There, surely, was the staircase,--a narrow flight of wooden steps encumbered with packages of herbs,--losing itself in upper darkness.

By the aid of a candle she managed to grope and pick her way up step by step.

Then she paused.

The staircase had abruptly ended on the level of the study, now cut off from it by the new partition.

She was in a stifling inclosure, formed by the walls, scarcely eighteen inches wide.