“Oh, yes, it was a ghost! It must have been a ghost!” echoed all the young ladies simultaneously.
“But ghosts always come in though a key-hole—at least the ghosts up our way do,” said Pet; “so where was the use of its knocking and making such a fuss last night.”
No one felt themselves qualified to answer the questions, so the hunt was given over, and the hunters, in much disorder, were told they might amuse themselves in the play-ground that morning, instead of reciting, as usual. The teachers did not feel themselves able to pursue their customary avocations until some light had been thrown upon the mystery.
Then Mrs. Moodie put on her bonnet and shawl, and went out without any definite object in view unless it was to see if the ghost had left any clue to its whereabouts on the street. As a very natural consequence, her eye turned upon the huge brass knocker that had been so instrumental in last night’s din; and from it, to her surprise, she beheld a long, stout cord dangling. Petronilla, of course, in cutting the string, could not reach down to sever it, and a half-yard or so still waved in triumph in the morning air.
Mrs. Moodie, though a fine lady, was sharp and “wide awake,” and in this cord she perceived some clue to the affair of the previous night. As she still gazed on it in the same way as a detective might, at the evidence of some secret crime, the young girl who had given Pet the cord passed through the hall and paused to look at the open door which Mrs. Moodie was so intently surveying. Her eye fell on the cord; she started, took a step forward, looking puzzled and surprised.
“It was no spirit, you see, that was rapping last night, Miss Hughes,” said Mrs. Moodie, sharply; “this cord has had something to do with it.”
“Why, that cord is mine—or rather was,” said the young lady, examining it; “we used to use it in our room for hanging pocket-handkerchiefs and collars to dry on.”
“Yours, Miss Hughes,” said Mrs. Moodie, facing round with an angry light rising in her eyes.
“It was mine, madam; I gave it last evening to the new pupil, Miss Lawless.”
“To Miss Lawless?”