stay where you are
until I return," Mrs. Mencke sharply answered, and then she swept down
the stairs with a smile of triumph on her face, for she congratulated
herself that she had done a very clever thing.

Violet stood, for a moment or two, speechless and white with anger over
the indignity offered her.

"She has dared to lock me up like a naughty, five-year-old child!" she
cried, passionately. "I will not submit to such treatment; and besides,
I have promised to meet Wallace again at two o'clock. What am I to do?
Belle evidently suspected that I meant to see him, and has taken this
way to prevent it."

She sat down again and tried to think, though she was trembling with
excitement and anger.

There was no other outlet to her suite of rooms, and it certainly
appeared as if she must remain where she was until her sister's return.

Meantime Mrs. Mencke, upon going below, had called the housemaid and
confided to her that, for good reasons, she had locked Violet in her
room and she charged the maid not to let her out under any
circumstances.

She ordered her to carry a nice luncheon to Violet at twelve, but to be
sure to lock the door both going in and coming out, and on pain of
instant dismissal to pay no heed to Violet's entreaties to be set at
liberty.

Then, feeling that she had safely snared her bird, at least for a few
hours, she went about her shopping with an easy mind.

Violet, after thinking her condition over for a while, resolved not to
make any disturbance to attract the attention of the servants.

She reasoned that Sarah, the second girl, would bring her some luncheon
at noon, and she determined to seize that opportunity to effect her
release; just how that was to be accomplished she did not know, but get
out and go to the city she must before two o'clock.

She dressed herself for the street, all save her hat and wrap, and then
began to plan ways and means.

Suddenly her face lighted, and going into her dressing-room, she
surveyed the large mirror which was suspended above the marble bowl.

Taking a penknife from her pocket, she deliberately