CHAPTER XXITHE PRICE OF LIBERTY
Alora, being in the main a sensible girl, strove to make the best ofher unpleasant predicament. She longed to notify Mary Louise that shewas safe and well and in answer to her pleadings Janet agreed she mightwrite a letter to that effect, with no hint that she was imprisoned orwhere she could be found, and the nurse would mail it for her. So Alorawrote the letter and showed it to Janet, who could find no fault withits wording and promised to mail it when she went out to market, whichshe did every morning, carefully locking her prisoner in. It is perhapsneedless to state that the letter never reached Mary Louise because thenurse destroyed it instead of keeping her agreement to mail it. Letterscan be traced, and Janet did not wish to be traced just then.
The days dragged by with little excitement. Alora sought many means ofescape but found none practical. Once, while Janet was unlocking thehall door to go to market, the girl made a sudden dash to get by herand so secure her freedom; but the woman caught her arm and swung herback so powerfully that Alora fell against the opposite wall, bruisedand half stunned. She was no match for Janet in strength.
"I'm sorry," said Janet complacently, "but you brought it on yourself.I'm not brutal, but I won't be balked. Please remember, my girl, thatto me this is a very important enterprise and I've no intention ofallowing you to defeat my plans."
Usually the woman was not unpleasant in her treatment of Alora, butconversed with her frankly and cheerfully, as if striving to relieveher loneliness.
"Have you written to my father about me?" the girl asked one day.
"Not yet," was the reply. "I don't even know where Jason Jones may befound, for you haven't given me his address. But there's no hurry. Youhave been missing only a week, so far. Jason Jones has doubtless beennotified of your disappearance and is beginning to worry. Of course hewill imagine I am responsible for this misfortune and his alarm willgrow with the days that pass. Finally, when his state of mind becomesdesperate, you will give me his address and he will hear from me. Ishall have no trouble, at that crisis, in bringing my dishonest partnerto terms."
"I can't see the object of waiting so long," protested Alora. "How longdo you intend to keep me here?"
"I think you should remain missing about fifty days, during which timethey will search for you in vain. Your father's search for you willinclude a search for me, and I've figured on that and defy him to findme. The Sisters' Hospital, the only address known to the physicians whoemploy me, believe I've gone to some small Indiana town on a case, butI neglected to give them the name of the town. So there's a blind leadthat will keep my pursuers busy without their getting anywhere. It'seasy to hide in a big city. Here you are very safe, Alora, middiscovery is impossible."
Janet had abandoned her nurse's costume from the first day of thegirl's imprisonment. When she went out, which was only to a near-bymarket and grocery, she wore an unobtrusive dress.
Every day seemed more dreary to Alora than the last. She soon becamevery restless under her enforced confinement and her nerves, as well asher general health, began to give way. She had been accustomed toout-of-door exercise, and these rooms were close and "stuffy" becauseJanet would not allow the windows open.
For twelve days and nights poor Alora constantly planned an escape,only to abandon every idea she conceived as foolish and impractical.She looked forward to fifty days of this life with horror and believedshe would go mad if forced to endure her confinement so long.