Free The Boarded-Up House by C. Clyde Squires

began telling me that it was so strange,—that she had been in this house once, and curiously enough just before it was closed for good. Then, you can warrant, I listened with all my ears!
    â€œShe said she had become acquainted with the lady through meeting her a short time before at the house of a friend in New York. This friend had then introduced them,—’Mrs. Hubert Kenway—Mrs. Fairfax Colling-wood’!”
    â€œ Mrs. Collingwood!” cried Cynthia. “And we thought she wasn’t married!—”
    â€œWell, she was,—and we’ve made several mistakes beside that, Cynthia Sprague, as you’ll find out later! It seems that Great-aunt Lucia took quite a fancy to young Mrs. Collingwood. She was so sweet and gracious and charmingly pretty. Later, Great-aunt Lucia discovered that she was a widow, living out here. Her husband had been dead a number of years,—ten, I think. She was a Southerner, having come originally from South Carolina.
    â€œGreat-aunt Lucia did not see her again till a few weeks later, when she received an invitation to go with her friend, take luncheon, and spend the day at Mrs. Collingwood’s. There were several others invited, about a dozen in all. They all came out by train and drove here in hired carriages from the station, which was a long way off then. It was a beautiful, soft, balmy April day, and spring seemed well begun.
    â€œGreat-aunt Lucia said the place was delightful,—an old, Colonial house (it seemed so strange to hear her describe everything just as we’ve seen it!). And Mrs. Collingwood was a charming hostess. But they were just finishing luncheon when the strangest thing happened!
    â€œA servant came in and handed Mrs. Collingwood a telegram as she sat at the head of the table. She excused herself to them, tore open the envelope and read it. Then, to their astonishment, she turned first a fiery red, and afterward white as a sheet. Then she sprang to her feet saying, ‘Oh!’ in a sort of stifled voice. Everyone jumped up too, some so quickly that they knocked over their chairs, and asked if anything dreadful was the matter. Then, all of a sudden, she toppled over and slipped to the floor in a dead faint.”
    â€œDidn’t I tell you so, long ago!” exclaimed Cynthia. “I said she probably fainted!”
    â€œYes, you were right. Well, two or three began to chafe her hands and face, and the rest sent the servants flying for smelling-salts and vinegar. Everything was confusion for a few minutes, till she presently came to. Then they all began again to question her about what was the matter, but she wouldn’t tell them. She just said:
    â€œâ€˜I’ve had bad news, dear friends, and it has made me feel quite ill. It is something I cannot speak about. I hope you will not think me thoroughly inhospitable, if I go to my room for a while.’ They all told her she must certainly go and lie down, and that they would leave immediately. She begged them not to hurry, but of course they saw that it wasn’t best to stay, since she wouldn’t let them do anything for her. So, fifteen minutes later they were all driving away in the carriages which had remained for them at the house. And—” here Joyce paused dramatically,—”not one of them, except my great-aunt’s friend, Mrs. Durand, ever saw her again!”
    â€œBut—but—” began Cynthia.
    â€œWait,” said Joyce. “I haven’t finished yet! Of course, all of them were crazy to know what happened, but most of them never did,—not till long, long afterward, anyway. There was one that did know soon, however, and that was Mrs. Durand. Two nights afterward, Mrs. Durand was astounded to have Mrs. Collingwood arrive at her house in New York, and beg to be allowed to stay there a day or two. She was dressed entirely in black, and carried only a small grip. Of course, Mrs. Durand took her right