For the rest of the drive Terry kept silence and I did not venture to interrupt it. I had come to have a superstitious feeling that his silences were portentous. It was not until I stopped to open the gate into our own home lane, that he suddenly burst out with the question: "Where do the Mathers people live?" "A couple of miles farther down the pike--they have no connection whatever with the business, and don't know a thing about it." "Ah--perhaps not. Would it be too late to drive over to-night?" "Yes," said I, "it would." "Oh, very well," said he, good-humoredly. "There'll be time enough in the morning." I let this pass without comment, but on one thing I was resolved; and that was that Polly Mathers should never fall into Terry's clutches. "There are a lot of questions I want to ask about your ghost, but I'll wait till I get my bearings--and my dinner," he added with a laugh. "There wasn't any dining car on that train, and I breakfasted early and omitted lunch." "Here we are," I said, as we came in sight of the house. "The cook is expecting us." "So that is the Gaylord house is it? A fine old place! When was it built?" "About 1830, I imagine." "Let me see, Sheridan rode up the Shenandoah Valley and burned everything in sight. How did this place happen to escape?" "I don't know just how it did. You see it's a mile back from the main road and well hidden by trees--I suppose they were in a hurry and it escaped their attention." "And that row of shanties down there?" "Are the haunted negro cabins." "Ah!" Terry rose in his seat and scanned them eagerly. "We'll have a look at them as soon as I get something to eat. Really, a farm isn't so bad," he remarked as he stepped out upon the portico. "And is this Solomon?" he inquired as the old negro came forward to take his bag. "Well, Solomon, I've been reading about you in the papers! You and I are going to have a talk by and by." CHAPTER XVII WE SEARCH THE ABANDONED CABINS "Now," said Terry, as Solomon and the suitcase disappeared upstairs, "let's you and I have a look at those haunted cabins." "I thought you were hungry!" "Starving--but I still have strength enough to get that far. Solomon says supper won't be ready for half an hour, and we haven't half an hour to waste. I'm due in the city the day after to-morrow, remember." "You won't find anything," I said. "I've searched every one of those cabins myself and the ha'nt didn't leave a trace behind him." "I think I'll just glance about with my own eyes," laughed Terry. "Reporters sometimes see things, you know, where corporation lawyers don't." "Just as you please," I replied. "Four-Pools is at your disposal."