reaming that the note was a forgery. Well, I might have done the same."

"I think you are right, Leila. The Sans have planned some kind of seance
at that empty house to scare Marjorie. Probably they have dressed up in
some hideous fashion. They could easily get away with it on account of
the masquerade. The sooner we get there the better. We may be able to
catch them, unless they have got hold of her and hustled her off
somewhere else." Ronny's voice was not quite steady on the last words.

The seven worried rescuers were now crossing the campus and making for
the campus entrance nearest the direction of Miss Towne's boarding
house. They were swinging along at a pace that would have done credit to
an army detachment on a hike.

"She wouldn't stand for that. She would fight every inch of the ground
before she would go a step with that gang." Jerry spoke with a
confidence born of her knowledge of Marjorie.

"They might be too many for her," reminded Leila. "What's to prevent
them from throwing a shawl or something over her head so that she would
be more or less helpless? I would not put it past Leslie Cairns."

"They wouldn't dare be rough with her or hurt her, would they?"
questioned Anna Towne.

"No; but this empty house proposition is about as bad as I would care to
tackle. They certainly have nerve." Jerry's plump features had lost
their infantile expression. Here face was set in lines of belligerence.
She was ready to pitch into the Sans the minute she caught sight of
them.

"This is the street. We are not far from the house now," informed Anna,
as the seven turned into the humble neighborhood in which her boarding
house was located.

"Look!" Jerry, who was leading with Ronny, stopped and pointed. "There
is a _light_ in that house. Let's stop a minute and decide what to do."

"We had better go around to the rear of the house and see if we can't
get in by the back door," suggested Vera. "After all, we are only seven
in number, and we don't know what awaits us. We are fairly sure that she
is in the clutches of the Sans. Even so, they are sure to have the front
door locked. They are stupid enough to forget all about the back door.
They are not expecting any interference."

"You girls go around to the back. I am going up on the veranda. I shall
try the front door. If it is unlocked I will let you know. I'd rather
walk in on them that way, if we can. Now for some scouting. Don't make a
sound if you can help it,