“Eh? Oh, nothin', nothin'. Did I say 'ghost'? I didn't realize what I said, I guess.”
“Then why did you say it?”
“Oh, I don't know. . . . There, there, don't let's get any more foolish than we can help. Let's go to bed. We'll have to turn out awful early in the mornin' to get Georgie's stockin' hung up and his presents ready. Now trot off to bed, Emily.”
“Aunt Thankful, you're hiding something from me. I know you are.”
“Now, Emily, you know I wouldn't—”
“Yes, you would. At least, you have. All this time you have been deceiving me about that mortgage. And now I think there is something else. What did you mean by a ghost in that room?”
“I didn't mean anything. There ain't any ghost in that room—the one Solomon's in.”
“In THAT room? Is there one in another room?”
“Now, Emily—”
“Aunt Thankful, there is something strange in some room; don't deny it. You aren't accustomed to deceiving people, and you can't deceive me now. Tell me the truth.”