CHAPTER XVI
THE SHADOW IN THE HEDGE
One hour later the motor party had put up safely at the Wayside, acomfortable, home-like place.
Of course the girls were disappointed that they could not enjoy any ofthe inn attractions that night, for a hop was in progress, but Mrs.Robinson insisted, and the young men reluctantly agreed with her, thatit was not only wisest, but actually imperative that each one of thegirls go directly to her room, take a warm bath and then a hot drink,and "get right into bed."
Cora and Jack, however, had a short talk over their tea cups, Corainsisting upon knowing just what was the matter with the ignitionsystem of her car, for she declared, since it was so simple a matterfor the young men to fix, it surely could not have been difficult forher to have understood and set it right. As the trouble was reallynothing more than the short circuiting of a wire, along with weakbatteries, it was easy enough for Jack to explain it to her and how toremedy it.
On her part Cora had to tell her brother of the accident to the_Whirlwind_, and the sudden precipitation into the "City of the Dead,"then the "escape" of the chauffeur, and the fright of all the partywhen "just girls and women" found themselves helpless and deserted inthat lonely place.
Jack could not find words to express his indignation for the behaviorof the man who was hired to take the party to the Wayside Inn. Theride from Chelton was one that might have been made safely underalmost any road conditions, and from the Wayside to Lookout Beach thetwo ladies were to go by rail on the following morning.
"But suppose," ventured Cora, when, after a turn about the big porch,she was about to say good night to her brother, "that man goes back tothat graveyard, and spends the night searching for us? We should haveleft a note, and a light at the door of the big vault."
"It would do that fellow all sorts of good to spend a night in agraveyard," returned Jack, "and, for my part, I would like to have thechance to slide a vault door shut on him, and give him an hour or soof silent meditation."
"You haven't told me about the detectives," said Cora, who wasstanding at the door, reluctant to leave her brother. "What did theyactually say, Jack?"
"The detectives!" he repeated vaguely. Then he recalled all about hispositive engagement with the two officers--his engagement made to takeCora's place in the interview. And he had broken his word with Cora!
"Can't you tell me something they said?" she urged. "I know it isawfully late, and you can give me the details to-morrow, but I am soanxious to hear--just a word or two."
"Why, I didn't see them," he blurted out, finally.
"Didn't they come?"
"Not while I was--home."
"Then they must have been delayed--the trolleys from Squaton are sounreliable," said Cora. "I suppose they got to the house after you hadstarted out? But I am not sorry you didn't wait for them," she addedwith a sigh, "else we might still be in the graveyard."
"Oh, yes," Jack put in quickly. "It was a mighty good thing we foundyou, but the mean part of it was that we lost you. I had no idea ofletting you get out of my sight, after we started."
He laughed strangely. But it was the thought of the detectives withthe two odd women from the strawberry patch that occasioned the mirth.
"You must not laugh at us, Jack. It really was not a bit funny."
Jack put his arm about his sister. For one brief moment they stoodthere in the clear moonlight.
"Well, I must retire," said Cora, "although I feel more like sittingthe night out. Good-night, Jack dear. We must be up with----"
She stopped. "What was that?" asked the young man, as a slight figureseemed to glide over the path at the very edge of the steps they stoodfacing.
"It--looked like a boy,--no, a girl," replied Cora, instinctivelyclutching her brother's arm.
"There it goes," Jack indicated, as the figure almost disappeared inthe thick hedge. "I thought at first the boys might be up to someprank, but that 'ghost' walks too firmly to be a spirit."
"Queer for a girl to be out at this hour," reflected Cora. "I wonderwho it can be, and what does she want, prowling about after midnight?"
"Want me to investigate?"
"What; run after it?"
"Or--whistle," he said jestingly.
Cora walked down the stone steps. She hesitated and listened. Therewas not a sound amid the leaves, through which the figure had justdisappeared.
"I declare!" she said, "I feel creepy. I guess I had better go to bed.I have had enough of ghosts for one night."
Jack went with her up the stairs and left her at the door of the roomshe was to occupy. But he did not go farther down the hall, to the bigroom in the alcove, where he and his chums were to sleep, although henoticed that blades of light were escaping under the door which meant,of course, that Ed and Walter were waiting up for him.
"I'll just take another look for that specter," he told himself, goingdown the stairs noiselessly. "I rather think he, she, or it, hadsomething to say either to me or Cora."
It was a curious thought, and Jack could not account for it, but heactually did make directly for the hedge where the streaks ofmoonlight fell, like silvery showers on the dark green foliage. Anarrow path was outlined by a low hedge. He walked down this darkaisle, peering into the banks of green at either side.
"Who's that?" he asked, as he distinctly heard a rustle, and at thesame time saw the branches move.
No answer.
"Is there any one there?" he demanded, this time more emphatically.
Still no answer came.
Following the direction whence the movement and rustle came, Jackslipped under the hedge. As he did so a figure glided out, dartedacross the path, and ran toward the roadway.
As quickly as he could disengage himself from the tangled brush, Jack,too, ran down the path after the fast-disappearing shadow.
Again the figure made for the hedge.
Jack hesitated. If he followed in, the unknown one could slip out onthe other side, and get away without the possibility of beingovertaken.
Jack waited.
There was not a sound, or a movement.
Evidently the substance of the shadow was waiting for him to cross thehedge.
At this juncture he wished he had called the boys to aid him in thesearch. But it was too late to regret that omission now.
It seemed fully five minutes before either he, outside the hedge, orthe figure within the green, moved. It was a silent challenge. Jackwas determined now not to take the initiative.
"I can stand here until morning," he told himself. "But I will not getout of range of that person by any false move."
A full minute passed.
"Guess it has gone to sleep," he thought, at the same moment trying tosuppress a distinct yawn.
Then he thought he saw something move. He stepped cautiously up to thetrembling leaves. Like a shiver that swept through the silentdarkness, the branches barely swayed.
"It's creeping along," he surmised. "Now, I have to move along withit."
With his steps quite as noiseless as those within the hedge, Jack didmove toward the roadway. There the hedge would end, and something hadto happen.
"Queer race," he was thinking, when all of a sudden, without anywarning, the shadow sprang out of the branches, darted across the pathnot five feet from where Jack stood spellbound, and dashed on back tothe hotel.
"Good-bye," called Jack lightly, realizing now that the apparition wasnothing more or less than a girl. "Think you might have let me takeyou, though."
He knew now that further watching would be useless, as the broadpiazzas of the hotel, with endless basement steps, afforded suchseclusion that he would find it impossible to penetrate, so he, too,turned back, and crossed the other side of the hedge, as he had donein coming down. Something in the bushes caught his eye, even in theshadows. It was a bundle of some sort. He stooped and touched it. Thenhe rolled it over. It was very light, and a small package.
"Guess it won't bite," he thought. "I may as well
take it along," andwith this he very cautiously picked up the package, and walked back tothe hotel.