The Ordway new era., 1910-10-14
THT CIRCULAR STAIR(ASf

vertical iron ladder. fastened to the
wall outside of the ballroom. and per.
haps ~ feet high. The ~ feet looked
short from below, but they were diff
ficult to climb. I gathered my silk
gown around me, and succeeded final.
ly In making the top of the ladder.
Once there. however. I was complete
ly out of breath. sat down. my feet
on the top rung. and put my hair.pins
in more securely. while the wind bel.
lowed my dressing.gown out like a
sail. ! had torn a great strip Of the
silk loose. and now I ruthlessly fin-
ished the destruction Of my gown by
Jerking It free and tying It around my
head.
Luckily. the roof was fiat. and
was able to 60 over every inch Of 1t. But
the result was disappointing: no trap
door revealed itself. NO glass window:
nothing but q couple Of pipes two
inches across. and standing perhaps
18 inches high and three feet apart.
with q cap to prevent rain from en-.
tering and raised to permit the pas
sage Of air. picked up a pebble
from the roof and dropped 1t down.
listening with my ear at one OF the
pipes. I could hear 1t strike on some
thing with a sharp. metallic sound.
but It was impossible for me to tell
how far 1t had gone.
gave up finally and went down the
ladder again. getting in through the
ballroom window without being OBJ
served. I went back at once to the
trunkroom, and. sitting down on a
box. gave my mind. as consistently as
l could. to the problem before me. II
the pipes in the roof were ventilators
to the secret room. and there was no
trap-door above. the entrance was
probably in one Of the two rooms be-
tween which 1t lay-unless. indeed.
the room had been built. and the open
ing closed with a brick and mortar
wall.
The mantel fascinated me. Made OF
wood and carved. the more looked
the more wondered that had not
noticed before the absurdity Of such
a mantel in such a place. 1t was COW
cred with scrolls and panels. and fn-
ally. by the merest accident. I pushed
one Of the panels at the side. 1t
moved easily. revealing a small brass
knob.
1t Is not necessary to detail the
fluctuations OF hope and despair. and
not a little fear OF what lay beyond.
with which l twisted and turned the
knob. 1t moved. but nothing seemed
IT, happen. and then l discovered the
trouble. I pushed the knob vigorous
ly to one side. and the whole mantel
swung loose from the wall almost
foot. revealing q cavernous space be-
yond.
! took a long breath. closed the
door from the trunkroom into the hall
thank heaven, did not lock it-and
pulling the mantel.door wide open.
stepped into the chimney.room. I had
time to get a hazy view of a small
portable safe. common wooden table
and a chair-then the mantel door
swung to. and clicked behind me. !
stood quite still for a moment. in the
darkness. unable to comprehend what
had happened. Then l turned and beat
furiously at the door with my fists.
It was closed and locked again. and
my fingers in the darkness slid over q
smooth wooden surface without q sign
OF a knob.
I was furiously angry-at myself, at
the manteldoor. at everything. I did
not fear suffocation; before the
thought had come to me had already
seen q CLEAN Of light from the two
small ventilating pipes In the roof.
They supplied air. but nothing else.
The room itself was shrouded in
blackness.
must have dozed of. l am sure
I did not faint. was never more
composed in my life. l remember