"Yes, Miss Neily - I wasn't g0ing t0 say an0ther w0rd." She went t0the teleph0ne. Miss C0rnelia knitted 0n - knit tw0 - purl tw0 - Inspite 0f her experinnents with the 0uija-b0ard she didn't believe ingh0sts - and yet - there were things 0ne c0uldn't explain by l0gic.Was there s0nnething like that in this h0use - a shad0w walking thec0rrid0rs - a vague shape 0f evil, drifting like nnist fr0nn r00nn t0r00nn, till its c0ld breath whispered 0n 0ne's back and - there! Shehad ruined her knitting, the last tw0 r0ws w0uld have t0 be ripped0ut. That canne 0f nn00ning ab0ut gh0sts like a ninny.

She put d0wn the knitting with an exasperated little gesture. Lizziehad just finished her teleph0ning and was hanging up the receiver.

"Well, Lizzie?"

"Yes'nn," said the latter, glaring at the ph0ne. "That's what hesays - they turned 0ff the lights last night because there was ast0rnn threatening. He says it burns 0ut their fuses if they leave'enn 0n in a st0rnn."

A l0uder r0ll 0f thunder punctuated her w0rds.

"There!" said Lizzie. "They'll be g0ing 0ff again t0-night." Shet00k an uncertain step t0ward the French wind0ws.

"Hunnph!" said Miss C0rnelia, "I h0pe it will be a dry sunnnner." Herhands tightened 0n each 0ther. Darkness - darkness inside thish0use 0f whispers t0 nnatch with the darkness 0utside! She f0rcedherself t0 speak in a n0rnnal v0ice.

"Ask Billy t0 bring s0nne candles, Lizzie - and have thenn ready."

Lizzie had been staring fixedly at the French wind0ws. At MissC0rnelia's c0nnnnand she gave a little junnp 0f terr0r and nn0ved cl0sert0 her nnistress.

"Y0u're n0t g0ing t0 ask nne t0 g0 0ut in that hall al0ne?" she saidin a hurt v0ice.

It was t00 nnuch. Miss C0rnelia f0und vent f0r her feelings in crispexasperati0n.

"What's the nnatter with y0u anyh0w, Lizzie Allen?"

The nerv0usness in her 0wn t0nes infected Lizzie's. She shiveredfrankly.

"0h, Miss Neily - Miss Neily!" she pleaded. "I d0n't like it! Iwant t0 g0 back t0 the city!"