“That isn’t a sentence,” objected the Professor, a little querulously, and everybody laughed. Also, everybody blessed the occasion for laughter.
But Eve went on. “I don’t care if it’s a sentence or a syllogism, or what it is! It just rang in my ears. And I tell you this whole place is under the Powers of Darkness – ”
“Do hush, Eve,” pleaded Milly. “I was just beginning to pull myself together, and now you’ve upset me again!”
“But Milly, – ”
“Let up, Eve! For the love of Mike, let up! You’re enough to give anybody the creeps.” Landon glared at her.
“It’s only a question of light,” Tracy broke in, in his pleasant way. “Now, we’ve light enough for the moment, and to-morrow we’ll make this the house of a thousand candles and a hundred lamps, and a few lanterns if you like. Incidentally, Friend Hester makes first-rate doughnuts.”
“Aren’t they bully!” chimed in Vernie. “I’ve eaten six, and here goes for another.”
“Lucky they’re small,” said her uncle. “But seven doughnuts are enough to make you see the ghost of old Montgomery himself!”
“And all the Green Mountain boys,” added Tracy, who was determined to keep conversation away from fearsome subjects.
By the time they had finished the meal, every one felt more at ease, Landon had recovered his poise, and Milly her cheerfulness.
“Now, then,” the Professor asked, as they left the table, “shall we explore the house to-night – ”
“Lord, no!” cried Braye. “Leave it lay till daylight. Also, don’t quiz old Stebbins as to who’s who in Black Aspens! Let’s turn on the Victrola and dance, or let’s play poker or sing glees, or anything that’s a proper parlour trick. But nothing, I insist, pertaining to our mission up here. That’ll keep.”
“As you like,” and now Landon could smile. “And you mollycoddles may pursue those light-minded pleasures. But I’m going to have it out with Steb, because I want to know some several Laws for Beginners. But, don’t let me interfere with your plans. Go ahead, and have play ‘Hide and Seek All Over the House,’ if you choose. That used to be my favourite indoor game.”
“Oh!” squealed Vernie, “what an awful suggestion! In this house!”
“I move we hear the story of the house to-night. – right now,” said Eve.
Milly clasped her hands over her ears, instead of, as usual, over her mouth, and cried, “No! I forbid it! Don’t let ’em, will you, Wynne?”
“Seems to me,” remarked Mr. Stebbins, “you folks don’t know your own minds! You want a ha’nted house, then when you git it, you’re too scared to hear the story of the ha’nt.”
“I’m not scared,” asserted Norma, “but somehow, a ha’nt sounds so much worse than a haunt. Doesn’t it, now?”
“It sure does,” agreed Braye. “A ha’nt is concrete, while a haunt is abstract.”
“Good!” and Hardwick nodded approval. “Now, I suggest that we look around a bit, get the general lay of the house and then all go to bed early. A good night’s sleep will put our nerves and muscles in condition again. I’m delighted with the place, and I foresee a first-class vacation ahead of us.”
“I wish it was behind us, and we were just starting for home,” murmured Milly, but Eve reprimanded her.
“Don’t be a spoilsport! I like the place too, Professor, and I’m going to investigate a little. What room is this?”
Eve’s graceful figure crossed the great square hall, where they were all standing about, and paused at the closed door of a room just at the right hand as one entered the house.
“Why, it’s locked!” she exclaimed. “That won’t do, Mr. Stebbins! This whole domain is ours, now, you know. Open this door, please.”
Eve wore the light gray skirt of her travelling costume, and a thin sheer white silk blouse, whose V’d neck fell away from her long, slender throat. Her hand on the door knob, she suddenly turned her strange beryl eyes toward Stebbins, her face turning whiter and her thin lips redder as she gazed.
“This is the room – isn’t it?” she breathed, and her hand slowly fell from the knob and hung loosely at her side.
“Yes, ma’am,” replied Stebbins, stolidly. “How’d you know?”
“How could I help knowing!” and Eve’s voice rang out like a clarion. “I see it! I see it all!”
She rushed across the hall and fell trembling on a settee. Tracy flew to her side, and took her hand.
“There, there, Miss Carnforth, brace up! We’re all right here. Nothing can hurt you.”
“Beats all how she knew!” muttered Stebbins. “You see that’s the room – ”
A cry from Milly stirred Landon to action.
“Drop it, Stebbins,” he said, and took a step toward him. “None of that to-night. We do want your haunted house, but the long journey up here, and your confounded negligence in the matter of lights and servants and general good will, has got on the ladies’ nerves. Beat it now, to the kitchen, or wherever your quarters are, but you stay here to-night and be ready to report in the morning. You hear me?”
“Yes, sir,” and shrugging his shoulders, the man disappeared among the shadows in the back of the hall.
The great main hall was so large that the lights they had were all insufficient for illumination. There seemed to be innumerable doors and openings of side corridors, also a second staircase, far behind the main one.
“Here’s a good-looking room, let’s go in here,” said Tracy, stepping through some old, faded draperies to the room on the left of the hall as one entered the house.
Hardwick followed, and the others with lamps and candles pushed in. It was a large, dignified apartment, evidently a parlour or ballroom of the old mansion. The furniture was of old, carved rosewood, its upholstery worn, but fairly decent. Oil portraits were on the walls and massive ornaments of imitation bronze stood about, showing white here and there where the coating was chipped off.
Yellowish onyx vases graced the mantels, and the windows were hung with heavy rep curtains which, however, veiled no lighter ones.
“Ghastly!” cried Norma.
“What do you mean by ghastly?” began the Professor, and Tracy laughed.
“She didn’t mean it at all, Professor,” he said, “Miss Cameron meant to say hideous. Now, don’t ask me what I mean by hideous, just look at the interior decorations here and draw your own conclusions as to my meaning. But though not to be called æsthetic, this furniture is fairly comfy. The springs of this sofa are intact, – come sit by my side, little darling.” This last to Vernie, who was wide-eyed and alert, lapping up these strange, new impressions.
“All right,” and she flung herself down beside him. “You’re a real comfort, Mr. Tracy, – you’re so, – so – unministerial!”
“Thank you, my child. One needn’t carry one’s pulpit voice into social life.”
“Oh, I don’t mean you do or say anything that a man of your calling oughtn’t to, but you’re so nice about it.”
“I think so too,” chattered Milly, “I do think a clergyman with a sense of humour makes a fine combination.”
The mental atmosphere gradually lightened and when Landon suggested they all retire, it was a composed and merry hearted group that obeyed the summons.
When twelve sonorous strokes boomed from the tall clock in the upper hall, the men beneath the roof of Black Aspens were all sleeping more or less soundly.
Milly,