In Lakeview Suite there was, indeed, a busy group that evening. It happened to be near examination time. Notes were being brought up to date. Exercise books in the languages were to be put into final shape. Eloise came in to consult Lilian about some exercises in Harmony, which both were taking, Lilian because she wanted to know how to write her little songs, and to catch up with Philip in his knowledge of the subject. The girls were all tired when the first bell rang, and Hilary sat, writing on, without paying any attention.
“You’ll be in the dark pretty soon, Hilary, unless you break rules,” remarked Lilian.
“Don’t mind me,” said Hilary. “Put the lights out when the bell rings. I’ll just write till then; I’m almost through. Then I’ll use my flash light when I get ready for bed.”
Finally, darkness descended upon the suite, and Hilary, her head aching a little, tossed and turned, till finally she wandered off into a dream with Campbell Stuart, both on a vessel, on the way to France, and watching a submarine whose periscope had just appeared close by. In the middle of the night she woke, consumed by thirst, and reaching under her pillow for her flashlight, slipped quietly out of the room after some water.
Just outside of her door she paused and started a little, for around the corner came a ghostly figure, looking very much as Evelyn had pictured the “Woman in Black.” There were two corridors running at right angles to Lakeview Corridor, and it was from one of these, in the direction of which Hilary was headed, that the ghost came. And, without warning, from the other direction, which Hilary, though not the ghost, could see, came running another figure with flying hair, light slippers and pale kimono.
“Two ghosts,” thought Hilary.
It all happened so quickly that Hilary could not have prevented it even had she been able to recover from her surprise. The “Woman in Black” saw Hilary, without doubt, for she waved her hands and moaned, a high quaver of ghostly sound. And right at the corner, plump into the Woman in Black, ran the other flying figure,—bump!
It was Evelyn’s face that turned toward Hilary. The black form recovered from the shock and sped on, but dropped a little roll of papers and, with an exclamation, turned and came back. Evelyn hastened to pick up the papers first—Evelyn, who was afraid of ghosts!
“Give them to me at once!” demanded the “ghost” in a hissing whisper.
Evelyn unrolled the papers in the dim light of the hall and showed no intention of hurrying. Impatiently the black ghost snatched at the little bundle, but Evelyn put it behind her back at first, then with a bow held it out,—“Your property, I believe,—Louise Holley!”