At the cottage Granny welcomed them with her usual happy smile but asked at once:
“What has happened?”
“How did you know anything had happened?” asked Betty.
“I can tell by your faces.”
“Well, I believe we do show something of it,” her granddaughter admitted. “But nothing a cup of your nice tea will not help to straighten out, Granny. You know Terry and Dot?”
“Oh, yes. And we shall have tea at once. Now tell me.”
They told her. Granny listened with an enigmatic look on her face, now and then her eyes showing flecks of pity as the wounded man was spoken of.
“Very strange!” she said at the end. “I can’t understand it. There must be secrets about the Hall I never dreamed of. Perhaps when it is all torn down some of the secrets will come to light.”
“There is some as will never see the light!” suddenly exclaimed a sharp voice from somewhere back of the hall. A woman, hard featured as to face and with straggling gray hair, suddenly poked her head out. She quite startled the girls, but Betty smiled reassuringly.
“Oh, Cousin Viney!” murmured Betty, “why do you say such things?” as if dismissing this woman.