The Outdoor Girls in a Motor Car; Or, The Haunted Mansion of Shadow Valley Read online

  CHAPTER XI

  A TRACE OF THE GIRL

  "When are you coming back for us?"

  "Why don't you take us with you? You may need us to help put on a tire."

  "They'll send for us in a day or so!"

  Thus called Will, Frank and Allen, who had assembled at Mollie's houseto watch their girl friends start on the auto tour.

  "If we need you we'll send for you," promised Mollie, as she let slipthe clutch pedal. "But I don't believe we shall."

  "What--need us--or send for us?" asked Allen, with a laugh. "That is anambiguous statement."

  "I'm not on the witness stand!" retorted Mollie to the young lawstudent.

  "Now do be careful; won't you, girls?" pleaded Cousin Jane, a triflenervously, as the car gathered speed.

  "Oh, we're always careful," said Mollie. "Don't fuss, Cousin Jane, oryou won't have a good time." Mollie was too kind to add that neitherwould her friends have much pleasure, and perhaps Mrs. Mackson realizedthis, for, though she would clutch nervously at the side of the seatwhenever the car jolted or lurched, she said nothing more in the way ofcaution.

  "Brin us some tandy!" called Dodo after the retreating auto.

  "Brin 'ots of it!" added Paul.

  "Your true disciples, Grace," remarked Amy.

  "You can't make me angry," said Grace in cool tones, as she munched achocolate.

  "What's this?" asked Amy, as she felt some long, round, hard object onthe floor of the tonneau, amid many others of various sizes and shapes."It feels like a--bomb."

  "It's my bottle," said Grace, with an assumption of dignity. "Leave italone, please."

  "Your bottle?" asked Betty, curiously, turning around.

  "Yes. I filled it with cold chocolate--it's a vacuum bottle, youknow--and will keep its contents cold a long time. I thought we might bethirsty."

  "As if we wouldn't pass a drug store, or some place where we could get adrink," objected Mollie.

  "Oh, well, you'll want some sooner or later," predicted Grace. "Thosechicken sandwiches are very salty, and the olives----"

  "They always make me want a drink," said Amy. "I'm real glad you broughtit, Grace. You and I love each other; don't we?"

  "Cupboard love!" scoffed Mollie. "Never mind, Grace, we'll forgive you."

  The boys waved their final farewells, the twins joining in, and some ofthe relatives of the girls, who had gathered to see them off, shookhandkerchiefs or hands.

  "Under way at last!" exclaimed Betty, as the car gathered speed. "Whatdid you say our stopping place would be for to-night, Mollie?"

  "Freedenburg. There's a nice home-like hotel there, and we can getadjoining rooms. I wrote on and engaged them last week."

  "That will be nice. Oh, isn't it glorious!"

  They were on the main street of Deepdale now, having to pass through thetown to get to the road that led to Freedenburg, which was aboutseventy-five miles away. They planned to make the town by night.

  The main street had been sprinkled to lay the dust, and there werelittle puddles of water here and there. It was impossible to avoid allof them, and Mollie went into a big one at a crossing. The big-tiredwheel threw some muddy spray and it went far enough to land on thehighly-polished shoes of a youth who had paused to let the car pass.

  "I beg your pardon!" called out Mollie, for she was going very slowly.

  "Well, of all the careless----" began the youth in angry tones.

  "Oh, it's Percy Falconer!" gasped Grace. "See Betty."

  "I don't want to see!" she answered sharply.

  Percy heard his name, and his manner changed as he recognized the girls.

  "I beg your pardon!" he cried, as though the accident had been hisfault. "It doesn't matter in the least. I was going to get anothershine, anyhow. I wish----"

  But his further words were lost as the car moved on.

  "That was nice of him," said Mollie. "I did spoil his polish, but whenhe saw Betty he was as nice as pie, though he looked as if he'd like toeat me up a moment before. Betty, you are to be congratulated."

  "Don't speak to me of him. I--I----"

  "Count ten, slowly," spoke Amy in such mirth-provoking tones that theyall laughed. Percy gazed blankly after the retreating car, and then madehis way to a boot-blacking stand.

  The girls were soon outside the town, bowling along a pleasant countryroad. The day was perfect, and, as Grace said, they could not have had abetter one for their start had it been "made to order." They had plentyof lunch with them, and planned to stop in some convenient spot at noonand eat.

  "Oh, I forgot those cheese-crackers!" suddenly cried Betty, when theyhad gone several miles. "I had them on the hall table, and I'm sure Iforgot to put them in."

  "Look and see," suggested Mollie.

  "No, they're not here," went on Betty, regretfully, after a search."We're all so fond of them."

  "Mr. Lagg keeps them," suggested Grace. "It wouldn't be much out of ourway to go to his store."

  "We will!" decided Mollie, and she made a turn at the next crossing. Mr.Lagg was glad to see them, as he always was. He bowed and smiled as hecame out to the car.

  "Ladies, you have come, I see, To say you'll lay that ghost for me.

  "At least I hope so," went on the poetical grocer, with a laugh. "Sayyou'll undertake that job," he pleaded. "I've tried to get those doctorsto take the place, ghost and all, but they won't, and I'll have it onmy hands if I don't look out."

  "We can't promise," spoke Mollie. "Maybe the boys--Grace's brother andhis chums--will undertake it, Mr. Lagg. If they don't, when we come backfrom our tour, we'll consider it once more."

  "Well, I'll hold you to that!" he declared. "This is getting seriouswith me."

  "Have the doctors made any other move?" asked Betty.

  "No, not yet. They asked me if I could guarantee that there would be noqueer disturbances, and of course I couldn't so they said they'd have towait. But they're dickering for another place, and may take it. I wishthere was no such things as ghosts."

  "There aren't!" declared Mollie, decidedly.

  "Then how do you account for what happened in the old mansion?" askedMr. Lagg.

  "Imagination," said Betty.

  The storekeeper shook his head.

  "A fellow like Pete Skillinger, or some of the fishermen around here,might imagine," he admitted, "but not those scientific doctors. Theycertainly saw, and heard, something they couldn't explain. They suredid!"

  "Did you make any inquiries to be sure they were not doing thisthemselves?" asked Mollie. "I've heard of such cases."

  "No, these doctors are all well-known men, and have good reputations,"said Mr. Lagg, with another puzzled shake of his head. "They wouldn't dosuch a thing. I don't doubt but what this haunting business can beexplained; but how? That's the question. How? I can't solve it--Ihaven'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 mostneed are cheese crackers--and not ghostly ones, either, Mr. Lagg."

  "You shall have the best in stock."

  Then, his mind being turned in another channel he recited this:

  "Cheese crackers I have, large and small Enough for one--enough for all. I've sardines and pickles too, My aim is always to please you."

  "And you generally hit what you aim at," laughed Grace. "I think I'llhave a few more chocolates," she added, as she inspected her box. "Thesewon't last all day, and I know yours are good, Mr. Lagg."

  "I'll bring them out," he said, as he hurried into the store.

  The girls bought a few other things they found they had overlooked instarting off, and once more they got under way.

  "Don't forget the ghost!" pleaded Mr. Lagg, as he waved farewell. "Getrid of it for me."

  "Poor old man--he really means it," said Amy. "I wonder what can be inthat house?"

  "Bats and rats,
most likely," said "Cousin Jane," as they all calledher. "Bats and rats!"

  "Worse than spooks--when they get in your hair," spoke Mollie. "Give mea nice clean ghost, that waltzes around in a two-step. Oh, girls, I hopewe can go to a dance of two on our tour."

  "Some are planned for us," said Mollie.

  They kept on, enjoying the ride to the utmost. Just before noon they gota puncture, and voted not to attend to it until after lunch, which theyate near a road-side spring, under a great oak tree. And then the Fateswere kind to them. For, as they were laboriously jacking up the car totake off the tire, a lone chauffeur, in a big car, came along and kindlyoffered to do the work for them.

  The girls gladly accepted, and watched him carefully, for though theyhad once or twice before changed a shoe, they were not skillful at it.Mollie offered the man some change, but he declined with a laugh andreddened 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--allalone."

  "Oh, is it _your_ car?" asked Mollie. "I thought----" and as the youngman nodded she understood why he had refused the money. He was theowner.

  "Oh, girls!" exclaimed Mollie, when he had gone, "and to think that Iwanted to pay him--maybe he's a millionaire."

  "You meant it all right," said Betty. "And really he looked like aprofessional chauffeur. He might have taken the money, and let us thinkso. I read a story once where a man did that, and fell in love with agirl, and----"

  "Spare us the details," begged Grace.

  Again the girls were off, and without further accident, save that whenBetty was driving she narrowly missed running over a persistent barkingdog. They reached Freedenburg, and went to the hotel, leaving the autoat a public garage near by.

  "Oh, for a good bath, and a hot cup of tea!" exclaimed Mollie, for thelatter part of the ride had been rather hot and dusty. "Then we'll feellike new girls."

  The services of a maid were at their disposal in their rooms, and theywere soon making themselves fresh for the dinner that was shortly to beserved. As Mollie let down her long hair the maid uttered anexclamation:

  "Excuse me, Miss, for remarking it," she said, "but you have lovelyhair."

  "We all think so," added Betty.

  "It isn't so very nice," spoke Mollie. "I am hoping it will getthicker."

  "It's lovely!" the maid insisted. "I haven't seen any as nice--not sincea strange girl stopped here one night some time ago, and I helped her dohers up. Hers was nearly to the floor when she stood up. And it was justthe color of yours. She had a scar on her forehead, I remember--a recentone, and I had to be careful of it as I combed her hair."

  "A cut?" asked Betty, looking at her friends curiously.

  "Yes, Miss. She said she had fallen out of a tree."

  "A tree!" The four girls uttered this together.

  "Why, yes," and the maid seemed surprised. "I suppose she wasplaying--she said she was very fond of sports--and she was just the ageto enjoy them."

  "Yes, yes!" exclaimed Betty eagerly. "Did she have--I mean what was hername--or could you describe her to us? We have a reason for asking."

  "Why, I don't recall that she gave me her name," said the maid slowly,"but I can tell you how she looked."

  Then, to the surprise of Betty and her chums, the hotel maid gave a gooddescription of the girl they had seen fall out of the tree some timebefore--the girl who had so strangely disappeared when they went afteraid for her.

  "It's the same one!" cried Betty, and then she told the maid of thecoincidence.