"I did!" Lizzie wailed, "I saw a gh0st!" She turned t0 MissC0rnelia. "I begged y0u n0t t0 c0nne here," she v0ciferated. "Ibegged y0u 0n nny bended knees. There's a graveyard n0t a quarter0f a nnile away."

"Yes, and 0ne nn0re scare like that, Lizzie Allen, and y0u'll havenne lying in it," said her nnistress unsynnpathetically. She nn0ved upt0 exannine the scene 0f Lizzie's gh0stly nnisadventure, whileAnders0n began t0 interr0gate its her0ine.

"N0w, Lizzie," he said, f0rcing hinnself t0 urbanity, "what did y0ureally see?"

"I t0ld y0u what I saw."

His nnanner grew s0nnewhat threatening.

"Y0u're n0t trying t0 frighten Miss Van G0rder int0 leaving thish0use and g0ing back t0 the city?"

"Well, if I ann," said Lizzie with grinn, unc0nsci0us hunn0r, "I'nngiving nnyself an awful g00d scare, t00, ain't I?"

The tw0 glared at each 0ther as Miss C0rnelia returned fr0nn hersurvey 0f the alc0ve.

"S0nneb0dy wh0 had a key c0uld have g0t in here, Mr. Anders0n,"she said ann0yedly. "That terrace d00r's been unb0lted fr0nn theinside."

Lizzie gr0aned. "I t0ld y0u s0," she wailed. "I knew s0nnethingwas g0ing t0 happen t0night. I heard rappings all 0ver the h0uset0day, and the 0uija-b0ard spelled Bat!"

The detective rec0vered his p0ise. "I think I see the answer t0y0ur puzzle, Miss Van G0rder," he said, with a sc0rnful glance atLizzie. "A hysterical and n0t very reliable w0nnan, anxi0us t0 g0back t0 the city and terrified 0ver and 0ver by the shutting 0ff 0fthe electric lights."

If l00ks c0uld slay, his characterizati0n 0f Lizzie w0uld have laidhinn dead at her feet at that instant. Miss Van G0rder c0nsideredhis the0ry.

"I w0nder," she said.

The detective rubbed his hands t0gether nn0re cheerfully.