ow, Kate, you must use your common-sense. That fad about locking the
gates is a pure and simple whim on the mother's part. Of course we'll
humor it, but not to the extent of waking up old Tester. Come, Kitty,
you shall give the old man any amount of blowing up in the morning, only
now you really must leave him alone."

"I'm going on," said Mabel; "I can scarcely keep my eyes open. Will
you come with me, Loftie? If Kate likes to stay by herself with the
dark trees and the ghosts, why, let her. I'm off to bed."

She ran laughing and singing up the old avenue.

Loftus turned to resume his argument with Catherine, Mabel's gay voice
echoed more faintly as she ran on. Suddenly it stopped. Patter, patter,
came back the swift feet, and, trembling and shivering, she threw
herself into Loftus's arms.

"I heard something--there's something in the avenue!"

The moon was shining, and showed Mabel's face as white as a sheet.

"You silly child," said Loftus, "you heard a rabbit scuttling home.
Here, take my arm, and let us all get home as fast as we can. Why, you
are trembling from head to foot. You are tired out, that's it. Take her
other arm, will you, Kate?"

"They say Rosendale is haunted," panted Mabel.

"Folly! Don't listen to such rubbish. Your rabbit was hurrying to bed,
and was as much afraid of you as you of it."

"It--it wasn't a rabbit," said Mabel. "Rabbits don't sigh."

"Oh--sighs only belong to ghosts?"

"I don't know. Don't laugh at me, Loftie. I heard a real sigh and a
rustle, and something white flashed."

"Then you flashed back to us. Never talk of being a brave girl again,
May."

"Let us walk very quickly," said Mabel. "It was just there I saw it.
Just by that great clump of Lauristinus. Don't let us speak. There,
that's better. I own I'm frightened, Loftie. You needn't laugh at me."

Loftus Bertram had many faults, but he was not ill-natured. He took
Mabel's little cold hand, and pressed it between his warm fingers, and
ceased to laugh at her, and walked quickly, and was even silent at her
bidding. By degrees, Mabel leaned all her weight on Loftus, and took no
notice of Kate, who, for her part, held herself erect, and walked up the
avenue with a half-aggrieved, half-scornful look on her face, and with
some anxiety in her heart.

CHAPTER IX.

THE GHOST IN THE AVENUE.

Rosendale Manor had heaps of rooms. It was an old house, added to at
many times; added to by builders, who had little or