“Not for your fame.”
Juliana brushed a wisp of straggling gray hair
from her eyes. Her slumping shoulders stiffened.
“But I’ve lost all my beauty!” »he cried out.
“Oh, I want to be left alone. I have my farm.
Take me back there, please!”
“You mean you don’t want Heath Castle?”
George asked.
“I loved Heath Castle, and I loved Walt,”
Juliana said brokenly, “But I hid myself away so
that he never would see me in this condition. Per-
haps this is foolish pride, but it seems best that I
finish out my days as I am doing.”
“Your sister Vera wants to be with you very
much,” said Nancy. “She is a widow now with a
little girl who looks a great deal like you.”
Juliana was deeply moved. “Vera has a daugh-
ter?” she murmured. “Where is she?”
“The child’s name is Joan. She and her mother,
now Mrs. Fenimore, live in River Heights. Joan
likes flowers and gardening, just as you do. I can’t
tell you the whole story now, but the two of then?
need you.”
“If I had known before-” Juliana began. “At
the beginning of my retirement I sent a letter to
my sister but it came back. I had no idea where
the was.”
“Mrs. Fenimore and Joan want to leave the
neighborhood where they live,” Nancy put in.
“Joan would be so happy in these surroundings.”
“Are the gardens still beautiful?” the former
dancer asked dreamily.
Nancy hated to tell the woman the truth. She
tried to soften it by saying, “They have been
badly neglected. But they could be landscaped
again. However, only a person who truly loved
the place would want to do it.”
“To me it would be a challenge,” Juliana said
with sudden spirit. “A memorial to Walt. But
the castle and its grounds really are pretty large
for three people.”
“What a wonderful place it would be for hand-
icapped children!” Bess mused.
“And I’d like to help them!” Juliana an-
nounced. “Yes, I’ll make this place a beautiful
spot again! I’ll bring Joan and Vera here. And
later we’ll see about the other children.”
“Good!” Nancy said. “We’ll take you right to
your sister, and then I’ll go to settle my score
with Mr. Hector.”
The group had finally reached the foot of the
stairway. Before the former dancer could be
helped up the steps, a sardonic laugh echoed
down to them.
“I’ll make sure you don’t get out!” a voice
threatened.
The next instant the trap door dropped into
place with a crash. A heavy object was placed on
top of it. Then all was quiet in the dungeon!
CHAPTER XIX
Release and Capture
Nancy darted up the stairway to try opening the
trap door. As she had feared, it did not budge.
George and Bess pushed with all their might.
“It’s hopeless,” said Bess, panting.
“We’re all prisoners!” Juliana Johnson ex-
claimed.
Nancy was fearful this new shock might under-
mine Juliana’s health completely, so she said, “I
feel sure there’s no cause for alarm. When we fail
to show up, help will come. I left a note at home.”
“But will the trap door be noticed by anyone?”
Juliana asked dubiously.
“Perhaps I can find another exit,” Nancy said.
While Bess remained with Juliana, Nancy and
George, using flashlights, searched the various
cells. They could find no exit. The only openings
were the high grilled windows.
“Nancy,” George said suddenly, “I brought a
police whistle. Suppose I blow it.”
“Great!” said Nancy. “If you stand on my
shoulders, you should be able to reach one of the
windows and signal for help.”
George and Nancy stepped into the nearest cell
and went to the window. With agility George
climbed to Nancy’s shoulders and clung to the
iron grills of the window. She blew a dozen shrill
blasts with her whistle.
“I hope it’ll work,” she said, after dropping
lightly to the floor.
She and Nancy wondered how long they might
have to wait and how long Juliana could stand
the added strain. They returned to the others
and sat down on the steps.
Juliana had lapsed into silence, but Nancy
gradually drew her out. One of the first questions