Part 24 (1/2)

”Has it crept through the keyhole?” quavered Peggy.

”Or just vanished into thin air?” speculated Magsie.

”The door's really locked!” declared Vi, rattling the handle again to make sure.

”We certainly _saw_ it go up, but it's not here now!”

”Flesh and blood can't disappear in a second!”

”It's most uncanny!”

”The old Cistercians wore white habits.”

”I say, I don't like this!”

Brother Lawrence, as the girls began to call the apparition, showed himself frequently, but always with the same elusiveness. The phenomenon was invariably as before: his white monastic robes would glimmer through the darkness, glide up the stairway, and then seemingly melt into nothing. Geraldine herself pursuing hotly on the scent, found that she was utterly baffled.

A head girl, especially a prefect with a scorn for superst.i.tion, does not like to admit herself baffled. Geraldine thought the matter over, took Loveday into her confidence, and went to Miss Todd. As the result of her interview she resolved to set what she called ”a very neat little spook-trap”. She and Loveday said nothing about it to the rest of the school. They merely bided their time.

Brother Lawrence did not always show up when anybody was on the watch for him; he seemed to prefer displaying his supernatural powers to the unwary. For two whole days he did not put in an appearance; whether he was haunting elsewhere or expiating his sins in purgatory was a point for discussion. On the third evening, however, Tattie, Jess, and Magsie had screwed their courage to sticking-point, and strolled upstairs in the twilight, half hoping and half fearing to catch a glimpse of the now almost familiar apparition. They kept in the shadow of the big cupboard, and held each others' hands without speaking. A full moon was s.h.i.+ning through the landing window, and lit up the narrow staircase with a silvery, ghostly gleam. Suddenly from the darkness of a doorway emerged the white robes, and pa.s.sed rapidly upwards in the moonlight. Still clutching hands for moral support, the three girls tore after it.

Surely this time they could manage to overtake it? But no; it had turned the corner before they reached the lowest stair, and by the time they had dashed up the ten steps it had made its usual disappearance. They halted on the yard of landing, breathing hard; then their hearts seemed to turn somersaults, for the attic door suddenly opened. It was no ghost who peered forth at them, but Geraldine and Loveday. The former had a candle in her hand; she struck a match and lighted it calmly.

”You needn't look so scared!” she said to the panting trio. ”I'm just going to show you your precious spook. Stand back a little, will you? I a.s.sure you it won't bite you!”

She descended to the landing, turned round towards the four steps that led to the attic door, then, to the immense amazement of the girls, raised up the steps like the lid of a chest. There was a good-sized cavity below, and in this place of concealment crouched a white-clad figure. Geraldine took it by the arm and hauled it unceremoniously forth. It issued chuckling, and, as its cowl fell back, disclosed a well-known and decidedly mirthful countenance.

”Stars and Stripes!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Jess.

”The game's up!” proclaimed Diana coolly. ”You two”--nodding at the seniors--”have been too many for me.”

”I always thought you were at the bottom of all this, Diana Hewlitt!”

said Geraldine. ”I was quite determined I'd catch you. Take those things off at once. What are they? Sheets? Fold them up properly; don't trail them on the floor. Do you know that if anybody in the school had had a weak heart you might have killed her by playing such a trick?”

”I knew you were all too strong-minded,” twinkled Diana. ”Of course, n.o.body believed in Brother Lawrence, any more than they believed in the fairies or the G.o.ds of Greece. I guess it's rather nice sometimes to make a sort of practical demonstration of one's reading. It shows one appreciates the books and takes an intelligent interest. There are heaps of good books in the library. I'm going to borrow _Customs and Superst.i.tions of the Celts_.”

”You may borrow what you like,” said Geraldine grimly; ”but if we've any more of this business Miss Todd will settle it herself; so I tell you.”

”People who provide entertainment are rarely thanked,” sighed Diana, as she folded the sheets. ”I ought to receive a stipend for keeping the school amused.”

”You'll receive something you don't bargain for, if you don't take care,” warned Geraldine. ”Go downstairs, all of you!”

That Brother Lawrence was identical with Diana did not very much surprise the school, but everybody went crazy over the discovery of the secret hiding-place under the stairs. Even Miss Todd had not known of its existence. Diana confessed that she had found it out quite by accident, had rushed downstairs to communicate the thrilling news, but had changed her mind as its obvious advantages flashed across her. She had not been able to resist making use of it to play a ghost trick. The little chamber which she had so unexpectedly brought to light was only just big enough to crouch in, and had probably been made in the troublous times of the Stuarts as a place of temporary concealment when the Abbey was searched by soldiers. Unfortunately it was quite empty.

”When I first opened it I expected to find a h.o.a.rd of spade-guineas or silver punch-bowls,” said Diana ruefully to Loveday--the two girls were discussing the great discovery as they went to bed. ”I nearly howled when I found nothing but dust.”

”I wonder,” answered Loveday, ”if this is what that gentleman found--the one, I mean, who came to see Father when I had measles. You know I've always been hunting about for hiding-places.”

”Yes, I know.”

”I thought somehow it would be rather better than this, though. It hardly seemed worth while his troubling to come and call; though, of course, it's interesting. Mr. Fleming will be very thrilled.”