INWHICHMISSDANIELSDETERMINESTOFINDOUT
ThehystericalMr。Pepperdoubtlessexpectedhisclergymantobealmostasmuchupsetashewasbythenewsofhisaction。ButJohnEllerywasprovokinglycalm。Asamatteroffacthescarcelygraspedthepurportofthelittleman’sdisjointedstory。Hehadbeenwanderingindreamland，hisheadamongtheclouds，andtheexplosionofKeziah’sbombdisturbed，butdidnotcleartheair。
“Whatwillyoudo？“herepeated。“Why——er——Idon’tknow，I’msure。“
Kyanwasstaggered。
“Youdon’tknow？“heshouted。“YOUdon’t？Thenwhodoes，forthelandsakes？Didn’tyoutellmetolockherup？Didn’tIdoit’CAUSEyoutoldme？Didn’t——didn’t——“
Heseemedtobeonthevergeofapoplexy。Alsohehadraisedhisvoicetoayell。Theministerseizedhimbythearmandshookhimintosilence。
“Hush！hush！“hecommanded。“Waitaminute。Letmeunderstandthisthing。Someoneislockedup，yousay。Whoisit？Where——“
“WHOisit？Ain’tItellin’you。It’sLaviny。ShewentintothatspareroomwhereIwast’otherdayandIslammedthespringlocktoonher。ThenIgrabbedthekeyandrun。Thatwasaforethreethisafternoon；nowit’s’mostnightandIain’tdasttogohome。
What’llshesaywhenIletherout？Igottoletherout，ain’tI？
Shecan’tstarvetodeathinthere，canshe？AndYOUtoldmetodoit！YOUdid！Oh——“
Theapoplecticattackwasoncemoreimminent。
“Stopit，Mr。Pepper，“orderedEllery。“Idon’tremembertellingyoutolockyoursisterup，though——Why，yes，Imayhavesaidsomethingorother，asajoke，butIdidn’texpectyouwouldseriouslyconsiderdoingsuchathing。Ha，ha！ThisisthemostidioticpieceofbusinessthatIever——“
“Beyoulaughin’？“demandedtheshockedAbishai。“LAUGHIN’？Why，mygodfreysmighty！Idiotic？Well，who’stheidiot？’Tain’tme！
I’Dneverhavethoughtofsuchafooltrick。Butyousaid——“
“Hush！Letmethink。Haveyoutoldanybody？“
“TOLDanybody！IguessNOT。Andnobody’llneverknowiftheywaitformetotell’em。“
“Well，then，Idon’tseewhyyoucan’tgohomeand——hum——Idon’tliketoadviseyourtellingalie，butyoumightletherinferthatitwasanaccident。OR，ifyoureallymeantobeyourownmaster，youcantellheryoudiditpurposelyandwilldoitagainifsheevertriesthetrickonyou。“
“Itellherthat！Itellher！OMr。Ellery，DON’Ttalkso。Youdon’tknowLaviny；sheain’tlikemostwomen。IfIshouldtellherthatshe’d——Idon’tknow’sshewouldn’ttakeandhorsewhipme。Orcommitsuicide。She’ssaidshewouldaforenowif——if——“
“Nonsense！Shewon’tdothat，youneedn’tworry。“Heburstintoanotherlaugh，butcheckedhimself，ashesawthelookofabsolutedistressonpoorKyan’sface。
“Nevermind，Mr。Pepper，“hesaid。“We’llthinkofsomeplantosmoothmattersover。I’llgohomewithyounowandwe’llletherouttogether。“
“Willyou，Mr。Ellery？Willyou，honest？Say，bygodfreysmighty，I’dgetdownonmykneesandthankyouthisminuteif——ifIwa’n’tinsuchahurry。Comerighton；comequick！“
Itwasasilentprocessionoftwothatwendeditswayoutofthepinesandacrossthefields，bythebrookandthepond，wheretheeveningmistswererisingandthefrogschantingtheirgood-nightsong，throughthegatheringtwilightshades，acrossthemainroadandupthelighthouselane。Kyan，hismindfilledwithfearfulforebodings，wasbusilytryingtothinkofareasonableexcuseforthe“accidental“imprisonmentofhissister。JohnEllerywasthinking，also，buthisthoughtswerenotofthePeppers。
Thelittlehousewasdarkandstillastheyapproachedit。Nowelcominglightinthedining-roomwindows，noopendoor，noshrillvoicedemandingtoknowwherethewanderingbrotherhadbeen“allthiseverlastin’time。“Eventhehenshadgonetoroost。Abishaigroaned。
“Oh，dear！“hewailed。“I’mscarttodeath。Whereisshe？Youdon’tcal’lateshe’sdoneit，doye？“
“Doneit？Donewhat？“
“Donethesuicidin’。Shesaidshewouldif——OLaviny！“
“Hush！Bequiet。She’sallright。She’sintheroomwhereyoulefther，ofcourse。Shecouldn’tgetout，couldshe？You’vegotthekey。Comein。“
Theyenteredthehouse。Thediningroomwasdarkandquiet。Sowasthesittingroom。Theclockticked，solemnandslow。Kyanclutchedathiscompanion’sarm。
“Idon’thearher，“hewhispered。“Youdon’ts’posesheHASdoneit？Godfreysmighty！“
Thegloomandmysterywerehavingtheireffect，evenonMr。
Ellery’snerves。Hisansweralsowasgiveninatensewhisper，butwithsomeirritation。
“Hush！“hemurmured。“Letgoofmywrist。You’vepincheditblackandblue。Whichroomdidyouleaveherin？Showmeatonce。“
Kyan’stremblingkneesmanagedtocarryhimtothelittlehallleadingfromthesittingroomtowardtheellatthesideofthehouse。Thishallwasalmostpitchblack。Theministerfelthisguide’schinwhiskerbrushhisearasthefollowingsentencewasliterallybreathedintoit：
“Here——here’tis，“pantedKyan。“Here’sthedoor。Idon’thearnothin’，doyou？Listen！“
Theylistened。Notasound，savethedismaltickoftheclockintheroomtheyhadleft。Elleryknockedonthedoor。
“MissPepper，“hesaid；“MissPepper，areyouthere？“
Kyancaughthisbreath。Noanswer。
“MissPepper，“repeatedtheminister。“MissPepper！“
Silence，absolute。Abishaicouldstanditnolonger。Hegroanedandcollapsedonhisknees。
“Shehas！“hemoaned。“She’sdoneitandthereain’tnothin’intherebutherremains。Oh，mysoul！“
Ellery，nowratherfrightenedhimself，shookhimviolently。
“Bequiet，youidiot！“hecommanded。“Wemustgoin。Givemethekey。“
Afterrepeatedordersandaccompanyingshakings，Kyanproducedakey。Theministersnatcheditfromhistremblingfingers，feltforthekeyholeandthrewthedooropen。Thelittleroomwasalmostasdarkasthehallandquiteasstill。Therewasadistinctsmellofoldclothesandcamphor。
“Amatch，“demandedEllery。“Quick！“
“Iain’tgotnone，“quaveredMr。Pepper。“They’reallintheboxinthesettin’room。Oh，mygodfreysmighty！What’llIdo？Whatundertaker’llIhave？SolonTripp’sthereg’larone，butLavinyandhehadarowandshesaidshe’dcomebackandha’ntmeifI
everlethimtouchherrema——Whereyougoin’？DON’TLEAVEME
HERE！“
Theministerwasgoingafteramatch，andsaidso。Inamomenthereturnedwithseveral。Oneofthesehelit。Thebrimstonesputtered，burnedblueandfragrant，thenburstintoayellowflame。
Thelittleroomwasempty。
JohnEllerydrewabreathofrelief。Thenhelaughed。
“Humph！“heexclaimed。“She’sgone。“
“GONE？Why，sheain’tnuther！Wherecouldshego？“
“Idon’tknow，butshehasgone——somewhere。Atanyrate，she’snothere。“
Kyanrosetohisfeet。Hisalarmhadchangedtoparalyzedastonishment。
“Howcouldshego？“herepeated。“Thatwindowwon’topenmore’nsixinches。Lavinyain’twhatyou’dcallfleshy，butshenevercouldsqueezethroughthatinthisworld。AndIlockedthedoor，’causeIheardtheclick。I——I——I——doyoub’lieveinspirits，Mr。
Ellery？“
“Nonsense！Comeintothesittingroom，lightalamp，andlet’stalkitover。“
Thelampwasfoundandlightedatlast。Itsradiancebrightenedthedingysittingroom。
“Doyoub’lieveinspirits？“repeatedKyan。“I’veheardyarnsaboutfolksbein’spiritedaway，butInevertookmuchstockin’em。“And，“headdedwithconviction，“’twouldtakeaprettyhuskyspirittohandleLavinyifshehadhermadup。She——Hush！hearthat！“
Thesoundofwheelswasheardinthelanebythefrontgate。A
vehiclestopped。Thensomeonecalledahurriedgoodnight。Mr。
Pepper’sfearreturned。
“It’sher！“hecried。“She’sbeenahuntin’forme。NOWI’llgetit！Youstandbyme，Mr。Ellery。Yougotto。Yousaidyouwould。
Buthowonearthdidsheget——“
Theministermotionedhimtosilence。
“I’llstandbyyou，“hewhispered。“Don’tspeak。Leaveittome。“
Astepsoundedonthebackstep。Thedining-roomdoorwashurriedlythrownopen。
“’Bishy，“calledMissPeppereagerly。“’Bish，whereareyou？“
“Here——hereIbe，Laviny，“falteredKyan。
Hissisterappearedonthethreshold。ShewasdressedinherSundaybest，floweredpokebonnet，mitts，imitationIndiashawl，rustlingblackbombazinegown。ShelookedatMr。Pepperthenattheminister。
“OMr。Ellery！“sheexclaimed，“beyouhere？“
TheReverendJohnadmittedhispresence。MissPepper’sdemeanorsurprisedhim。Shedidnotseemangry；indeed，sheactedembarrassedandconfused，asifshe，andnotherbrother，weretheguiltyparty。
“I’mafraidI’mawfullate，’Bishy，“shesaid。“Haveyouhadyoursupper？“
Kyanwastooperturbedtoventureareply。Theswordabovehisheadwasquiveringonitssinglehairandhewaspreparingtododgethefall。Butitdidnotfall。
“Youhaven’thadanysupper，haveyou？“purredMissPepperpityingly。“It’stoobad。Youpoorthing！youmustbeawfulhungry。“
Shemovedacrosstheroomandkissedhim。Abishai，whohadpreparedhimselfforadifferentsortofgreeting，clutchedhischairwithbothhands。Helookedasifhemightfaint。Theministergazedopen-mouthed。
“I’mawfulsorry，Mr。Ellery，“gushedLavinia，removingthebonnet。
“Yousee，Iwasinvitedouttoridethisafternoonand——and——I
went。“
Sheglancedatherbrother，reddened——yes，almostblushed——andcontinued。
“Youknow，’Bishy，“shesaid“ThankfulPayne’scousin’shomeavisitin’her。Hecomeaboutthatcousin’swill——theothercousinthat’sjustdied。He’sareelniceman——herlivecousinis——keepsashoestoreuptoSandwich，andIusedtoknowhimyearsago。
WhenIwasovertoThankful’st’otherday，himandmehadquiteatalk。Wegotspeakin’ofwhatnicedrivestherewasaroundTrumetand——and——er——well，heaskedmeifIwouldn’tliketogotoridenextSundayafternoon——that’sto-day。Andaridebein’agooddealofatreattome，IsaidIwould。Thankfulwasgoin’，too，but——
er——er——shecouldn’tverywell。SoCaleb——that’shisname，youremember，’Bishy——hecomeroundwithhishorseandteamaboutha’fpastthreeandwestarted。ButI’dnoIDEE’twassolate。I——I——
meanttotellyouIwasgoin’，’Bish，butIforgot。“
Kyanhadlistenedtothisrecital，orexplanation，orapology，withacurioussuccessionofexpressionspassingoverhisface。Heswallowedtwoorthreetimes，butdidnotinterrupt。
“I’msosorryIkeptyouwaitin’supper，“gushedLavinia。“I’llgetyouagoodonenow。Oh，well，dearyme！Imustbegettin’
absent-minded。Iain’taskedyouwhereyou’vebeenalltheafternoon。“
Abishai’seyesturnedbeseechinglytowardhispromisedbacker。
Ellerycouldnotresistthatmuteappeal。
“Yourbrotherhasbeenwithmeforsometime，MissPepper，“hevolunteered。
“Oh，hashe？Ain’tthatnice！Hecouldn’thavebeeninbettercomp’ny，I’msure。Butoh，say，’Bishy！Iain’ttoldyouhownighIcometonotgettin’outatall。JustaforeMr。Paynecome，Iwasinthatspareroomand——yourememberIputaspringlockonthatdoor？“
Itwashereatlast。Thelong-dreadedexplosionwasimminent。
Kyan’schinshook。Hebracedhimselffortheblow。Theministerpreparedtocometotherescue。
“Yes，“wentonLavinia。“I——Iputalockonthatdoorso’sI——I
couldshuttheroomupwhenIwantedto。Well，whenIwasintherethisafternoonthewindblewthedoorshutand——Hey？“
“I——Ineversaidnothin’，“pantedKyan。
“Yes，itblewto，thelockclicked，andthereIwas。IfIhadn’thadtheotherkeyinmypocketIdon’tknow’sIwouldn’thavebeeninthereyet。Thatwouldhavebeenaprettymess，wouldn’tit！
He！he！he！“