“Don’t the servants sleep there too?” asked Mary Louise. She was anxious to get her facts straight from the beginning.
“No. They sleep on the second floor, in a room over the kitchen. There are just two of them—an old married couple named Hannah and William Groben.
“Well, night before last I heard more distinct noises than ever. First I thought it was one of the trees near my window, and I nerved myself to get out of bed and look out. And what do you think I saw?”
“A ghost?” whispered Jane, in awe.
“No, I don’t think so. I believe it was a human being. Anyway, all I saw was two bright eyes peering in at the window!”
“What did you do?” demanded Mary Louise breathlessly. “Scream?”
“No, I didn’t. Once before I screamed, and Aunt Mattie had William investigate everything, and when he found nobody I was punished for my foolishness. I had to eat bread and water for two days. And it taught me a lesson. I never screamed again.”
“Then what happened?”
“I think whoever it was climbed from the tree into the attic storeroom window and went through an old trunk in there. I heard a little noise, but I couldn’t tell whether it was only the wind or not. Anyway, nothing was known about it till yesterday, when Aunt Mattie went up to look for something in her trunk.”
“Did you tell her then?”