CHAPTER XXII
TURNING THE TABLES
For the next two days the three girls bent their efforts towarddiscovering the plot on foot against Elfreda, but to little purpose. Sofar, Grace had refrained from imparting her vague knowledge of whatimpended to Mabel and Frances. Her naturally self-reliant nature wouldnot allow her to depend on others. She preferred to solve her ownproblems and fight her own battles if necessary. Whatever the twosophomores had planned was a secret indeed. By neither word nor sign didthey betray themselves, and by Thursday evening Grace was beginning toshow signs of anxiety.
"I haven't been able to find out a thing," she declared dispiritedly toAnne. "I suspect one other girl, but I'm not sure about her. Anne, doyou think Virginia Gaines is in this affair, too?"
"Hardly," replied Anne. "She and Elfreda are not friendly, and Elfredacould not be coaxed to go where she is likely to see Miss Gaines."
"But suppose Virginia Gaines kept strictly in the background, yethelped to play the trick," persisted Grace.
"Of course she could easily do that," admitted Anne. "But what makes youthink she would?"
"Just this," replied Grace. "I saw her in conversation to-day with MaryHampton. They were standing outside Science Hall. They didn't see meuntil I was within a few feet of them. Then they said good-bye in ahurry, and rushed off in opposite directions. Now, what would younaturally infer from that?"
"It does look suspicious," agreed Anne.
"That is what causes me to believe Virginia Gaines to be one of theprime movers in this affair," was the quiet answer. "They are all veryclever. Too clever, by far, for me."
A knock at the door caused Grace to start slightly. "Come in!" shecalled, then exclaimed in surprise as the door opened: "Why, Miriam,where did you go? You disappeared the moment dinner was over."
"I had to go to the library," replied Miriam quickly. "Do you knowwhether the girls on both sides of us are out?"
Grace nodded. "What's the matter, Miriam?" she asked curiously. "Whathas happened? You look as mysterious as the Three Fates themselves."
"I've made a discovery," announced Miriam, taking a book from under herarm and opening it. "I found something in this book that you ought tosee. I was in one of the alcoves to-night looking for a book that I havebeen trying to lay hands on for a week. It has been out every time.To-night I found it and inside the leaves I found this." She handedGrace a folded paper.
Grace unfolded it wonderingly and began to read aloud:
"Dear Virginia:
"We decided that the haunted house plan would be quite likely to subduea certain obstreperous individual. We have already invited her to amoonlight party at Hunter's Rock, as you know. Once she is there we willsee to the rest. Sorry you can't be with us, but that would give thewhole plan away. A little meditation in spookland will do our friendgood, and this time if she is wise she will keep her troubles toherself. Of course, if any one should see her going home in the weesmall hours of the morning it might be unpleasant for her, but then, wecan't trouble ourselves over that.
"Yours, hastily,
"Bert."
Grace stared first at Anne, then Miriam, in incredulous, shockedsurprise.
"What a cruel girl!" she exclaimed. "Poor Elfreda!"
"Of course, the writer meant Elfreda," agreed Miriam. "'Bert,' Isuppose, stands for Alberta. In the first place, what haunted house doesshe mean?"
"I don't know," answered Grace, knitting her brows. "Wait a minute! I'llgo down and ask Mrs. Elwood."
Within five minutes she had returned, bristling with information. "Ifound out the whole story," she declared. "It is an old white house notfar from Hunter's Rock. Two brothers once lived there, and onedisappeared. It was rumored that he had been killed by his olderbrother, and that the spirit of the murdered man haunted the place sopersistently that the other brother left there and never came back. Theysay a white figure, carrying a lighted candle, walks moaning through therooms."
"How dreadful!" shivered Anne. "It is bad enough to think of those girlscoaxing Elfreda to go there. I believe they intend to persuade her to gothere, then leave her, too."
"We might show Elfreda this note," reflected Miriam. "No; on secondthought I should say we'd better make up a crowd and follow the othersto Hunter's Rock. Of course, we won't stay there. Those girls arebreaking rules by going there at night. We shall be breaking rules, too,but in a good cause."
A long conversation ensued that would have aroused consternation in thebreast of a number of sophomores, had they been privileged to hear it.When the last detail had been arranged, Grace leaned back in her chairand smiled. "I think everything will go beautifully," she said, "andseveral people are going to be surprised. Miriam, will you see MabelAshe, Constance Fuller and Frances Marlton in the morning? Anne, willyou look out for Arline Thayer and Ruth? That will leave Leona Rowe andHelen Burton for me, and, oh, yes, I'll have a talk with Emma Dean."
To all appearances, Friday dawned as prosaically as had all the otherdays of that week, but in the breasts of a number of the students ofOverton stirred an excitement that deepened as the day wore on. As isfrequently the case, the object of it all went calmly on her way, takinga smug satisfaction in the thought that she was the only freshmaninvited to the select gathering of sophomores who were to brave thecensure of the dean, and picnic by moonlight at Hunter's Rock. Foralmost the first time since her arrival at college Elfreda felt her ownpopularity. Despite her native shrewdness, she was particularlysusceptible to flattery. To be the idol of the college had been one ofher most secret and hitherto hopeless desires. Now, in the sophomoreclass she had found girls who really appreciated her, and who were readyto say pleasant things to her rather than lecture her. She was glad,now, that she had dropped Grace and her friends in time, and resolvednext year that she would put the width of the campus between herself andWayne Hall.
As she slipped on her long blue serge coat that night--the air waschilly, though the day had been warm--a flush of triumph mounted to hercheeks. Then glancing at the clock she hurriedly adjusted her hat. Herappointment was for half-past seven. Alberta said the party was to be inhonor of her and she must not keep her friends waiting. She lookedsharply about her to see who was in sight. She had been pledged tosecrecy. Alberta had said they would return before half-past ten, sothere would be no need of asking Mrs. Elwood to leave the door unlockedfor her. Then she walked briskly down the steps and up the street.
Fifteen minutes before she left the house, three dark figures hadmarched out single file down the street. Two blocks from the house theyhad been met by a delegation of dark figures, and without a word beingspoken, the little party had taken a side street that led to OvertonDrive, a public highway that wound straight through the town out intothe country. The company had proceeded in absolute silence, and finallyleaving the road had turned into the fields and plodded steadily on. Itwas the new of the moon and the landscape was shrouded in heavy shadows.On and still on the silent procession had traveled, and when their eyes,now accustomed to the darkness, had espied the outlines of atumble-down, one-story house that stood out against the blackness of thenight a halt had been made and each dark figure had taken from under herarm a bundle. Then the faint rustle of paper accompanied by anoccasional giggle or a smothered exclamation had been heard, and lastbut most remarkable, the dark figures had given place to a company ofsheeted ghosts who had glided over the fields with true ghost-like mienand disappeared in a little grove just off the highway.
In the meantime, Elfreda had been received with acclamation by thetreacherous sophomores, who vied with each other as to who should be herescort. There were nine girls, and each of them also bore a bundle,which contained not sheets, but the eatables for the picnic. Thisprocession also set out in silence, which was broken as soon as thetown was left behind. Alberta, who walked with her arm linked inElfreda's, began to relate the story of the haunted house.
"Do you suppose for one minute that that house is really haunted?" saidElfreda sceptically.
r />
"No one knows," was the disquieting reply. "People have seen strangesights there."
"What sights?" demanded Elfreda.
"They say the murdered brother walks through the house and moans,"replied Alberta, shuddering slightly.
"That's nonsense," said Elfreda bravely. Nevertheless, the idea was notpleasant to contemplate. "I don't believe in ghosts," she added.
"I dare you to go into the room where the man was murdered," laughedMary Hampton.
"I'm not afraid," persisted Elfreda.
"Prove it, then," taunted Mary.
"All right, I will," retorted Elfreda defiantly. "Show me the room whenwe get there and I'll go into it."
"I don't think we ought to go near that old house at night," protested asophomore. "We'd get into all sorts of trouble as it is, if the facultyknew we were out."
"Now, don't begin preaching," snapped Alberta Wicks. "If you aredissatisfied, go home."
"I wish I'd stayed at home," growled the other sophomore wrathfully.
While this conversation was being carried on, the party was rapidlynearing the haunted house. They halted directly in front of it, and MaryHampton said, "Now, Miss Briggs, make good your promise."
Elfreda walked boldly up to the house, although she felt her courageoozing rapidly.
"I'll go inside with you, and show you the room. It's that little roomoff the hall," volunteered Alberta.
The outside door stood wide open. Elfreda peered fearfully down thelittle hall, then stepped resolutely into the little room at one side ofit. A door slammed. There was the sound of a key turning in a lock, arush of scurrying feet; then silence. Across the field fled the darkfigures, nor did they stop until they had crossed the highway andentered the little grove that led to Hunter's Rock.
Suddenly a piercing scream rang out. It was followed by a succession ofwild cries, and with one accord the terror-stricken conspirators madefor the highway. But at every step a white figure rose in the pathfilling the air with weird, mournful wails. Fright lent speed tosophomore feet, and without daring to look behind, eight badly scaredgirls ran steadily along the road to Overton, intent only on puttingdistance between themselves and the terrifying apparitions that hadsprung up before them. If they had stopped to deliberate for even fiveseconds they would, in all probability, have stood their ground, but thesilent, ghostly figures that had bobbed up as by magic, coupled with thetale of the haunted house which Alberta had related, was a little toomuch for even vaunted sophomore courage.
A death-like stillness followed the ignominious flight of the plotters.Then from behind a tree stepped a white figure and a cautious voicecalled softly: "Come on, girls. They have gone. We must hurry and letElfreda out of that awful house." At this command a ripple of subduedlaughter rose from all sides and the ghosts began to appear from theirnearby hiding places.
"Wasn't it funny?" laughed a tall ghost with the voice of FrancesMarlton.
"I know several sophomores who will walk softly for the rest of thisyear at least," predicted another ghost, ending with the giggle thatendeared Mabel Ashe to all her friends.
"These masks are frightfully warm," complained a diminutive spectre. Aquick movement of her hand and the mask was removed, showing the rosyface of Arline Thayer.
"Keep your mask on, Arline," warned Gertrude. "Even in this secludedspot some one may be watching you."
The party proceeded with as little noise as possible to the hauntedhouse. Pausing at the front door a brief council was held. Then removingtheir masks and the sheets that enveloped them, Grace and Miriamresolutely entered the hall and went straight to the locked door, behindwhich Elfreda was a prisoner. The key had been left in the lock. Itturned with a grating sound. Slipping her hand in the pocket of hersweater, Grace produced a tiny electric flashlight which she turned onthe room. In one corner, seated on the floor, her back against the walland her feet straight in front of her, sat Elfreda. She eyed theflashing light defiantly, then saw who was behind it and said grimly: "Imight have known it. If I had taken your advice I wouldn't be here now."
"Oh, Elfreda!" exclaimed Grace. "I'm so glad you are not frightened. Itwas a cruel trick, but, thank goodness, we found out about it in time."
Elfreda rose and walked deliberately up to Grace and Miriam. "I'm sorryfor everything," she said huskily. "I've been a ridiculous simpleton,and I don't deserve to have friends. Will you forgive me, girls? I'dlike to start all over again."
"Of course we will. That was a direct, manly speech, Elfreda," laughedMiriam, but there were tears in her own eyes which no one saw in thedarkness. She realized that in spite of her childish behavior she wasfond of the stout girl and was glad that peace had been declared.
"Let us forget all about it, shake hands and go home," proposed Grace,"or we may find ourselves locked out."
The two girls shook hands with Elfreda, and all around again for goodluck, then linking an arm in each of hers they conducted the rescuedprisoner to where the rest of the party awaited them. During theirabsence the ghosts had doffed their spectral garments and the instantthe three joined them the order to march was given. Once fairly inOverton, conversation was permitted, and on the same corner where theyhad met, the rescuers parted, after much talk and laughter.
"Come into my room and have tea to-night, Elfreda," invited Miriam, asthey entered the house. "I have a pound of your favorite cakes."
"I'd like to come to stay," said Elfreda wistfully. "But I've been toohateful for you ever to want me for a roommate again."
"It's rather late for you to move now," replied Miriam slowly. "But I'dlove to have you with me next year."
"Would you, honestly?" asked Elfreda, opening her eyes in astonishment.
"Honestly," repeated Miriam, smiling.
"I'll think about it," returned Elfreda, flushing deeply.
"But there is nothing to think about," protested Miriam. "I wouldn't askyou if I did not care for you."
"That isn't it," said Elfreda in a low tone. "It isn't you. It's I.Don't you understand? You are letting me off too easily. I don't deserveto have you be so nice to me."
"We wish you to forget about what has happened, Elfreda," said Graceearnestly. "Everyone is likely to make mistakes. We are not here tojudge, we are here to help one another. That is one of the ways ofcultivating true college spirit."
"I'll tell you one thing," returned Elfreda, her eyes shining, "whetherI cultivate college spirit or not, I'm going to try to cultivate commonsense. Then, at least, I'll know enough to treat my best friendscivilly."