“But what would you shoot in daylight?”
asked Judith, half jokingly,
“Even suspicion,” replied Jane, “but
my chief concern would be to find the way friend spook
gets up into that attic and where he comes from.
Good night, Miss Gifford, we will follow the freshies
now, and I’m so sleepy it would take more noise
than that first bombardment made to arouse me.”
“Good night, my dears, and thank you so much
for your wonderful support,” said Miss Gifford.
“Support!” repeated Judith, back again
in the guest room. “I suppose she considers
the ghost her opponent?”
“I don’t,” said Jane cryptically.
“I consider it the opponent of all Wellington.”
“And I suppose, Janie, you are blaming me for
holding you back in the attic?” sleepily from
Judith.
“No, I’m not, Judy. You have no idea
what a coward I am at heart; but somehow you girls
have taken a notion I should do things and I can’t
bear to disappoint you. I must admit this is fascinating.
I like it better even than golf, and will also give
up my canter on Firefly this afternoon to see it through.”
“Oh Jane, don’t do that!” objected
Judith. “We were all going out to Big Rock
and have the horses engaged.”
“I’m sorry, Judy, but I’ve gotten
into this thing and I have just got to get out of
it or I’ll begin to believe in real spooks.
I simply can’t let it drag me down another twenty-four
hours.” She brushed her wavy red gold hair
viciously. “You may take Firefly. He
knows your saddle and will behave, I’m sure.
That will give someone else your horse.”
“Maud Leslie is crazy to ride but has no habit
here,” commented Judith significantly.
“Help her to mine,” responded Jane promptly.
“She isn’t far from my size.”
“But I wouldn’t want to go galloping for
nuts while you stay here alone hunting for spooks,”
Judith said loyally. “Better let two girls
take our places if you insist on staying out.”
“Oh, no, dear. I’m only going to
look around for some sort of trap entrance to Lenox.
Besides, you know Dozia doesn’t ride, and she’ll
be here.”
“All right, love, I’ll leave you with
Dozia if you insist. She’s big enough to
take care of you at any rate. Do you imagine Miss
Gifford has materialized some domestic enemy in her
change of staff? And that this super-conscious
fired janitor or furnace man is operating against
her?”
“I don’t know, Judy,” sighed Jane.
“Looks to me more loosely organized than that.
Besides, even a fired furnace man would keep union
hours at one fifty per. No, I think you’ll
find the eternal female back of that racket, it’s
too temperamental for masculine action.”
THE HIDDEN CHAMBER
Was this Wellington and was Jane Allen, the darling
of the gym and the record maker for basket-ball, now
so prone on solving a perplexing noise mystery that
her games were cancelled and even her riding hours
filled in with mundane matters, while her companions
flew away to gather mountain nuts and wonderful complexions?
