[308] "I saw it! I know I saw it!" Helen insisted.
[309] "I don't doubt you," Nancy replied.
[310] "Then what explanation is there?" Helen demanded. "You know I never did believe in spooks. But if we have many more of these weird happenings around here, I declare I'm going to start believing in ghosts."
[311] Nancy laughed. "Don't worry, Helen," she said. "There'll be a logical explanation for the face at the window."
[312] The girls walked back to the front door of the mansion. Miss Flora and Aunt Rosemary stood there and immediately insisted upon knowing what had happened. As Helen told them, Nancy once more surveyed the outside of the window at which Helen had seen the terrifying face.
[313] "I have a theory," she spoke up. "Our ghost simply leaned across from the end of the porch and held a mask in front of the window." Nancy stretched her arm out to demonstrate how this was possible.
[314] "So that's why he didn't leave any footprints under the window," Helen said. "But he certainly got away from here fast." She suddenly laughed. "He must be on some ghosts' track team."
[315] Her humor, Nancy was glad to see, relieved the tense situation. She had noticed Miss Flora leaning wearily on her daughter's arm.
[316] "You'd better lie down and rest, Mother," Mrs. Hayes advised.
[317] "I guess I will," Aunt Flora agreed.
[318] It was suggested that the elderly woman use Aunt Rosemary's room, while the others continued the experiment with the chandelier.
[319] Helen and Aunt Rosemary went into the parlor and waited as Nancy ascended the front stairway and went to Miss Flora's bedroom. Once more she began to rock from side to side. Downstairs, Aunt Rosemary and her niece were gazing intently at the ceiling.
[320] "Look!" Helen exclaimed, pointing to the crystal chandelier. "It's moving!" In a moment it swung to the left, then back to the right.
[321] "Nancy has proved that the ghost was up in my mother's room!" Aunt Rosemary said excitedly.
[322] After a few minutes the rocking motion of the chandelier slackened and finally stopped. Nancy came hurrying down the steps.
[323] "Did it work?" she called.
[324] "Yes, it did," Aunt Rosemary replied. "Oh, Nancy, we must have two ghosts!"
[325] "Why do you say that?" Helen asked.
[326] "One rocking the chandelier, the other holding the horrible face up to the window. No one could have gone from Miss Flora's room to the front porch in such a short time. Oh, this complicates everything!"
[327] "It certainly does," Nancy agreed. "The question is, are the two ghosts in cahoots? Or, it's just possible, there is only one. He could have disappeared from Miss Flora's room without our seeing him and somehow hurried to the first floor and let himself out the front door while we were upstairs. I'm convinced there is at least one secret entrance into this house, and maybe more. I think our next step should be to try to find it—or them."
[328] "We'd better wash the luncheon dishes first," Aunt Rosemary suggested.
[329] As she and the girls worked, they discussed the mystery, and Mrs. Hayes revealed that she had talked to her mother about leaving the house, whether or not she sold it.
[330] "I thought we might at least go away for a little vacation, but Mother refuses to leave. She says she intends to remain right here until this ghost business is settled."
[331] Helen smiled. "Nancy, my great-grandmother is a wonderful woman. She has taught me a lot about courage and perseverance. I hope if I ever reach her age, I'll have half as much."
[332] "Yes, she's an example to all of us," Aunt Rosemary concurred.
[333] Nancy nodded. "I agree. I haven't known your mother long, Aunt Rosemary, but I think she is one of the dearest persons I've ever met."
[334] "If Miss Flora won't leave," said Helen, "I guess that means we all stay."
[335] "That's settled," said Nancy with a smile.
After the dishes were put away, the girls were ready to begin their search for a secret entrance into the mansion.
[336] "Let's start with Miss Flora's room," Helen suggested.
