The Manor House School

ected De

ern chamber. In spite of several small efforts, nothing fresh had occurred to elucidate matters, and they were alm

a voice calling to them from overhead. They looked up, and saw Merle Hammond, a second-form

you?" she cried. "Come up her

nor had so many windows, it was impossible to

ing. It's empty, but there's a big kind of lamp hanging

and, dropping their rackets, they raced into t

e found it out? It was good of her to call to them. Had she accident

y in that attic room, and they fled

safely on the top landing, when (oh, the bad luck of it!) they almost knocked dow

e remonstrated. "Where are

eacher the nature of their errand? They both stood stil

continued Miss Frazer dryly. "I looked at them just now, and found th

ted them into their bedroom, and stood over them, giving directions, until each pair of stockings or pocket-handkerchief was disposed accor

t coat and hat were lying jumbled together at the bottom of the wardrobe,

ll be obliged to give you each a punishment," she said gravely.

be waiting for them, and wondering why they did not come. And the secret was waiting too! Lindsay looked at Cicely, almost meditating a bolt. Possibly the mistress read her intention

this is the bigges

been at the bottom of th

butter as if nothing had happened. When Cicely made a like effort she fared the same. What had Merle seen? How they longed for tea to be over, that they might hear of her discovery! They hoped

whispered Lindsay. "She may be letting out something i

d Merle into the garden, but, greatly to their surpris

ldn't do for her to be seen talking to us so particularly.

walked away with such an evident intention of es

e mean?" burs

once?" returned Cicely. "She doesn't know yet that Miss

aking to her in private, so they were obliged to go to bed in a horrible state of suspense. Next morning things were just as bad. There was no m

uptly. "Please don't go chasing me a

saw in the lantern room, o

rry, but I ca

tel

scarcely believe the ev

quite im

t w

that I

ecause we didn't come when y

s Frazer stopped us and made us tidy our drawers.

in the least. I'm very

uted to us t

ow I

or somebody you

don't

bad," protested Lindsay. "You're

've said I am sorry,"

ried Cicely. "I like peopl

r a significant tone. "It's exa

you've promised not to

say anythi

Elsie Ryder or

tioned the matter to anybody,

to Lindsay and me? We wouldn't let a so

why. Do let us

ontemplated being kept out of it themselves. The more they pressed her, the more obstinately she refused, and neither scolding no

old room, all the same," said L

ay, you do

nxious note in

han you

better keep it to yourselves,

ng the Manor on her own account and had made some discovery, which she undoubtedly had intended to share with them

's enemy. If only Miss Frazer had not such a tiresome love of tidiness, they might have reached the lantern room in time, and be now in possession of

d to add another link to their chain of strange circumstances. They had managed to escape Miss Frazer's vigilance, and were indulging in a surreptitious game of "tig" alo

ere, on any account. She'll tell Miss Russell, and we shall each lo

hey whisked behind it, and stood flattening themselves against the wall

be on a convenient level with her eyes, saw Scott, the gardener, coming down the flight of stairs which led from the upper landing. He met Mrs. Wilson exactly o

an the old housekeeper uneasily. "I'd no

st take a look,

s there myself this morning,

ight," grunted Scott. "There was far

y danger--?" burst out Mrs.

sent, at any rate. Don't upset yourself. Still, it ne

meddlesome set they are, too! You'd scarcely believe the trouble they give me. Two of them took it into

clamation of som

let them go poking about there; it would

e key's

I can find a

ake a load off my mind. By th

s. Wilson's voice sank to a whisper, and the only words a

eful," said Scott,

the tapestry. They had the great satisfaction of having learnt something. They now knew definitely that there w

u notice what he said about the noise? It mu

plied Lindsay. "There may be a hidd

soner, do

ay no

o could

oe, how Athelstane of Coningsburgh was supposed to be killed, and he was really only stunned; and the monks of St. Edmunds put an empty coff

st know too. I shouldn't have thought it of Scott. I rather liked him. I expect they'll share the money betwe

ething shady, or they wouldn't want to keep it so quiet. It may

shall

n, and try to follow her to that

wary as

e she has some scheme on hand that ought to be watc

selected by fate for the purpose of bringing the wrongdoers to justice. It gave them a delightful sense of superiority over the other gi

ing," said Lindsay, "and I verily beli

pains they took to watch her movements, it was some days before they found the propitious moment. "

as Indians they crept after her. They tiptoed along the passages, and just caught a glimpse of the tail of her skirts as she passed up the windin

doing?" whi

t I want to

h the keyhole, and bumped thei

ear her

almost like the clicking of a lat

uld bear i

her utter amazement, the room was absolutely empty. Mrs. Wi