The Spanish Chest Part 21

"This wall must really be several feet through," he observed to the watching Constance.

"Probably. But I don't see, Win, what you are trying to get at."

"I hardly know myself, Miss Connie. It's just an idea I had. This would have been the wall nearest the cave. You see I'm not used to having a cave as a sort of household annex, so I can't help thinking it may figure yet in this business."

Connie shook her head. "Perhaps it did once," she said. "Only that cave is more or less common property; many people know of it. We can be sure of one thing; that nothing will be found in it now.

How about this floor?"

Win left the wall to inspect by aid of his lantern the huge, roughly-squared blocks forming the cellar floor. Damp, dark and numerous they showed under the light.

"It's possible that any one might conceal some cavity," said Connie. "But that one would surely differ in some way from the others. Let us spread out and inspect them. Anybody who finds a flag in any way peculiar, speak."

Constance herself began to peer at the stone flooring, not at all because she expected to find anything in the least unusual, but because she did not want disappointment to fall upon Win too quickly. If he really searched thoroughly, he would be better satisfied to acknowledge the quest as useless.

Among the many scenes those centuries-old walls had looked upon, it is a question whether they had witnessed so gay a sight as the five young people, wandering slowly up and down the uneven floor, looking for some stone raised higher or sunken lower than the others, more carefully fitted; perhaps, though this could scarcely be hoped, provided with an iron ring for a handle.

Nothing happened. No two of the many flags were alike, yet none seemed of sufficient distinction to mark it as worth further investigation. All looked as though they had never been moved.

The other and more recent cellars received scanty attention. Of lesser age, they were also cleaner, drier and better lighted.

"Our adventure seems fruitless" sighed Connie as they stood at last among bins and bottles near the kitchen stairs. "Why, where is Win?"

Both Frances and Roger started back, ashamed to have forgotten him if only for a moment. Suppose poor Win had had one of his attacks alone back there in that shadow-filled vault!

Win was found in the original cellar of the old Manor, not pacing the floor or tapping the stones, but meditatively staring at one of its walls, not the one he had devoted so much attention to, but the northern boundary.

"What luck?" asked Connie as they came in, relieved at sight of him.

"None," said Win, turning to her with curiously bright eyes. "But, Miss Connie, do you think your father would show me those plans again!"

"Why, of course he will. Has some idea struck you?"

"I don't quite know," said Win. "But I should like to see the plans and perhaps some other day, you'll let me come down here again for a few moments."

CHAPTER XV

THE HAUNTED ROOM

"There is a letter for you, Miss Edith," said Nurse as the girls came in from school, the next Sat.u.r.day. "It is for Miss Frances, too."

"For us both?" exclaimed Frances. "Where from?"

"Pierre brought it from the Manor," replied Nurse.

"I can't get over there being no telephones in the houses here,"

remarked Frances, s.n.a.t.c.hing off her hat. "Imagine having to send a man with a note instead of just taking down a receiver and talking. Not to have telephones is so very English."

"The English don't hold much with new inventions, Miss," Nurse agreed. "What was good enough for those before us does us very well."

"I know it!" sighed Fran, "but think of the _convenience_ of a telephone."

Edith was holding a dainty square note bearing the inscription:

"Miss Edith Pearce, Miss Thayne, Rose Villa.

a la main de Pierre."

"From Miss Connie, of course," said Edith delightedly. Each took a corner of the enclosed card and with several little squeals of amused pleasure, Frances read it aloud.

"Miss Lisle presents her compliments to Miss Pearce and Miss Thayne and requests them to grant her the favor of attending a meeting of the Society for the Suppression of Ghosts to be held in the haunted room of Laurel Manor this evening at ten.

Notes:

Dinner 7:30.

Beds provided at 9:45 (Ghost _not_ guaranteed to appear).

Very best nighties because of looking pretty for spooks.

Breakfast any old hour."

Screaming with delight, Edith ran to find Estelle, Frances for her mother.

"But I don't know that I want you to sleep in a room that has the reputation of being haunted, Edith," protested Estelle. "Will Mrs.

Thayne permit Frances to go?"

"Oh, Sister, there's some joke about it," pleaded Edith. "There must be, because Miss Connie always laughs whenever the ghost is mentioned. And would her father let her sleep in that room if it was anything to frighten people? Oh, Star, it will be such fun!"

Up-stairs, Frances was besieging her amused mother. Two minutes later, the girls met in the hall, dancing with glee, for each might go were the other permitted.

"Dinner at the Manor, too!" sighed Frances. "What bliss!"

Neither Estelle nor Mrs. Thayne had much peace from then until it was time to start. Finally the hour arrived and the family a.s.sembled in the hall to see them off, Win interested and Roger openly envious. "I'd like a chance at that ghost just once," he vowed. "I'd settle him."

"Perhaps later, Miss Connie will invite you boys," said Edith.

"Why, here's Pierre. Oh, he's come for our bags."

To have a servant sent for their light luggage again struck Frances as most charmingly English, and two very happy girls waved farewell to Rose Villa as they turned out of the terrace.

In the great hall of the Manor, Constance greeted them, ceremoniously enough, but with mysterious smiles and twinkles. In person she conducted them to a pretty guest-room near her own apartments.

"We won't invade the ghost's domain until time for bed," she announced gayly. "You'll find a bath adjoining and would you like Paget to do your hair or fasten your dinner frocks?"

"We will help each other," said Edith, as full of twinkles as Connie herself.

"Then I will dress and come for you in about half an hour."

"Isn't Miss Connie the dearest thing!" said Edith enthusiastically as the door closed. "I never saw anybody just like her before."