Dear me, it's a desolate looking
place. I didn't go inside, of course. Why don't you tear it down?"
"And deprive the ghost of house and home? That would be heartless.
Besides, it serves as an attraction to bring visitors to my otherwise
unalluring place. I'm terribly sorry the fortunes of war prevent me
from offering to take you through the house. But as long as you remain
a Bazelhurst I can't neglect my vow. Of course, I don't mean to say
that you _can't_ come and do what you please over here, but you shall
be recognized and treated as a trespasser."
"Oh, that's just splendid! Perhaps I'll come to-morrow."
"I shall be obliged to escort you from the grounds, you know."
"Yes, I know," she said agreeably. He looked dazed and delighted. "Of
course, I shall come with stealth and darkly. Not even my brother
shall know of my plans."
"Certainly not," he said with alacrity. (They were nearing the line.)
"Depend on me."
"Depend on you? Your only duty is to scare me off the place."
"That's what I mean. I'll keep sharp watch for you up at the haunted
house."
"It's more than a mile from the line," she advised him.
"Yes, I know," said he, with his friendliest smile. "Oh, by the way,
would you mind doing your brother a favor, Miss Drake? Give him this
watch. He--er--he must have dropped it while pursuing me."
"You _ran_?" she accepted the watch with surprise and unbelief.
"Here is the line, Miss Drake," he evaded. "Consider yourself
ignominiously ejected.
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