“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.”

CHAPTER XVI

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?