CHAPTER II The Old Montgomery Place
At the Fisher and Hibbard Real Estate and Country House Agency, WynneLandon had a spirited interview with their Mr. Fisher, and finallyinduced that somewhat unwilling gentleman to advertise for a hauntedhouse.
"It's a purely business matter," Landon argued, "and if you're any sortof a live agency you ought to do your best to get for your clients anysuch peculiar domiciles as they may desire."
"I understand that," patiently explained Mr. Fisher, "but it's such acrazy thing to do. How would a dignified firm like ours look advertisingfor a house warranted haunted?"
"Don't use your own firm name, then. Have answers sent to a fictitiousaddress. Oh, you can manage it, Fisher. I don't mean you can surely getone, but you can manage to try. And if the house is pleasant andattractive, it doesn't matter, between you and me, if there isn't anyghost, after all. But I want a _bona fide_ story. I mean, I don't want ahouse that the owner pretends is haunted, just so he can rent it. It mustbe a well-known legend or ghost story connected with the place."
"There are plenty of such," and Fisher laughed. "I've struck themoccasionally, and because of that well-authenticated story, known to allthe neighbours, I couldn't rent them. To have one asked for is a newexperience here."
"Well, I've told you the whole state of the case. You see why we want it,and though the ghost part is the primary factor with some of us, my wifeand I care more about a pleasant setting for a month's house party."
Landon's personality went far toward gaining his end, and Mr. Fisherpromised to do what he could. As a lawyer of fine standing, and a man ofample means, Wynne Landon was a desirable man to please, and the orderwas taken.
And when, a few weeks later, word came that a possible opportunity hadoffered, Landon telephoned for Braye to go with him, and they went toinvestigate it at once.
"It's this way," said Mr. Fisher to the listening men. "There's a bighouse up in Vermont,--in the Green Mountain region, not so very far fromManchester. But it's a lonely locality, quite high up, and near a lake."
"Sounds fine so far," commented Landon; "go on."
"A man named Stebbins is the owner. I haven't seen him, but here's hisletter. Read it, you'll get the idea better than I can tell you." So theyread:
"Fisher and Hibbard: "Dear sirs:
"I've got a house, and it sure is haunted. It's up here in the mountains, and it's a good house, and a big one, but in some disrepair. Leastways, things is old-fashioned, and not, as you may say, up to date. But nothing ornery. All high-toned and proper, only old and somewhat wore out. It's the old Montgomery mansion, built along about 1700 and something. But it's been added to since, and it's a sort of mixed up architecture. About forty rooms into it, I should judge, though I ain't never counted them. And most of them haunted. But they ain't no use going into particulars unless somebody really wants to rent it. I've tried nineteen years, and nobody'll take it, cause it's so lonesome like. It's called Black Aspens, mostly I guess, cause the thick groves of aspen trees all around look black at night, and Lord knows it's a fit place for ghosts. Anyway it's haunted and I can swear to that. But the story of the haunt I won't set down until I hear from you again. But you can take my affydavy it's a real haunt and there's a real reason for it.
"Yours truly, "Elijah Stebbins."
"Sounds good to me; what do you think, Rudolph?" said Landon.
"All right, if it's genuine. Some of us ought to go up there and size itup before the whole crowd goes. Think so?"
"Yes, unless we can get a photograph, or some sort of a plan of theplace. And, you know, Braye, I don't care such a lot about a ghost, if wecan get a good intelligent crowd of people together. That's the only sortof vacation I care for. I wouldn't give a picayune for a month in a bigsummer hotel, or a little summer boarding-house, where you may meet goodtalkers and you may not. But with Eve Carnforth and Norma Cameron and theProfessor and, pardon the bouquet, you, I foresee some good oldchin-chins. And, add to this, picturesque, even wild mountain scenery, Isomehow think we're in for a good time."
"I agree. Wish Uncle Gif and Vernie weren't going, though. He's adictatorial old chap, though a good sport, and as to Vernie, I don'tthink it's the right place for a flapper."
"Oh, it won't hurt the kiddie. She's a mighty sensible little piece andshe's ready to eat up experiences. She may as well be with her ownpeople."
"That's just it. She's lived nearly all her life alone with Uncle, and heisn't enough people for her. She ought to have a woman to look after her,now she's out of school."
"Well, what's the matter with Milly? For this trip at least. Milly lovesthe little girl, and will have a good influence over her."
"That's right as rain, but I'm not sure Eve Carnforth is desirablecompany for Vernie."
"Oh, Eve isn't a bad sort. And with her strict Uncle, and you and Millyand me to look after the child, Eve can't do much to counteract."
"She probably won't do anything. It's all right, Wynne. Now shall wedecide to take this Montgomery place?"
"Oh, no, we can't decide positively. I'm pretty sure we shall take it,but I think we ought to call a confab of the whole bunch to discuss it."
Meantime, Eve Carnforth was talking it over with Milly Landon.
"I adore the plan," Eve said, "except your insistence on taking NormaCameron. I don't like her, Milly, and you know it."
"Now, Eve, cunnin' little cherub child, don't let the greeny-weeny-eyedmonster claim you for his own! You know perf'ly well," Milly giggled,"that you don't want Norma along, because you think she will attractFriend Braye."
"Why, Milly Landon! What nonsense! I don't care two cents for RudolphBraye----"
"Oh, I don't mean romantically, but I do know you want to be top of thepsychic heap, up there, and you think little Norma will get ahead of youin phantasmagoria, or whatever you call it."
"No, it isn't that; but Norma does think she knows it all, and she putson such airs about her clairvoyance, and calls herself a sensitive andall that."
"Well, let her. You can hold your own; and, too, Eve, if we carry outthis scheme, I think we ought all to pull together, and help each other.And we can't do that, if there's antagonism or rivalry. Now, can we? Andif you're in earnest, as you've always insisted you are, you ought to beglad of any help Norma can give. She feels that way about you. When Iasked her to go, she was delighted that you were to be in the party,because, she said, you were so interested and so well up in all thesethings we're going to discover."
"I suppose I am silly. I may as well confess I'm not sure of Norma. Shewouldn't be above pretending she heard or saw things, even if shedidn't."
"Fiddlesticks! There won't be any pretending! Or, if there is, it'll bediscovered right straight off. Why, Wynne is terribly in earnest,--abouthaving it all fair and square, I mean,--and so is the Professor, and I'dlike to see any one fool Gifford Bruce! And little Vernie is a realwideawake. There won't be anything doing that that child doesn't know, ifit's fraud or foolery! Don't you believe it, my dear. Norma Cameron won'tpull any wool over anybody's eyes in our party. No, siree!"
The crowd came together that night to discuss the house that had beenoffered, and to come to a decision.
Norma Cameron was present, and her manner and appearance were so exactlyopposite to those of Eve Carnforth, that it was small wonder the girlswere not congenial.
Norma was blonde, and had what her friends called a seraphic countenanceand her enemies, a doll-face. For Norma had enemies. She was prominent inwar relief work and public charities of many kinds, and it is seldompossible for such a one to go through the world entirely peaceably. Butall conceded that her doll-face was a very pretty one, and few whocriticized it, would not have been glad to wear it.
Her golden hair was softly curly, and her sky blue eyes big andexpressive. But her complexion
was her greatest beauty; soft as a rosepetal, the pink and white were so delicately blended as to make a newobserver suspect art's assistance. A second glance, however, removed allsuch suspicion, for no hare's foot could ever have produced that degreeof perfection. Her softly rounded chin, and creamy throat wereexquisitely moulded, and her usual expression was gentle and amiable.
But Norma was no namby-pamby character, and her eyes could turn to deepviolet, and her pink cheeks flush rosily if she ran up against unjusticeor meanness. That was why her career of philanthropy was not always aserene path, for she never hesitated to speak her mind and her mind wasof a positive type.
Always outspoken, though, was Norma. No slyness or deceit marked herprocedure, never did she say behind any one's back what she would not sayto his face.
And this was the principal reason why Norma and Eve could never hit itoff. For Eve frequently carried tales, and sometimes denied them later.Milly, however, was friends with both girls, and secretly hoped that ifthey could all get away together, the two warring natures might react oneach other for good. Then, too, both were immensely interested inpsychics, and if they were rivals in this field, so much better chancefor all concerned, to find out the things they were to look for.
"I think," said Norma, at the confab, "it would be better for two of thecrowd, say, Mr. and Mrs. Landon, to go up first and look at the house. Itsounds fine, but it may be impossible. So, why get us all up there, onlyto come home again?"
"I don't think so," said Eve, promptly, while Milly giggled to hear thetwo begin to disagree at once. "I think it would be a lot more fun for usall to go and see it for the first time together. Then, if it isn'tlivable, we can all come back, but we shall have had a sort of picnic outof it, at least."
"Yes, I think that, too!" put in Vernie, who was beside herself with joyat the outlook. "Oh, what a gorgeous party it will be! Do we go in thetrain, or motors or what?"
"Hush, Vernie," said her Uncle, "we haven't decided to go at all, yet.Where is this place, Landon?"
"The post-office is East Dryden. The house is about a mile further up themountain. I fancy it's a picturesque sort of a place, though with fewmodern appointments. Fisher got a little more data, somehow, and he saysit's a hodge-podge old pile, as to architecture, as it's been rebuilt, oradded to several times. But I don't care about all that, I mean, if wedon't like the appointments we needn't stay. What I want is the ghoststory. Shall we send to Stebbins for that before we take the place, or goon a wild goose chase entirely?"
"Oh, let's start off without knowing anything about it," and old Mr.Bruce's eyes twinkled like a boy's at thought of an escapade.
"Good for you, Uncle!" and Vernie shouted with glee. "I didn't know youwere such an old top, did you, Cousin Rudolph?"
"Well, I've known him longer than you have, Flapper, and I'm not sosurprised at his wanting a sporting proposition. But, I say, Milly, ifwe're going to take Tracy, you people ought to see him and give him theonce over first. Maybe you won't like him at all."
"Oh, your friends are sure to be our friends, Rudolph," said Landon, "buttelephone him to run up here, can't you? It's only fair to let him in onthe planning."
Tracy came, and he made good at once. His ministerial air was softened bya charming smile and a certain chivalry of address that pleased the womenand satisfied the men.
"What about servants?" he asked, after the main details had beenexplained to him.
"That's what I'm thinking about," said Milly. "I don't want to take ourservants, they'd be scared to death in such a place, and, too, we can'tgo ghost hunting under Charles' nose! He'd sniff at us!"
"Right you are!" agreed Landon. "Charles is one estimable and valuablebutler, but he's no sort to take on the picnic we're out for."
"Don't let's take any servants," suggested Eve, "but get some up there.Natives, you know."
"That would be better," said Mr. Bruce. "Then, they'll be used to theplace, and can tell us of the legends and traditions, you see."
"You're poking fun," said Eve, reproachfully, "but it's true, all thesame. Do we go in motors?"
"I think so," said Landon. "Two big cars would take us all, and we canleave our luggage to be sent up if we stay."
"Of course we'll stay," asserted Milly. "I love that old house already,and if there's no ghost at all, I'll be just as well pleased, and I'llstay the month out, with whoever wants to stay with me."
"I'll stand by you," said Norma, "and I'll own up that I don't reallyexpect any spectral manifestations up there, anyway."
"It matters little what you expect," and Professor Hardwick looked at herthoughtfully. "We're going investigating, not expecting."
"Don't you expect anything, Prof?" asked Vernie, gaily.
"What do you mean by expect, child? Do you mean wish or think?"
"Gracious, goodness, Professor! I never know what I mean by the words Iuse, and I never care!"
Professor Hardwick's hobby was the use of words, and rarely did he failto question it, if a word was misused or uncertainly used in hispresence. But he smiled benignly on the pretty child, and didn't botherher further.
Finally, the men drew together to make up the budget of necessaryexpenses and the women talked clothes.
"Smocks all round," said Norma, who loved the unconventional in dress.
"Not for me!" said Eve, who didn't.
Milly giggled. "Let every one wear just what she chooses," she settledit. "I'm at my best in white linen in the summer time, but what aboutlaundry? Well, I shall leave two sets of things packed, and then send forwhichever I want."
Norma, uninterested in clothes, edged over toward the men. Though afriend of the Landons and acquainted with Professor Hardwick, she hadnever met Braye or Tracy before.
Both succumbed to her sure-fire smile, but Tracy showed it and Brayedidn't.
"Sit here, Miss Cameron," and Tracy eagerly made a place for her at hisside; "we need a lady assistant. How much do you think it ought to costto provision nine people and two or three natives for a month?"
"It isn't a question of what it _ought_ to cost," returned Norma, "butwhat it _will_ cost. But in any case it will be less than most of uswould spend if we went to the average summer hotel. So why not just putdown some round numbers, divide 'em by nine and let it go at that?"
"Fine!" approved Landon. "No food dictator could beat that scheme! Iwonder if ghost-hunters are as hungry as other hunters, or if we'll be soscared we'll lose our appetites."
"I have a profound belief in ghosts," Norma asserted, "but I shall onlyindulge in it between meals. Count me in for all the good things going,three times a day."
"What do you mean by profound?" asked the Professor; "deep-seated orwidely informed?"
"Both," answered Norma, flashing her pretty smile at the serious old man."Profundity of all kinds is my happy hunting-ground, and on this trip Iexpect to get all the profundity I want."
"And I'm the girl to put the fun in profundity," cried Vernie, comingover to them. "My mission is to keep you serious people joyed up. Mr.Tracy, your profession won't interfere with your having a jolly time,will it? No, I see it won't, by that twinkly little smile."
"You may count on me," said the clergyman a bit stiffly, but with acordial glance at the girl.
"And I can wind Professor Hardwick round my finger," Vernie went on, "fora companion on a gay lark, I don't know any one better than a dry-as-dustold college professor!"
The object of this encomium received it with a benignant smile, butGifford Bruce reproved his saucy niece.
"I'll leave you at home, miss, if you talk impertinences," he declared.
"Not much you won't, my bestest, belovedest Uncle! Why, I'm the leadinglady of this troupe. And I expect the spectre will appear to me first ofall. That's my motto: 'Spect the Spectre! How's that? Then the rest ofyou can inspect the spectre!"
"Vernie! don't be so excruciatingly funny," begged Braye, while MillyLandon giggled at the pretty child, whose charm and sweetness took allrudeness from her
foolery.
"Perhaps we ought to call in an inspector to inspect the spectre,"contributed Landon.
"There, there, Wynne," said Braye, "we'll take such stuff from anignorant little girl but not from a grown-up man."
"Ignorant, huh!" scorned Vernie. "I'll bet _you_ couldn't have passed myexamination in psychology!"
"Perhaps not," admitted Braye, "but after this trip of ours, we'll all behonour men."
"I want it thoroughly understood," said Mr. Bruce, "that I range myselfon the side of the sceptics. I don't want to sail under false colours andI wish to state positively that there are no ghosts or phantasms or anysuch things. Moreover, I announce my intention of fooling you gullibleones, if I can."
"Oh, that isn't fair!" exclaimed Landon. "I don't believe in the thingseither, but I want an honest test. Why, you take away the whole point ofthe experiment if you're going to put up a trick on us!"
"No, no, Bruce," said the Professor, "that won't do. Come, now, give meyour word there'll be no hocus-pocus or I refuse to go at all."
"If it's any sort of a real test, Hardwick, it oughtn't to be possible tofool you."
"That's true," said Eve; "and I'm not afraid of any tricks. If they aretricks, I'll know it----"
"I too," said Norma. "I'm sensitive to all psychical manifestations andif I can't tell a real phantasm from Mr. Bruce's tricks, I deserve to befooled."
"I think it's a good thing that Mr. Bruce warned us," observed JohnTracy. "It puts us on our guard. But I think the rest of us ought toagree not to do anything of that sort. We can expect and discount Mr.Bruce's little game, but if others are going to do the same, it seems tome the game isn't worth playing."
"Right you are!" declared Landon, and forthwith everybody present exceptGifford Bruce solemnly pledged his or her word to do nothing tricky orfraudulent, and to preserve an open-minded, honest attitude toward anydevelopments they might experience.
"And with eight argus-eyed inquirers watching him, Mr. Bruce can't putanything over," opined Landon, and the others agreed.