ut she must act--she must do something! A round
of inspection showed her she could not open one of the doors. The
windows, too, had several nails driven into their tops and along the
sides, and the doors were securely fastened with keys. She went back
to the window, raised the curtains, and looked out into the gloom.
There was not another light to be seen.

The clock on the mantel had struck nine, and Jinnie had grown so
horrified she dared not sit down. Many a time she went to the door and
pressed her ear to it, but no sound came through the deep silence.

It was after eleven when she dropped on the divan and drew the
coverlet over her. The next she knew, daylight was streaming in upon
her face.

CHAPTER XLI

JINNIE'S PLEA

Jinnie sprang up, unable at first to remember where she was. Then it
all came to her. She was locked away from the world in a big house
overlooking the gorge. However, the morning brought a clear sun,
dissipating some of her fear--filling her with greater hope.

The dreadful dreams during the night had been but dreams of fear and
pain--of eternal separation from her loved ones. Such dreams, such
fears, were foolish! No one could take her away from Peggy. She
wouldn't go! Ah, the man would return very soon with Molly the Merry.

The clock struck eight. What would Blind Bobbie think--and Peggy? The
woman might decide she had left her forever; but no, no, Peg couldn't
think that!

Childlike, she was hungry. If some one had intentionally imprisoned
her, they must have left her something to eat. Investigation brought
forth some cold meat, a bottle of milk, and some bread. Jinnie ate all
she could swallow. Then for an hour and a half she paced up and down,
wishing something would happen, some one would come. Anything would be
better than such deadly uncertainty.

Perhaps it was the overwhelming stillness of the building, possibly a
natural alertness indicative of her fear, that allowed Jinnie to catch
the echoes of footsteps at the farther end of the corridor. But before
she got to the door, a key grated in the lock, and the man who had
brought her there was standing beside her. Their eyes met in a
clinging, challenging glance--the blue of the one clashing with the
sinister grey, as steel strikes fire from steel. An insolent smile
broke over his face and he asked nonchalantly:

"Did you find the food?"

Jinnie did not answer. She stood contemplating his face. How she hated
his smile