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Page 43
"A questionable task. What if I should be seen at it?"
"The ghost will protect you!"
Again that smile of mingled sarcasm and innuendo. It was no common
servant girl's smile, any more than her language was that of the
ignorant domestic.
"I believe the ghost fails to walk since the present tenants came
into the house," I remarked.
"But its reputation remains; you'll not be disturbed."
"Possibly not; a good reason why you might safely undertake the
business yourself. I can find some way of letting you in."
"No, no. I shall never again cross that threshold!" Her whole
attitude showed revolt and bitter determination.
"Yet you have never been frightened by anything there?"
"I know; but I have suffered; that is, for one who has no feelings.
The box will have to remain in its place undisturbed if you won't
get it for me."
"Positively?"
"Yes, Miss; nothing would induce me even to cross the street. But
I want the box."
"You shall have it," said I.
CHAPTER XII
SEARCHINGS
I seemed bound to be the prey of a divided duty. As I crossed the
street, I asked myself which of the two experiments I had in mind
should occupy my attention first. Should I proceed at once with
that close study and detailed examination of the house, which I
contemplated in my eagerness to establish my theory of a secret
passage between it and the one now inhabited by the Misses Quinlan,
or should I wait to do this until I had recovered the box, which
might hold still greater secrets?
I could not decide, so I resolved to be guided by circumstances.
If Mrs. Packard were still out, I did not think I could sit down
till I had a complete plan of the house as a start in the inquiry
which interested me most.
Mrs. Packard was still out,--so much Nixon deigned to tell me in
answer to my question. Whether the fact displeased him or not I
could not say, but he was looking very sour and seemed to resent
the trouble he had been to in opening the door for me. Should I
notice this, even by an attempt to conciliate him? I decided not.
A natural manner was best; he was too keen not to notice and give
his own interpretation to uncalled for smiles or words which
contrasted too strongly with his own marked reticence. I therefore
said nothing as he pottered slowly back into his own quarters in
the rear, but lingered about down-stairs till I was quite sure he
was out of sight and hearing. Then I came back and took up my
point of view on the spot where the big hall clock had stood in the
days of Mr. Dennison. Later, I made a drawing of this floor as it
must have looked at that time. You will find it on the opposite
page.
[transcriber's note: The plan shows the house to have two rows of
rooms with a hall between. In the front each room ends in a bow
window. On the right the drawing-room has two doors opening into
the hall, equally spaced near the front and rear of the room.
Across the hall are two rooms of apparently equal size; a reception
room in front and the library behind it, both rooms having windows
facing on the alley. There is a stairway in the hall just behind
the door to the reception room. The study is behind the drawing-
room. Opposite this is a side hall and the dining-room. The
library and dining-room both open off this hall with the dining
room also having doors to the main hall and kitchen. The side hall
ends with a stoop in the alley. A small room labeled kitchen, etc.
lies behind the dining-room and the hall extends beyond the study
beside the kitchen with the cellar stairs on the kitchen side.
There is a small rectangle in the hall about two-thirds of the way
down the side of the drawing-room which is labeled A.]
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