"We wanted to find out what the light was," she said, with a great effort.
Blanche was sobbing by this time, and as she had not provided herself with a handkerchief, she was hiding her face in Marjory's dressing-gown. Two queer little figures they looked, their hair hanging about their faces, and their bare ankles showing beneath their dressing-gowns.
Something in their appearance must have tickled the doctor's fancy, for he actually laughed and said,--
"You're a pretty pair of monkeys, I must say, and you've just managed to spoil an experiment I have been working on for weeks."
"I'm"--sob--"very"--sob--"sorry" came from poor Blanche. This was a most unexpected ending to their romantic expedition.
"Well, the only thing is for you two young people to come with me to my study, and then I shall consider what is to be done with you."
The words were sternly said, but Blanche looked up and caught just the suspicion of a twinkle in the doctor's eye, and, as he busied himself putting away some of his apparatus, she whispered to Marjory, "He's not cross."
Marjory, however, did not feel by any means reassured. How could he be anything but angry? Had he not just told them that they had spoiled his experiment? She dully wondered what their punishment would be--wondered whether Blanche, being a guest, would share in it. Could a visitor be punished?
"Now then, Mischief, in front," said the doctor, having put away his things; "give me that candle."
Marjory delivered up the candle with trembling hands, and the two delinquents passed out of the strange apartment, having no heart to look round at its curious contents. The doctor held the candle high to light the way, and they went in silence along the passages, down the wide staircase into the old hall, and from thence to the study, a strange little procession, the old man in dressing-gown and cap, and the two girls in their night-clothes.
"Now then, sit down and tell me all about it," commanded the doctor when they had reached the study. "Marjory, you're responsible; you must do the talking."
Hurriedly and in a low voice Marjory told how Mrs. Forester's maid had spread the story about the strange lights seen at Hunters' Brae; how Blanche and she had determined to try to find out their cause and see for themselves if there were indeed a ghost in the old wing; how they had laid their plans beforehand, and how at last they had come upon the lighted crack in the wall.