Laura Lee Hope

“ Mollie offered the man some change, but he declined with a laugh and reddened under his tan.
"Then do have some lunch!" said Betty, understanding his embarrassment.
"And chocolates," added Grace, generously.
"I will," he said. "It's hard work driving a big car like mine—all alone."
"Oh, is it your car?" asked Mollie. "I thought——" and as the young man nodded she understood why he had refused the money. He was the owner.
"Oh, girls!" exclaimed Mollie, when he had gone, "and to think that I wanted to pay him—maybe he's a millionaire." ”

“ I wonder if we will ever solve the mystery?"
"Perhaps she is—the ghost of the haunted mansion of Shadow Valley," suggested Betty.
"What an idea!" cried Grace. "Don't be so—shivery!"
"Well, she is as mysterious as ghosts are supposed to be," Betty went on. "I wonder when we will meet her again?"
"When we do, we must take care that she does [107] not escape without telling us more about herself," said Amy. "Not that we can insist, but we ought to know for our own satisfaction."
"I think so, too," added Mollie. "She is getting on my nerves." ”

“ They all stood still for a moment. The eerie noises gradually died away, and then they all became conscious of a strong smell of sulphur.
"What is that?" asked Betty, in an awed whisper. She was more impressed than she had been.
"Smells as if some one had lighted old-fashioned brimstone matches," answered Mr. Blackford.
"And it isn't the lightning, now," spoke Amy, looking at Mrs. Mackson. "It's the—ghost."
"A very material ghost, in my opinion," said the young man, who had so providentially come along. "I'm going to find out who it is."
He started toward the passage that led to the mansion. ”

“ The car had stopped in front of her house, and Mollie had said she would leave the other girls at their residences.
"Oh, don't bother," Betty had protested. "You must be tired, and it's only a step."
"No, we must do this in style!" decided Mollie. "What is the use of a motor car if one can't bring one's friends home in the proper mode?" And she had her way.
The auto was to be kept in a public garage until Mrs. Billette could have one built on her own premises, and, leaving her machine with the man in charge, Mollie walked home. ”

“ The girls bought a few other things they found they had overlooked in starting off, and once more they got under way.
"Don't forget the ghost!" pleaded Mr. Lagg, as he waved farewell. "Get rid of it for me."
"Poor old man—he really means it," said Amy. "I wonder what can be in that house?"
"Bats and rats, most likely," said "Cousin Jane," as they all called her. "Bats and rats!"
"Worse than spooks—when they get in your hair," spoke Mollie. "Give me a nice clean ghost, that waltzes around in a two-step. Oh, girls, I hope we can go to a dance of two on our tour." ”

“ Mind your wheel, Bet, there are two cars coming back of us, and I think they're going to pass us close."
"Well, let them look out, I'm on the right side of the road."
Two cars, scorching, did pass them, throwing up a cloud of dust that caused the girls to gasp choke.
"Horrid creatures!" cried Grace. "My new cloak will be spoiled!" and she dusted off the auto garment she had recently purchased.
"It is such as they who give all autoists a bad name," remarked Mollie. "One rule of our club must be never to scorch." ”

“ She gazed back at Grace and Amy, having assured herself by a look at Betty beside her that the latter bore at least no visible injuries.
"I bumped my elbow—on the funny bone," said Grace.
"This is far from being funny," went on Mollie, half hysterical now.
"Stop it!" commanded Betty, getting control of her nerves, and then taking the situation in hand, as she so often did. "No one is hurt, and the car doesn't appear to be damaged, unless the stopping of the motor indicates that." ”

“ The facts in the case were presented to the court after the faker's arrest, and the judge lost no time in deposing him as Carrie's guardian. He was obliged to give up the money he had wrongfully retained, and Allen Washburn was, much to Carrie's delight, appointed to look after her affairs.
"You'll be all right now, my dear," said Mollie, when the court action was over.
"She will be, if Betty doesn't get jealous!" said Grace, with a laugh. "Oh, I didn't mean anything!" she added quickly, as she saw her chum frown. "Have a chocolate!" ”

“ Of course some of the less-used country roads would be well-nigh impassable.
It was while crossing one of these roads, on a hard macadam highway, that the girls and boys saw, stuck in the mud of the poorer path, a peddler's wagon. The bony horse was doing its best to move the vehicle, which had sunk down in a hole, one wheel being imbedded in the mud to the hub.
"Why, it's that hair-tonic man!" exclaimed Mollie, as she slowed down to avoid a rut in the road.
"No, his wagon is all painted with gaudy signs," said Betty. "That's a boy driving that wagon. Why—why!" ”

“ If we could get a man, now——"
"Or even a good-sized boy," broke in Mollie.
"Yes, even a boy would do," conceded Betty. "We could get him to go with us into the other [144] part of the house. There was where all the manifestations seemed to come from."
"Well, let's go to the front door and look," proposed Cousin Jane. "That can do no harm, and really I don't like to think of anyone being in distress."
"Especially after we've eaten his lunch," put in Grace.
"How do you know but that it is a 'her' and not a 'him'?" asked Mollie.
"Nobody but a man would come in here—after dark." ”

“ If you would like any of my tonic—something to make your locks like mine," and he shook his own with an air of pride, "why," he resumed, "I am at your service!" Again he bowed.
"I don't think we care for any," answered Allen, who seemed to have, in common with the other boys, taken a dislike to the peddler. "Suppose we go on, Betty."
"Very well," replied the Little Captain at the wheel, as she advanced the gasoline lever. The motor had not ceased running.
"Then I can't sell you any of my Restorer?" called Mr. Bennington, as Betty slowly let in the clutch. ”

“ I told how Mollie, Betty, Amy and Grace, four girls of Deepdale, a town in the heart of New York State, organized a little club for camping and tramping. They went on a tour of about two hundred miles, stopping at night with friends or relatives, and on that tramp they solved a queer mystery having to do with a five hundred dollar bill—solved it very much to the satisfaction of a certain young man. ”

“ Betty again took her position at the wheel—why, she hardly knew. Mollie had closed the bonnet over the motor, evidently giving up trying to discover the trouble. Idly Betty pushed on the button and lever of the self-starter, and then she exclaimed:
"I have it!"
"What! Have you found the trouble?" asked Mollie, excitedly.
"No, but I have a plan. We can run the car down to the foot of the slope. It's more sheltered there—bigger trees, you know—and we'll be that much nearer where we want to go."
"But how can you make the car go—when it won't?" asked Mollie. ”

“ He looked plump and well-fed enough. I warrant you he has no lack of good food. Those fellows put about ten cents worth of alcohol in a bottle, a little perfume and some water, and sell it for a dollar as hair-tonic."
"Well, really some of that stuff must be awful!" exclaimed Grace. "I'm glad I never use it."
"You never have to—nature was good to you," murmured Frank in her ear, whereat Grace blushed.
Mollie glanced back toward Shadow Valley. The gloom over it was increasing, and at the far end could just be discerned the deserted mansion—the remnant of a rich man's folly. ”

“ Lagg, with another puzzled shake of his head. "They wouldn't do such a thing. I don't doubt but what this haunting business can be explained; but how? That's the question. How? I can't solve it—I haven't time—daren't leave my store. Now you girls are smart and brave. The ghost of Elm Island didn't bother you, so why should this one?"
"Oh, well, we'll think about it," promised Mollie. "Now what we most need are cheese crackers—and not ghostly ones, either, Mr. Lagg."
"You shall have the best in stock." ”

“ And so she sent out a ringing cry for her chums. But the room had thick walls—the door was a solid one, and, as Betty, Amy, Grace and Mrs. Mackson were having a surprising time of their own just then, they did not hear the appeal.
"I'll have to depend on myself," thought Mollie. "Well, I can do it, I think!" ”

“ Grace complained.
"Let's finish the meal," suggested Mollie. "There is some left, and there's no telling when the owner—or owners—may come along. If we've eaten it all up they can't do any more than make us pay for it, which we are perfectly willing to do. But if there's some food still left they might stop us from eating it. So let's begin again, girls."
"I've had all I want," faltered Grace.
"She's sorry because there are no chocolates," laughed Betty. ”

“ Mollie muttered. And against the dusky background of the valley and the old mansion she beheld the figure of the rather mysterious peddler. His white locks stood out in strange contrast to the surrounding darkness, and his black clothes.
"It certainly looks as though it might be haunted," agreed Betty. "Poor Mr. Lagg! I'm afraid he will never get the money he expects [88] out of that place. It would never do for a sanitarium for nervous wrecks." ”

“ The sun came out, the roads dried up, and one pleasant morning saw the outdoor girls again in the car, speeding onward. Their objective point was Wendell City, and to reach this they had to make a detour that would take them through a picturesque part of the country.
In fact it was so picturesque, and there were so many fine views, that Mollie stopped the car oftener than she meant to, and in consequence they were far behind their schedule when it began to grow dusk.
"Something is the matter with the car," said Mollie, after a climb of a steep hill, which had to be taken on second gear. ”

“ Her voice trailed off into a mere whisper.
"You had better hurry for the doctor," said Betty, and Mollie hastened out to her car.
"I'll come with you," volunteered Grace, and Mollie was grateful.
"Suppose we take her into the bedroom," suggested the woman. "It's cooler there. We can manage her. I'm real strong."
With her help it was no great task to get the girl on the bed. Her garments were loosened so that she might be more comfortable, and more camphor was used, but it seemed to have no effect.
"Suppose we go out and let her be by herself; we can't do anything more," suggested the woman. ”

“ Mollie wanted to know.
"That, too, may have been caused by the lightning," said Cousin Jane.
"You are bound to ascribe everything to nature," objected Mollie. "It's nice of you, but perhaps not correct."
"Well, you know that electricity does queer [145] things," declared the chaperone. "It might easily cause flickering lights, though I'm not saying but that some one has been here—the food proves that."
"Perhaps all the ghost is, after all, is lightning; or some tramp, who has made this his headquarters," said Betty. "Mr. Lagg would be glad to know that." ”

“ It isn't everyone I do that for," he added. "Why, to some customers I never speak more than a line or two in a whole year. But you girls—well, you're different. I miss seeing the Gem tied at my dock. There isn't a chance that you'll go cruising again; is there?" he asked, eagerly.
"You always did treat us right, Mr. Lagg," laughed Betty, "but I don't believe we'll do any more cruising—at least, not right away. We're going in for land cruising now."
"Land cruising?"
"Yes, Mollie has an auto, and we were just planning a tour when you came in." ”

“ Carefully Mollie threw out the clutch, and slipped in first speed. Then releasing the clutch pedal gradually she felt the car move slowly forward. A flush of pleasure came to her face; for, though she had several times performed this feat of late, the demonstrator had always sat beside her. Now she was doing it alone.
"Fine!" cried Betty, as the car gathered speed.
"You're all right!" Mr. Ransom called after the girls.
From first to second gear, and then in another moment to high, was performed by Mollie without a hitch. Then she advanced the spark and gas levers. ”

“ He leaned out to look at the ground underneath, and uttered an exclamation.
"That is what she did!" he cried. "There are the marks of feet landing heavily—small shoes—and unless some of you young ladies have been indulging in gymnastics."
"And see!" added Betty, standing beside the physician, "here are some of her long hairs," and she picked some from the window sill. "Oh, she did have the longest, most glorious hair!" and Betty sighed in memory, for Betty loved long tresses and her own, while they became her wonderfully well, were not very luxuriant. ”

“ And, to the credit of the outdoor girls be it said that, now they had taken the "plunge" none of them showed the white feather. They were brave under any circumstances and this very bravery strengthened their tired nerves.
On they splashed through muddy puddles, protecting themselves from the rain as best they could by their coats. But occasionally the wind would whip them open, letting in the moisture that already had soaked the garments well.
"There doesn't seem to be any shelter," remarked Amy, hopelessly, when they had gone perhaps half a mile.
"Oh, don't give up yet," suggested Mollie. ”