A WEEK passed by, and no discoveries were made, no clues found that might lead to the explanation of Anna’s strange . The policemen, who had slept at the tea-house regularly every night, were resigning their posts in disgust. Even Marjorie began to wonder whether the mystery would ever be solved.  
Aside from the shock to Anna’s nerves, there had been no evil effects from the unusual episode. The wide given by the newspapers had produced the same results as an expensive campaign; indeed, the girls were now making money so fast that Marjorie found herself in a position to pay back a hundred dollars of the loan to Mr. Andrews. Her one serious problem was help in the kitchen.
 
After a great deal of , Anna had been induced to resume her office as cook, providing, however, that she be excused from night duty, that she never be obliged to remain at the house alone, and that the cellar be kept locked. Marjorie had been only too glad to comply with these requests, and rejoiced greatly in having her again. But, even with her return, they were handicapped; they needed more waitresses.
 
The boys, true to their word, came to the tea-house every evening as soon as they had finished supper, and took their posts in the kitchen, in whatever capacity they were needed, and remaining, after the girls went home, to put the place to rights, and to lock up for the night. Without their assistance Marjorie felt that the work could not have gone on; for everyone of the five remaining had to serve both afternoon and evening, since Florence and Marie Louise had gone on their vacations.
 
“We’ve simply got to get a couple of maids,” remarked Marjorie, one evening when she lay on the bed in her own room, particularly from a day’s work. “We can’t keep this up much longer.”
 
“No, it’s a terrible strain never to have a single afternoon off,” agreed Lily. “And that reminds me—what shall we do about that dinner invitation from Doris?”
 
“When is it?” asked her companion.
 
“Next Wednesday. And she wants you and me and Ethel all to go.”
 
“Of course that’s out of the question!” sighed Marjorie. “Unless we could engage two waitresses.”
 
“Is it because of the added expense that you haven’t done it before?” asked Lily.
 
“Partly. But you know I did put in an ad early this week; and two or three showed up, but were scared off because of the ghost story. In that way our publicity has hurt us.”
 
“But you really can’t blame them for that.”
 
“No—I suppose not. But I do wish we could clear up the mystery, and go ahead on the reputation we’ve made.”
 
“Yes, I do too,” agreed Lily. Then, up her fancy-work, she said, “I guess you need to go to sleep, Marj, so I’ll clear out. Oh, here comes Ethel, anyhow!”
 
“Hello, girls!” said Marjorie’s room-mate, as she entered through the open door. “What’s the trouble, Marj?”
 
“Just tired—that’s all!”
 
“Well, I’m sorry to say you’ll be more tired next week,” remarked the other girl, in a matter-of-fact tone. “Because Marie Louise writes that she can’t come back.”
 
“Marie Louise isn’t coming back from her vacation?” repeated Marjorie. “But she’ll have to—it’s Lily’s and Daisy’s turn to go!”
 
“Exactly—so we’ll be three girls short—four waitresses instead of five.”
 
“Oh!” Marjorie. “We can’t do it! Unless somebody answers the advertisement right away.”
 
“Have you put it in the papers again?” asked Ethel, with her usual display of practicality.
 
“No, I haven’t,” admitted her room-mate.
 
“Then I’ll go phone it now!” announced Ethel, leaving the room immediately.
 
“She certainly is a jewel,” remarked Marjorie, after Ethel had gone.
 
“Marj,” said Lily, slowly, as if she had been considering the offer she was about to make, “I will give up my vacation if you don’t get any hired help. That will make up for Marie Louise.”
 
“Really, Lil?” cried Marjorie, jumping up and throwing her arms about her chum. “Do you honestly mean it?”
 
“Yes, of course I do!”
 
“But you’ll be too tired to go back to college in the fall!”
 
“Not if we close the tea-house right after Day as we have planned. I’ll still have two weeks before the term begins.”
 
Marjorie felt thankful for such staunch friends; and when, the following day, Daisy also offered to give up her vacation if necessary, and Agnes Taylor and two of her friends insisted upon substituting as waitresses so that the girls could go to Doris’s dinner party, she felt elated indeed. Her one disappointment was her failure to hire any help.
 
In the course of the three days following Ethel’s insertion of the advertisement in the papers, half a dozen girls for the positions, but none of them accepted it. As soon as they learned that the tea-house was the scene of the strange events which had been recounted in the newspapers, and that it was reported to be haunted, they all refused to consider Marjorie’s generous offer. If only, the girl thought, the reporters had not gone so into detail, had not recalled to the public mind the series of deaths that had occurred there several years before!
 
When the time for Doris’s party arrived, however, Marjorie made up her mind not to allow her anxieties to the pleasure of the event for herself or for the others. She was lucky enough to be able to go away with a free conscience, and she meant to enjoy her brief holiday to the fullest extent.
 
John Hadley drove over for the girls in his a little before six and found all three of them waiting on the porch. Marjorie’s brother was in the front seat beside him.
 
“I wonder who is to be the third man?” observed Marjorie, as she climbed into the place Jack vacated.
 
“But do you have to ask?” teased John, with a sly glance at Lily.
 
“Oh, Dick Roberts, I suppose!&r............