After a while May grew calmer and popped her head from under the clothes with a sudden jerk, which caused it to come into contact with the chin of her sister, who was bending over her, in an attempt to pacify her. The result was somewhat painful for Mrs. Marshall, and caused May to scream out again in terror.
“Keep it off! Keep it off!” she cried wildly.
“Keep what off? What on earth do you mean?” I shouted, feeling utterly unnerved and vexed at the same time.
“Oh, the ghost! the ghost! Keep it off!” was the shuddering response.
“How can you be so silly,” I said, out of all patience. “What do you mean by a ghost?”
By this time, May began to seem more rational, and cautiously sat up, surveying the room with a scared look. “I heard it,” she said, solemnly. “And I felt it touch my shoulders.”
“It was no ghost other than myself who touched your shoulders,” spoke up Mrs. Marshall, still hugging her jaw in an attitude of pain. “I wish I could shake some sense into you.”
“Oh! it was you, was it?” quoth May. “But it wasn’t you who gave three unearthly taps at the window. I heard them quite distinctly, and I’m sure it was all done by a ghost.”
“It was done by the Virginia Creeper which climbs all over this side of the house,” said Mrs. Garth. “You will very likely hear it again, but may go to sleep comfortably.”
“And let other people go to sleep,” added Mrs. Marshall, as she went back to her own room.