reached their ears and a dim light appeared at the end of the
corridor. For a moment the girls stood motionless; then they turned,
and ran swiftly down the twisted way to the sliding stone, and found
themselves once more in the room they had left, but it was in
darkness.

The electric lights were out and the little flashlights made but a dim
illumination in the room.

The men had returned, and all stood staring as the two girls raced into
the room and told their story.

"I think they are dynamiting the dining-room to find the prisoners. We
must leave now," cried Ignace. "No one knows how they may guard the
grounds. They are bound to find their victims."

"'Where is Rika?" cried Modjeska.

"They could find no trace of any of them," said the Princess. "We can
only hope that the boys have taken the little girls either to the
American Consul's or away from Warsaw. We will have to trust to them
and believe that they are all together, until we can get in touch with
them. In the meantime there is but one course open. We must go to the
Prince at Lodz."

"And at once, mother! I have a feeling that we are not safe even
here. Have you your jewels?"

"I have them all," said the Princess. "All that I had placed on Rika,
and which Miss Evelyn has returned, and the court jewels as well.