nsiderable
time to fathom it had the pebble-shooter's aim not proved to be
remarkably good. It struck the "ghost" on the head.

Of course even Helen could not follow the pebble through the air with
her eyes, nor could she see where it struck, but other unmistakable
evidence informed her as to the trueness of her aim and the effect of
the blow. A sharp thud informed her that she had hit something of
substantial resistance, and the next bit of evidence broke the spell for
the other girls with a realization of what had taken place.

The "ghost" wavered and seemed about to topple over, at the same time
emitting a groan of pain which proved him to be thoroughly human. Helen
was frightened, but there was a new kind of awe in this fright. All
suggestion of superstition had left her and in its place was the dread
that she might have killed a man.

The latter dread, however, was soon dispelled. The "ghost" did not fall.
He staggered, it is true--evidently the pain of the blow had stunned him
considerably; but he managed to put speed into his pace, although the
evidence of his suffering was even greater after he began to run. In a
minute he disappeared in the darkness of the timber.

"My! that was a good shot, Helen," Ethel Zimmerman exclaimed. "And he
will surely wear some lump on his head for some time to come."

"I was afraid I pulled too hard," Helen replied with a sigh of relief;
"and, believe me, I'd rather be scared by a ghost several times over
than with the prospect of having a murder record."

"Who is he?--have you any idea?" Violet asked.

"Can't you guess?" Helen answered. "Isn't he someone connected with the
Graham family?"

"What was he trying to do--scare us?" Julietta inquired, addressing the
question as much to herself as to anybody else.

"I should imagine something of the kind, although he may be the crazy
man the Graham girls spoke about," said Helen.

"I don't believe there is any such person," Miss Ladd volunteered at
this point.

"Then why did they suggest such an idea?" Violet questioned.

"I don't know, unless it was to frighten us," the Guardian replied.

"Frighten us away from here," Harriet supplemented.

"Exactly," said Helen. "That's my theory of the affair. Don't you
remember what Glen Irving said just before Addie Graham put in her
appearance and cut short our interview with the boy?"

"He said something about ghosts," Harriet recalled.

"Not about ghosts, but _a_ ghost," Helen c