Vernie! This wont do! and Eve glared at her, You little minx, I believe you did do it!
Dont you look at me like that, Eve Carnforth! Stop it! You scare me. Vernie fairly cowered before Eves basilisk eyes. I believe you did it!
There, there, girls, broke in Tracy, with his gentle smile, dont get to hair-pulling. If weve all finished breakfast, lets now hear the story of the house, and then we can tell if its patron ghost is the sort given to exchanging bedroom furniture o nights.
Yes, agreed Norma, Im crazy to hear the story. Wheres Mr. Stebbins, does anybody know?
Ill dig him up, Landon assured them. Where shall we congregate?
In the drawing room, said Milly, thats the only room Im not afraid of.
Im fearfully afraid of that! said Tracy, in mock terror. Those rep lambrequins get on my nerves!
Arent they awful! and Norma laughed. They dont frighten me, but they jar my æsthetics terribly.
No, said Elijah Stebbins, firmly, as the conclave began, not in that there parlour. Here in the hall. You folks want this house, you want the story of this house, now you sit here to hear it.
Very well, said Braye, agreeably. Just as you say, Mr. Stebbins. Now begin at the beginning, but dont drool too long a spiel.
The whole party grouped themselves in the great hall, and for the first time began to take in the details of its appointments. Though in disrepair as to walls and cornices, the lines of its architecture were fine and it was of noble proportions; the staircase was beautifully planned; and the wonderful bronze doors, which they had not examined the night before, were truly works of art.
The old Montgomery who brought them doors from Italy, pretty much built the house behind em, Stebbins volunteered, and them colyums, of course, come with the doors. Theyre some valuble, Im told. You see, the doors is the same outside and in, and the colyums is, too. Well, then, he had the vestibule of murhoggany, to sort o set off the bronze, I spose, and the rest of the walls is marble, solid old Vermont marble, which Lord knows was to be had for the pickin, up here.
Get along to the story, Steb, urged Landon.
Yes, sir. Well, the Montgomery that built this house, though, it was part built before, he added on to his fathers house, well, he was a daredevil, and a tyrant. Little mite of a man, but full of the old Nick. And, as those little men will do, he married a reglar Hessian of a woman. Big, sort o long and gaunt, they say she was, and a termagant for sure! She led him a life, and also, he led her one. For he was a terror and so was she. What he lacked in size he made up in temper, and she had both. Well, heres the story.
He took sick, and she nursed him. They didnt have trained nurses and specialists in them days. Now some says, he was jest naturally took sick and some says, that she give him slow poison. But, be that as it may, one night, she give him prussic acid, and he died. She threw a shawl over her head, and ran screamin to the village for the doctor. I spose remorse got her, for she confessed, and said I killed him! I killed him! At four oclock I killed him!
She went crazy, they say, then and there. Well, the doctor he said hed come right away, but she ran home first. And he followeds fasts he could, and when he come, here was the woman, and she was a washin the dead mans lips, she said, to get the smell of the bitter ammonds off, you know, prussic acid is for all the world the smell of bitter almonds. The doctor, he found the man was really dead, and he was for havin her arrested, but she was so plumb crazy, he decided to take her to an asylum instead.
He had to go off to get help, and he left her, here alone in this house with the body. They was in that room, Stebbins pointed to the room with the locked door, at the right hand of the hall as one entered, the room with the tassels, its called.
Why is it called that? broke in Eve, whose piercing eyes were fairly glittering with excitement, what sort of tassels?
Great heavy tassels on the curtains and lambaquins, maam, want to see it?
Not now, ordained Landon, the story first.
Well, resumed Stebbins, they was in that room, the dead husband and the live wife, when the doctor went away, and because he knew she was out of her head, he locked em in. And when he came back she was setting there, just where hed left her, still in a dazed sort o stupor, and the corpse was gone.
Gone! where? rasped out the Professor.
Nobody knows. Nobody ever knew. It had just disappeared from off the face of the earth. The doctor and the village folks all agreed that it was sperrited away. Cause that woman, she couldnt get out o the doors to cart it off, and she couldnt a got out of a winder with it, without showin some signs, and if she had, what in the world could she a done with it? It wasnt buried nowhere around, and if shed a threw it in the lake, sposin shed got out a winder, howd she got in again? Anyhow, thats the story, and they all said she was a witch and she bewitched the body away, sos the doctor and sheriff couldnt smell the prussic acid on it and hang her for murder. They searched and searched but they couldnt find no signs of her havin even moved outen her chair. She sat there like a dead woman herself, when the doctor left her and likewise when he come back.
The tale is very circumstantial, observed Gifford Bruce, a bit drily.
Im tellin it as Ive many a time heard it, sir, said Stebbins, a little resentfully. This here storys been common talk around these parts a many years, and I aint one to add to nor take from it.
Go on, commanded Landon, briefly.
They put her away, in a loonytic asylum, and she died in it. They never found hide nor hair of the dead man, and the place fell to some kin that lived down Pennsylvania way. They come up here for a while, I blieve, but the hant scared em off. Its been sold some several times and at last it fell to my fathers family. Now its mine, and its a white elephant to me. I cant sell or rent it, and so you folks may well believe I jumped at the chance to have you take it for a spell.
We havent heard about the haunt yet, said Norma. She spoke quietly, but her lips quivered a little, and her fingers were nervously picking at her handkerchief.
That, and Stebbins looked even more sombre than he had, thats my own experience, so I can give it to you first hand.
I come here to live, bout ten years ago, and I was plucky enough to hoot at ghost stories and tales o hants.
So I set out to sleep in that that room with the tassels, out o sheer bravado. But I got enough of it.
The mans head fell on his breast and he paused in his narrative.
Go on, said Landon, less brusquely than before.
Milly stirred nervously. Dont let him tell the rest, Wynne, she said.
Oh, yes, dear. Remember, this is what were here for.
Most of the men shifted their positions; Hardwick leaned forward, both hands on his knees. Gifford Bruce sat with one arm flung carelessly over his chair back, a slight smile on his face.
Braye was beside Norma, and watched alternately her face and Eves, while Tracy was holding Vernies hand, and his gentle calm kept the volatile child quiet.
I see it all so plainly, that first night Stebbins said, slowly. First night! Land! there never was another! Not for me. Id sooner a died than slep in that room again!
See a ghost? asked Bruce, flippantly.
Yes, sir, and Stebbins looked straight at him. I seen a ghost. Im a sound sleeper, I am, and I went to sleep quiet and cam as a baby. I woke as the big clock there was a strikin four. It was that what woke me I hope.
Is there is there a bed in that room? asked the Professor.
Lord, yes, it was them folkses bedroom. In them days, people most always slep downstairs. I come awake suddenly, and the room was full of an icy chill. Not just coldness, but a damp chill like undertakers iceboxes.
Vernie shuddered and Tracy held her hand more firmly. Landon slipped his arm round Milly, and Eve and Norma glanced at each other.
Gifford Bruce replaced his sneering smile, which had somehow disappeared.
It was winter, and plumb dark at four oclock in the morning, but the room was full of an unearthly light, a sort of frosty, white glow, like you see in a graveyard sometimes.
And comin toward me was a tall, gaunt figure, with a shawl over its head, a white, misty shape, that had a sort of a halting step but was comin straight and sure toward that bed I was lyin on. I tried to scream, I tried to move, but I couldnt, I was paralyzed. On and on came the thing halting at every step, but gettin nearer and nearer. As she oh, I knew it was that woman
I thought it was a man who was murdered, put in Mr. Bruce, in his most sardonic tones.
So it was, sir, Stebbins spoke mildly, but it was the murderess doin the hantin. I spose she cant rest quiet in her grave for remorse and that. She came nearer and and I saw her face and
Well?
And it was a skull! A grinning skull. And her long bony hand held a glass a glass of poison for me.
Er did you take it? This from Bruce.
No, sir. I swooned away, or whatever you may call it. I lost all consciousness, and when I come to, the thing was gone.
Ever see her again? inquired Mr. Bruce, conversationally.
No, sir, and Stebbins eyed him uninterestedly. It was impossible to annoy the story teller. No, I never seen her.
Heard her? asked Braye.
Yes; manys the time. But I aint never slept in that room since.
I should say not! cried Eve. But I will! Ill brave the phantasm. Id be glad to see her. Im not afraid.
You neednt be, said Mr. Bruce, with a short laugh. You wont see anything, Miss Carnforth. Id be willing to try it, too.
What other manifestations have you experienced? asked Braye. What have you heard?
Mostly groans
And hollow laughter, interrupted Bruce. Those are the regulation sounds, I believe.
Oh, hush! cried Eve. Mr. Bruce, you drive me frantic! I wish you hadnt come!
I dont, declared Bruce. I think its most interesting. And do I understand, Mr. Stebbins, that this charming lady of large size and hard heart, carried usually that candlestick that I made use of last night?
At last Stebbins resented Bruces chaff.
So the story goes, sir, he said, curtly. And manys the time Ive known that candlestick to be moved during the night, by no mortal hand.
Look here, Uncle Gif, said Braye, good-naturedly, you dont want to get yourself disliked, do you? Now, let up on your quizzing, and lets get down to business. We set out for a haunted house. I, for one, think weve got all we came after, and then some! If the hant began moving her candlestick around the first night, what may she not do next? You didnt do it, did you, Uncle?
Ive told you I didnt, Rudolph, and I again repeat my word. But it was scarcely necessary for me to do it, when such a capable spook, I mean, phantasm is regularly in attendance.
Now, Ive told you the tale, and Stebbins rose, and shook himself as if he had done his duty. I aint nowise responsible for your believin it. What Ive told you is true, so fars my own experience goes; and what Ive told you hearsay, is the old story thats been told up in these parts by one generation after another, since old Montgomerys day. Now do you want to see the room with the tassels?
I dont! cried Milly, I cant stand any more.
You neednt, dear, said Landon; suppose you go out on the terrace and walk about in the sunlight. You go with her, Vernie, you can see the room, later on.
Ill go too, and Tracy tactfully offered his escort. The tassels will keep. Come on, Braye?
No; Ill see the show through. You can look after the ladies, Tracy.
So the others crowded round Stebbins, as he prepared to unlock the door of the fatal room.
Taint no great sight, he said, almost apologetically. But its the hanted room.
Slowly he turned the key and they all filed in.
The room was dark, save for what light came in from the hall. All blinds were closed, and over the windows hung heavy curtains of rep that had once been red but was now a dull, nondescript colour. There were more of these heavy, long curtains, evidently concealing alcoves or cupboards, and over each curtain was a lambrequin edged with thick twisted woolen fringe, and at intervals, tassels, enormous, weighty tassels, such as were once used in church pulpits and other old-fashioned upholstery. Such quantities of these there were, that it is small wonder the room received its name.
And the tassels had a sinister air. Motionless they hung, dingy, faded, but still of an individuality that seemed to say, we have seen unholy deed, we cry out mutely for vengeance!
It was them tassels that scared me most, Stebbins said, in an awed tone. I mean before she come. They sort of swayed, when they wasnt no draught nor anything.
I dont wonder! said Braye, theyre the ghostliest things I ever saw! But the whole room is awful! It oh I say! put up a window!
I cant, said Stebbins simply. These here windows aint been up for years and years. The springs is all rusted and wont work.
Theres something in the room! cried Eve, hysterically, I mean something besides us something alive!
No, maam, said Stebbins, solemnly, whats in here aint alive, maam. I aint been in here myself, since that night I slep here, and I wouldnt be now, only to show you folks the room. I sort of feel s if Id shifted the responsibility to you folks now. I dont seem to feel the same fear of the hant, like I was here alone.
Dont say hant! Stop it! and Eve almost shrieked at him.
Yes, maam. Ghost, maam. But hant it is, and hant it will be, till the crack o doom. Air ye all satisfied with your bargain?
No one answered, for every one was conscious of a subtle presence and each glanced fearfully, furtively about, nerves shaken, wills enfeebled, vitality low.
What is it? whispered Eve.
Imagination! declared Mr. Bruce, but he shook his shoulders as he spoke, as if ridding himself of an incubus.
There was a chilliness that was not like honest cold, there was a stillness that was not an ordinary silence, and there was an impelling desire in every heart to get out of that room and never return.