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Fantasy Football Challenge presents
Jane Allen Junior

24 of 76

"Tonight!" sighed Judith, dropping her head on Jane's shoulder. "Not you, of course. You shan't come," protested Jane. "I only wanted to plan things with you. A warm bed and a nice cup of malted milk will be about all for you this night, Judy dear." The head, as black as Judith's own in the shadows, tried to fold itself on a cheek if no closer, but the attempt scarcely felt comfortable, and Jane just blew a kiss into Judith's ear, then straightened up again. "As if I would miss that!" murmured Judith. "I am dog-tired, Dinksy, but ghosts! Oh, boy! Lead me to 'em!" and the courage of youth defied that day's record for Judith Stearns. "We must hurry; see the lights in the girls' rooms, and you know they are bound to slight work tonight. This is what I suppose we will have to do. A few of us--you, if you insist, Dozia and Winifred, and I will somehow get out after Miss Fairlie has made the rounds. I don't know how we'll do it, but we have got to try. Then over at Lenox we may hide in the shrubbery and wait for the ghosts. I am perfectly sure they will come along the path from the gate keeper's cottage. Either they are inside or permitted to enter, and it isn't likely that ordinary spooks come through such walls as ours." "All right. I'll be there if I don't fall asleep over my trig. But I do think being arrested is awfully wearying--I could dream here in spite of the howling winds. Jane Allen, do you realize this is a cold, bleak, dreary night, and you are tempting ghosts to parade in- -bathing suits or nighties?" "It is cold; take an end of my scarf and hurry in. May a kind thought prompt us how to elude the wary Fairlie. Take care you don't seem sociable when she taps. It would be fatal if she should enter for a 'cozy little chat.' She has done it, you know." "Do I know it? Do you think I shall ever forget the cozy little chat she dropped in for, when my alcohol lamp thrust under the couch threatened to burn down the place? I have never been friendly with the inspector since." Judith ceased speaking suddenly and Jane clutched her arm as voices were heard somewhere. Yes--two girls were leaving Headley Hall and now came close enough to Jane and Judith to send even their subdued voices ahead in the darkness. "You're a baby," one said. "And you nearly spoiled it all this afternoon." "I never thought it would be this way. I'm so sorry I--" said the second voice. "Goodness sake, stop whimperin'. Aren't you satisfied? Hush, there's someone on the bench." "Shirley and Sarah," whispered Jane in Judith's ear. But the two figures on the path had turned, and were now lost in the darkness along the lonely hedged-in walk. "Imagine!" said Judith indignantly. "Those two little freshmen away over here instead of being at their books!" "And did you notice Shirley was blaming little Sarah for whimpering? I tell you, Judith, there is something queer about that Shirley. She has money yet she came in on a scholarship. Then, there was the registered package of jewelry that brought disaster upon you and the messenger boy, Tim. He said it was addressed to Sarah. She surely shows a woeful lack of luxury, yet someone was sending her jewelry." "And Dol Vin was receiving their mail, including the box," Judith summed up. "I am sure it was Sarah I heard sobbing in that back room," insisted Jane. "There are the girls looking for us. We will have to plead headaches and need of fresh air, for you know I promised them the real story of my incarceration," sighed Judith, following Jane's lead toward the group of searchers who came down the path calling and whistling for Jane and Judith. "Do tell it to them, they have been so splendid," pleaded Jane. "Besides, we have a night's work before us if we can escape on the ghost hunt, and a good yarn will do a lot to settle all our nerves. Remember, you are not to come unless you simply can't stay in bed, and if you remain in our building you may be able to allay suspicion when Fairlie comes snooping. 'Lo girls!" to the whistlers. "Here we are! Judy needed the air." With an all star cast and such headliners as were scheduled for Jane and her constituents on that particular night, it was not easy to anticipate

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