The Girls of Central High Part 20

"I'm going, too," said Jess, wiping her eyes vigorously.

"Had you better?" returned Chet, doubtfully. "You're all strung up yourself over this, you know."

"I won't cry any more, Chet-don't you fear," declared the girl. "Let me go."

"Just as you say, only I thought you wouldn't go back to that house again."

"I'll go with you boys."

"Ghosts and all?"

"If it's a ghost it's gone by now."

"All right," said Chet. "But it's half after nine already. What will your mother say?"

"She's at the Academic Club, and won't be home for ever so long,"

declared Jess. "Let me go with you to the garage."

She followed the two boys to the rear of the Belding premises. Chet unlocked and slid back the garage doors. The touring car which his father owned was ready at a moment's notice to be taken out. They kept no chauffeur, for both Mr. Belding and Chet could manage the machine, and had she been old enough to take out a license Laura could herself have spun the car over the roads about Centerport.

"Hop in, Jess," said Chet, kindly. "That is, if you are sure you won't be frightened. I'm going to drive her some."

"I'm never scared when you are driving, Chet," returned the girl.

"I guess I'll get you to the inn at the picnic grounds in safety, at least," and the boy laughed. "You can wait there for us."

"No!" cried Jess.

"No?"

"I'm not going to be left there to watch the car while you boys hunt for Laura."

"But we may have to get a party of neighbors there and beat up the woods."

"But I believe now she was left behind in the old house," declared Jess.

"Not likely," said Lance. "She ran out some other door. Got turned around in those woods. That's what happened."

"You may be right," Jess admitted. "But I have a feeling that it isn't so. Something happened to Laura right there in the haunted house."

"You feel that way because you were so frightened there yourself," said Chet.

"I don't know why I feel so; but it is a fact," said Jess, confidently.

"Come on!" cried Lance, who was already in the front seat.

Chet helped Jess into the tonneau and closed the door. Then he hopped in beside Lance, tried his various levers, and started the car. It slid quietly out of the garage and they left the door open. The big car began to purr almost at once, and running smoothly, soon left the hill section and raced out along Market Street, now quiet save for the electric cars and other automobiles at this hour of the evening.

It was not long after ten when the car turned into the quiet road, with its few electric lights, leading to Robinson's Woods. There were a few other cars at the inn, and some people on the porch. Chet went at once to the manager and told him of the absence of his sister.

"I saw those girls all going to the car; but they never said anything about one of their number being lost," said the gentleman.

"They didn't know it then. They don't all know it now, in fact. But when Laura didn't come home her chum was sure that she was left behind. And she thinks she is in the old house up yonder," explained Chet.

"In the haunted house?"

"Yes."

"Nice place for girls to go!" exclaimed the man. "What did they want to go into that old ruin for?"

"Well, that isn't just the point," said Chet. "I'd like to get all the men you can raise to help us beat up the woods. She _may_ have wandered into the wood at the back of the house--"

"But she'd know she was going the wrong way then, wouldn't she?"

returned the manager of the hotel. "For it's uphill, you know."

"I suppose that's so," said Chet. "But something has happened to her and we're worried."

"Don't blame you. I'll go with you myself. And there are some other men here who will accompany us," said the manager, and he bustled away.

In five minutes the party was ready, with lanterns and clubs-though why the clubs, Chet could not imagine. Ghosts were not to be laid with such carnal weapons!

Jess insisted upon going along. "I left her alone, and I am ashamed,"

she told Chet. "I want to hunt for Laura, too."

She and Chet walked straight up the path to the plateau, Chet carrying one of the car lanterns. The others, including Lance, beat up through the wood, halloaing to each other, and shouting Laura's name. The lost girl's brother and her chum came first to the haunted house, however.

"If you're afraid to go in you stay here," advised Chet, when they came to the place.

"I'm not afraid to go anywhere with you, Chet," declared the girl, warmly.

That made Chet feel even more bold than before. He started right up the steps, with Jess clinging slily to his coat-tail.

They entered the house. The lamp light was flashed into the east room.

It was empty!

Not quite empty, after all. On the floor was a three-cornered bit of cloth-a piece of Laura's skirt-nailed to the boards.

CHAPTER XVII-THE MYSTERY

And where was Laura herself all this time?

She had returned to consciousness almost at once. Indeed, the pulling of the bonds upon her wrists and the veil tied so tightly across the lower part of her face would naturally have aroused her.

But for a moment she could neither rise nor move. It seemed as though she was paralyzed. Her ankle began to pain, then, and at the first throb the girl came fully to her senses.