APPARITION OF THE NIGHT.
"A-h-h-h!" gasped the startled watcher, pointing in horror.
"Wh-h-s-s-ss!" The gruesome apparition uttered a sighing, hissing sound
which increased in a weird, half-muffled whistle. Simultaneous with the
whistle it darted to the nearest candle, extinguishing it with one
whining "Puf-f-f!" With horrid grotesquerie it flapped toward another
candle, bent on putting it out.
The hood of the voluminous soft black cape which Ronny was wearing was
slightly frilled. She had cunningly adjusted it so as to give her masked
features an entirely different effect from that of an ordinary domino
and mask. A moment's calm inspection would have assured the hazing party
that the uncanny visitant was as human as themselves. Her spectacular
entrance coupled with the one domino's fear-stricken alarm, had produced
upon the hazers the precise effect Ronny had expected to produce. Too
greatly startled to take action, a wild, long-drawn, piercing wailing
next set in which was not quieting to the nerves. Nor had it ceased when
a second eerie voice took it up in a higher key.
By the dim flare of the one remaining lighted candle, the flapping,
swaying shape and its hideous moaning whistle became invested with fresh
dread, augmented as it was by that volume of ear-piercing echoing sound.
Suddenly the last candle winked out, leaving the dismayed avengers in
Stygian darkness. Their sharp cries and frightened exclamations were
summarily drowned, however, by a new pandemonium of blood-curdling
shrieks and groans which proceeded from the hall. Through the half open
door leading into the hall came a menacing shuffle as of countless
approaching feet. It was the final touch needed to demoralize the
hazers. Forgetful of the two front windows, they bolted with one accord
for the door opening into the hall, as nearly as each could locate it in
the dark. Had a real enemy been present the hazers would have run
straight into the arms of the hostile force. Their one idea was to get
out of the house with all speed. As it was they showed a temerity born
of panic.
In the midst of the hub-bub, Marjorie had experienced nothing more than
a faint stirring of alarm at sight of the bat-like apparition. She knew
Ronny instantly, and, guessing her purpose, prudently drew far back
into the corner.
"Come with me." Marjorie now felt the joy of a familiar arm across her
shoulders. "The window. I just opened it. Quick," breathed Ronny. "I'll
steer you to it. We must get away before they open the front door. It's
locked and they will have their own troubles unlocking it in the dark."
In a flash the two had crossed the room to the open window. The moment
she had extinguished the last candle Ronny had flitted to the window and
raised it under cover of the stampede. Through the fish net which
enveloped her Marjorie could see a little, in spite of the shadow cast
by the veranda.
"Can you use your arms enough through that net to help swing yourself
over the sill? It is very low."
"I can manage," Marjorie softly reassured.
Standing behind her, Ronny gave her chum such assistance as she could
while Marjorie essayed a swift exit from the room which had lately
prisoned her. The instant she found footing on the veranda, Ronny
followed her. Catching Marjorie by the arm she said: "Run for the back
of the house. I forgot to tell the girls where to meet us. I think they
will wait for us there."
A few running steps brought them to the rear of the house. A little
group of dark figures hurried forward to meet them. The six girls had
got away from the house without trouble.
"All's well," Ronny was smiling in the darkness out of sheer
satisfaction. "Let's go at once. We had better cross the next three back
yards and come out to the street from between them. Hurry. We haven't a
second to lose. We ought not talk until we are on the campus again."
Silently, and with all speed, the elated fugitives put Ronny's advice
into practice. Once in the street they proceeded north, putting distance
between them and the Sans' rendezvous. It was a trifle farther to the
campus by the way they took, but none of them minded that. All were too
full of elation over the success of their adventure to think of much
else.
"The campus at last!" exclaimed Leila as the rescue party reached the
gateway. "Let us stop just inside the gate and untie Beauty. She looks
like a veiled Oriental in that rigging." Suiting the action to the word
she began on the hard knot at Marjorie's back. "While I work, keep a
sharp lookout for the other crowd," she directed. "This knot is no
simple affair. What time is it, Luciferous?"
"Fifteen minutes past nine." Lucy held her wrist so that the rays of the
arc light over the gate fell directly upon her watch.
"Untied; thank my stars! Some knot!" Leila flipped the undesired net
from Marjorie. Rolling it up she tucked it under her arm. "Unmasking is
at nine-thirty. Let us be there. We can just make it, and it will puzzle
some persons to tell who interrupted them tonight. Our talk will wait
until after unmasking. Then we can dodge into one of the side rooms and
have it out."
"A fine plan," endorsed Ronny. "We are in luck to get here in time
enough for the unmasking."
The others heartily agreeing, the octette again set off in a hurry for
the gymnasium. Five minutes afterward they were entering its welcome
portal. They were obliged to make a frantic dash for the coat room. Once
there, wraps and overshoes were removed with gleeful haste. The belated
masqueraders entered the gymnasium just as the last, lingering strains
of a waltz were being played. It had hardly died away when the
stentorian order "Unmask!" was shouted out by a junior through a
megaphone.
"Here's where Muriel wins that dinner at Baretti's," declared Jerry
ruefully. "I certainly did not walk up to her and say, 'Hello, Muriel.'
Wonder where she is? I haven't the least idea what her costume is."
"For the sake of old Ireland!" called Leila, pointing. "Now will you
kindly take notice?"
A little shout of laughter burst from the participants in the recent
adventure as they obeyed Leila's exclamatory request. Coming toward them
at a carefully simulated stride was a handsome young man in evening
dress. From his silk opera hat to his patent leather ties he was a most
elegant person. He was not a particularly gallant youth, however, for
his first words on approaching the mirthful group were:
"Don't, for goodness' sake, ask me to take off my hat. How about that
dinner you promised me, Jeremiah?"
"Yes, I _guess_ so. Oh, but you are polite! Greet us with your hat on
and beg for a dinner invitation. My, my! What are the young men of the
present day coming to?" Jerry held up her hands in mock disapproval.
"Anyway, you win. Your costume is a dandy. I never would have known
you."
"What may your name be, young man?" inquired Leila, her eyes dancing.
"You may call me Mr. Harding. I shall not tell you my first name until I
know you better," replied Muriel with an attempt at pompous dignity
which ended in a hearty laugh. Setting her high hat on the back of her
head she thrust her hands in her pockets and beamed on her friends.
"You look for all the world like a debonair young man," Marjorie said
admiringly.
"Thank you. Sorry about my hat. To take it off spoils the masculine
effect. My hair is rolled under to look short. My hat keeps it in place.
But never mind about me. Where have you girls been? I knew what your
costumes were to be, so I watched for you from the minute I got here.
Confess; you wore dominos over them so that I wouldn't know you. A
number of girls did that on purpose to throw their friends off the
track."
"Wrong guess, Muriel. We weren't here at all until about two minutes
before the unmasking." Jerry tried to speak carelessly, but could not
keep an excited note out of her voice.
"You _weren't_? Honestly?" Muriel showed bewildered surprise. "You
weren't in dominos? Then where were you? Something's happened. I can
read that in your faces." She glanced almost challengingly about the
half circle.
"Something happened, all right enough," replied Jerry with grim
emphasis. "Marjorie has been through a real adventure tonight. She's
been hazed by the Sans and rescued by the Lookouts and a few more good
scouts."