"Why, how silly!" cried Trix Severn, from the background. "If you want to give us each a counterfeit five dollars, why not hand it to us?"
"If such exchange is desired, our master, Mr. Poole, stands ready to exchange each coin secured by the neophytes for a perfectly good, new, five-dollar bill," proceeded the witch.
"There's your chance, Trix!" laughed one of the boys.
"Oh! he's only fooling," replied the hotel-keeper's daughter. She loved money.
"Each and every one who wishes may try," went on the witch. "But there is a condition."
"Oh!" muttered Trix. "Thought there was some string hitched to it."
"And you're right, there, Trix," murmured Eva Larry.
"A condition," went on the Hallowe'en Witch. "That condition will be whispered in the ear of each candidate who tries to seize the coin."
"No, thank you! I won't try," cried Lucy Poole, laughing and shaking her curls. "When he goes to make believe whisper in your ear, he'll bite you! I wouldn't trust that old witch!"
The others laughed hilariously at this; but Trix Severn was pushing forward. If there was a gold piece to be given away, she wanted first chance at it--string, or no string.
"Keep your eyes on the pan!" cried the witch, waving empty hands in the air all about the pan and taboret, to show that there was "no flim-flam," as the boys called it. "Now! first neophyte step forward!"
"I don't believe he knows what that means," giggled Myra Stetson. "I don't."
But she could not step in before Trix. Miss Severn pushed to the front and was nearest to the master of ceremonies.
"Give me a chance!" she cried. "You're going to lose your old gold piece."
"It's a perfectly new one, Trixie," whispered somebody, shrilly. "It isn't old at all!"
Without a word the witch beckoned the girl inside the booth. The flap of it dropped and they were hidden. The light was cast from a dim, green globe hung at the apex of the little tent. It made a ghostly glow over all inside.
"Advance!" whispered the witch, with lips close to Trix Severn's pretty ear. "Advance, neophyte! The gold piece is yours for the taking. But only she who has no guilt and treachery upon her heart may seize the shining coin. _If you are faithful to your friends, take the coin!_"