“Don’t think that we feel offended, Betsy,” Margaret called as she sank down in a big comfortable kitchen rocker. “I have no yearning to unravel mysteries. You and Virg may have all of the honor and all of the shivers.”
“Ditto!” Babs said as she sat in another of the rockers and drew it closer to the stove. Virginia having found a lantern, lighted it and again entered the long silent front room. Having closed the kitchen door, she turned to speak to Betsy, but, to her surprise, the other girl was nowhere to be seen.
Believing that her friend had hidden, just to mystify her, Virginia went about the room holding her lantern high and peering behind the big, heavily-carved mahogany furniture. At first she was in no way alarmed, but, when each nook and corner had been searched, she stood still, troubled indeed. She had not wanted to call the name of her friend for she knew that the two more timid girls in the kitchen would hear and become alarmed, but, at last, there being no other alternative she said, “Betsy, where are you?” Then she stood listening, but the moaning of the wind down the chimney was the only sound that she could hear.
What could have become of Betsy? Perhaps she had stepped out of the front door and was hiding on the porch, but, when Virg turned to look, she saw that the heavy wooden doors were barred on the inside.
The usually calm Virginia was becoming troubled and she was indeed glad to hear Peyton entering the kitchen. She would have to tell them all now, and have them join in the search for Betsy who had so mysteriously disappeared.
“Virg, what is the matter? You look as though you had seen a ghost,” Megsy exclaimed, as she sprang up from her comfortable rocker when she saw Virginia returning from the dark, silent front room.
Peyton had just entered the kitchen. Having blown the light out in his lantern, he was hanging it on its peg, but upon hearing Margaret’s startled exclamation, he whirled and looked at Virg. He noted that she was very pale and seemed greatly agitated.
This was indeed unusual, for as long as he had known this calm girl, she had been mistress of every situation that had arisen. He took a quick step toward her, fearing that she would faint.
Babs, too, had risen. Virg spoke almost incoherently: “Betsy, she’s lost—disappeared,” she told them.
Peyton protested in amazement. “But Virg, how could Betsy be lost. She has been right here in the house all of the time, hasn’t she?”