The Room with the Tassels

Expe

w having tea in the great hall, to whose shadowy distances

andles, and a couple of willing, if ignorant maids, the household machinery ran fairly smoothly. Supplies were procured in Ea

any individual experiences that migh

factor is the dark. Ghosts and haunted houses are all very wel

I slept in the Room with the

nounced before we started, that you were not bound to good f

dowy form, like a tall woman

aid Milly, smiling

ghed Eve, "but I will. Or e

to be ca

prevarication is all right, especially as you warned us you'd fool us if

ny," and Eve's translu

mpression or a suggestion, where facts are wanted. And the Professor says truly that hints and haunts are c

eard?" asked Norma, with a remin

em to hear the trailing robes of a presence of some sort. I se

ation," said B

'expectant attention.' If we had not connected four o'clock with the story

But it seems vivid and real at the time. Then, i

t every one who died in this ho

so," and Braye l

to East Dryden to see him to-morrow, I want a few more details. And, it seems to me, we're getting nowhere,-with our imaginations and h

e? Oh, please let me!" Vernie danced about in

to say, but you must not, my child. I know you people don't believe me, but I surely saw an apparition the nig

ngly interrupted the recital. "Stalking ghost,

its shrouded hand the

elt the strong odour! Yes, I know

id won't?" and

's too true. The shawled woman filled the spec

. "Come up here for experiences and then

u hadn't advertised your propensity for fool

in that room, then. But not Miss C

"I detest shawled women waking me up

anyway, with those aspen boughs shivering against my windows. I

hat," and Milly's grasp on her husband's coat

at they cannot get in this part of the house; I've found that the outside doors and the windows can be fastened against all possibility of outside intrusion; and, I shall stipulate that our party shall so congregate in a few rooms, that no one can-ahem,-haunt my slumbers without some one else knowing it. I'll ask

t now I am brave enough. Oh, please, do that! Let me lock you all in your rooms, and let me sleep in the Room with the Tassels to-night! Oh, ple

fore testing myself. And there is positively no danger. As I've said, the locks, bolts, and bars are absolutely safe against outside intrusion, or visit

Norma, her large blue eyes questi

ynne in their room; I'll lock you four men in two rooms, and then, I'll know-I'll know that whatever I see or

ted Braye. "I think, Eve, as to ghosts,

rove nothing. But I'

e's experiences, but neither Mr. Bruce, nor E

our observations have been vague and uncertain. They may well have been merely imagination. But Miss Carnforth is not imaginative, I mean, not so, to the exclusion of

others. Remember, I knew that was the haunted room before we had been told. I knew it before we entered the house that first night. It was revealed to me, as other thi

n revealed to you,

re than most of you, I've heard voices, rustling as of wings, an

your tea? Come out for a walk then. Let's get

forth carried out he

om; the Professor and Tracy in another, were

acy, look after the Professor, that he doesn't jump

couldn't get in the tasseled room. Those windows won't open. And, too, I know the Professor won't let

off the servants' quarters; she locked the Landons in their room, she locked the door of the room that Norma and Vernie occupied

ping that night. A kimono, and her hair comfortably i

out her. A single lamp lit the room, and she h

y did so or not, Eve couldn't determine. She got up and went to examine them. The feel of them was damp a

re that disturbed her, in spite of he

key out and laid it on a table. She had heard that

e darkness was too horrible, so she lighted the candle. It was not in the historic old brass candlestick, but in

e really heard. The whispering aspens outside were audible, and their continued soughin

ersed with waking moments and with sudden swift dreams. But she kept fast hold of her perceptive faculties. If she slept and woke,

ing

four, she heard a low grating sound. Was some one a

ny light rather accentuated than li

room. Eve tried to sit up in bed, but could not. She felt par

visible in the gloom, but it gave the impression of a frightened, furtive personality that hesitated to move, yet was impelled to. A soft moan, as of despair, came from the figu

und. But she felt,-with all her senses, she felt the apparition draw nearer. At her be

dour of prussic acid, its pungent bi

e consciousness, but her brain reeled, her head seemed to spin round and her ears rang with a strange buzzing, for in the instant's gleam

l sense, she thought she descried the clos

looked about. All was as she had arranged it. The door was locked, the key, untouched, upon the table. Nothi

m through her physical fear, she had kept her mental balance, and

would be no return of the spectre,-she felt sure it had been a spectr

f her lamp, she looked it over. The carved bronze doors between the enormous bronze co

etails had been looked after in advance; Eve gazed at them now,

, and now the cloc

he various doors, without opening th

ed Norma, eagerly, r

l tell it to you all at once. I'm going to get

door upon the would-be visitor, Norma went bac

clock she can cook up a story to scare us all!

u suspect Eve Carnforth of making up a yarn or e

racity, opinio

ter breakfast, to the whole group, th

o her. Her sincerity and accurate statements stood a fire of questi

ate upon her experiences. But in nowise did she add to them, she merely repeat

t for a walk, and f

ouldn't have happened, you know. We were all locked in, and Lord know

ry, but it does prove that no human agency was at work

e shook his head. "There ain't no su

ort that conjures up phantoms. Vernie's might do that, or Mrs. Landon's,

ddenly insistent, "don't you sleep in that i

n surprise. "As Sentimental Tommy used to sa

Braye looked really distressed.

id I'll be carried off

t bear to think of you alone down

came for. We're to i

e you won't try it

if you never t

promise this. If you try it, don't go alone

lowly by Tracy. "We've had a great little old climb! Hundreds o

agreed Tracy, smilin

ds, rather,-there weren't any flowers. And oh, isn't it exciting about Eve's ghost! I'm goi

wish we'd never started this racket! But you mustn't do it, Ki

hat are you afraid of?

hock like that, even an imaginary f

oted than that! Come on, Mr. Tracy, I'

legs gaining ground at first, over Tr