night, "It is twelve o'clock, and Reuben will be coming upstairs from
the kitchen. Hark!"--extinguishing her candle and opening her door
softly. "Josiah has gone to the turn on the stairs, and is speaking to
Reuben; quick, Moppet, if you come still as a mouse they will not see us
before we can gain your door," and with swift, soft steps the two small
figures stole across the hall in the semi-darkness which the night lamp
standing near the great clock but served to make visible, and in another
second, panting and eager, they stood safely within Moppet's chamber,
clinging to each other, as they quickly fastened the latch.

Moppet's chamber was a small one, and occupied the center of the house,
Miss Euphemia's being upon one side, and the north chamber (as one of
the great rooms was called) upon the other. The great chimney of the
mansion ran up between the large and small room, and what Moppet called
her "doll's dungeon" was a hollow place, just high enough for the child
to reach, in the back of the chimney. For some purpose of ventilation
there was an opening from this aperture into the north chamber. It was
covered with a piece of movable iron; and in summer, when no fire was
used in that part of the house, Moppet took great delight in consigning
her contumacious doll (a rag baby of large size and much plainness of
feature) to what she was pleased to call her "dungeon." To-night Betty's
quick wit had divined what an important factor the aperture might prove
to her, and directly she had secured the door, she walked softly toward
the chimney, and felt in the darkness for the movable bit of iron which
filled the back.

When Geoffrey Yorke had finished the ample and delicious supper with
which Miss Euphemia's hospitable and pitying soul had furnished him, he
lighted his candle and made thorough search of his temporary prison to
ascertain whether he could escape therefrom. Betty's gesture of