“Peeking out, I’ll bet,” whispered Janet.  “Ring three times, Jane, and she’ll know we mean business.”

Jane followed that advice, but still no answer.

“There’s a side door,” suggested Dozia, critically inspecting the long, low old stone building that had been put up originally as a rendezvous for Wellington faculty who might want to get away from the buzz of girls and college.  It seemed no one had that sort of disease, however, and the rest cure “went to the wall” for want of patronage.  Just what company was now financing the rather expensive venture of Dol Vin no one knew, but it must have taken a lot of money even to buy the window scrim, the porch cretonne and the gold lettering on window and door glass.  These details were visible from the exterior, and what, oh, what might the interior look like to correspond?

“The side door,” agreed Jane, “for all but one or two.  Then perhaps we’ll get an answer here.”

The ruse worked beautifully, for hardly had the tread of feet—­eight of them, four pairs—­passed down the steps than in answer to a very lady-like ring of Jane’s a colored maid drew open the door.

“May I get a shampoo?” asked Jane sweetly, stepping inside as she spoke and covertly motioning Dozia to follow.

“This way, please,” said the white-capped and white-frocked, black-faced maid.  And behold!  Jane and Dozia were within the mysterious parlor!

Neither spoke.  Both were listening.  Someone was sobbing in the next room and Dol Vin’s voice was remonstrating.

As if suddenly realizing the situation the colored maid hurried out.  The sobbing ceased instantly and so did the talking.  A step through the hall indicated the coming of Dolorez.

“What does this mean?” she demanded angrily, stepping up to Jane with blazing eyes.  “How dare you force your way in here?”

“Is not this a public shop?” fired back Jane, equally angry.  “Have you not openly solicited Wellington patronage?”

“As if you came for that!  If you do not leave at once I shall phone the police!”

“Do,” dared Jane.  “And I shall demand that they search the place.  Someone is hidden here.”

A laugh, empty of mirth but bursting with scorn, followed Jane’s accusation.  It ran down a falsetto scale like pebbles off a tin roof.  Then Dolorez turned to summon her maid.

“Yolande!” she called.  “Show these persons out.”

The perplexed darky muttered, “Yes’m,” and proceeded to obey, but Jane and Dozia never moved.  They were listening now to noise of another sort.  The girls on the side porch seemed to be having a good time of it.

“Come,” demanded the inexorable Dolorez.  “My time is precious and I must have this room.  If you do not both leave I’ll phone the college.”

“How perfectly absurd you are, Dolorez,” said Jane, more alarmed now that no hint of Judith’s whereabouts had leaked out.  “You know perfectly well we can explain all this, and you also know we are here to find Judith Stearns and we will not leave until you have told us where she is or where she went?  May I use your telephone?”