Ghost Beyond the Gate

LISTENI

turn to the stripped car, but she knew that would not solve their problem. Staring

ouise. "We set out to find the

empt to restore circulation to numbed feet, they ran a few s

op of the hill. Penny wiped her eyes and gazed down through a gap in the white-coated evergr

she said dubiously. "It can't

uise. "We can warm ourselves and as

hill walking was much easier and at intervals

nstructed iron fence, banked heavily with snow. The fence led to a high ga

rved in disappointment. "What became

s house looks as if it had

, she could see an unshoveled driveway which curved gracefully to a pillared porch. The spacious gro

this place?" sp

rning away. "In fact, I don't re

d special signif

, then we're on a strange road! Penny,

ny admitted grimly. "But we must keep plo

penetrating wind. Soon Louise lost her footing and fell. She remai

Lou," she urged. "I

rounded a curve in the road, and there, mir

ted Louise. "Th

ded on the cabin door. An old man, who h

invited heartily. "Why,

itful either," Pen

danced ahead of them. Quickly the old man closed the door. He made plac

e out," he comm

unteered, stripping off her wet mittens. "At le

," the old man replied. "The tower

o abandon their car at the Riverview Yacht Club. The old man, whose na

rview in the sled," he offered. "That is, unl

turned politely. "If Salt Sommers is on d

irls as far as the post. Then, if arrangements could not be

to the door and the team soon was racing down the icy road. Above the jingle of bells arose occa

y pulled up at the

ry wooden observatory rising above the evergreens.

from the sled. They were sure their troubles were over, for th

ound three sides of the glass-enclosed house. Before P

young man exclaimed. "I didn't expect yo

be driving to Riverview?"

tes. As soon as my

ride w

, su

t wait. With a friendly wave of his hand, the cabin owner drove

coal stove. Above it a tacked sign admonished: "Keep this fire going!" There was a

explain why they had come, S

claimed. "Wasn'

in an icy blast of wind. In a momen

about this time. Sometimes I listen for it

s," Penny ventured, making herself

erve my trick. What brings you

Mrs. Weems, it was after eight o'clock. Footsteps pounded on the stairway. A

nting Nate Adams to the girls

ted the newcomer. "It's mighty cold,

tower. Snow blanketed the windshield. He wiped it

arage and have more alcohol put in th

te not far from Old Henry's cabin, Penny peered with renewed interest at the big house. In the bl

ired, "who lives

he replied, withou

one live

wer. Nate Adams tells me the estate has a private air field.

light just now in a

rom the car headlights,"

til it came to a crossroad. Several buildings we

at Mattie's gar

. She was in her mid-thirties and wore a man's coat much too large for her. The girls gue

he asked Salt, briskly clea

did not require gasoline, but w

structed, opening a pair of double do

dly to a stoop-shouldered man who was busy in the rear

radiator cap. Penny and Louise assumed that the man must be Mat

d in an undertone. "It's hard to tell

out of the coupe. They had noticed a cafe next door an

"I'll stay here until this jo

no more than a casual glance had not the driver alighted. He was a short, ruddy-faced man with a missing front t

d Louise. "Haven't w

he same driver who refused us a ride. Let's ma