Hearts and Masks

"I will go with you," she replied resolutely.

The gods were with us. The door leading to the cellars was not locked.

I opened it, passed the girl before me, and closed the door.

"I am frightened!" she whispered.

"So am I," I offered, to reassure her. "You are not afraid of rats,

are you?"

"No-o!"

"Bully!" I cried. Then I laughed.

"How can you laugh? It is horrible!" she protested.

"You would come, though I heard your uncle warn you. Look at it the

way I do. It's a huge joke, and years from now you'll have great fun

telling it to your grandchildren."

"I wish, at this moment, I could see so far ahead--What was

that?"--seizing my arm.

Click!

Somebody had locked the door behind us!