And then, while faintly from the churches came the peal of the Christmas chimes, the girls said goodnight to their visitor and to one another.
So was solved the secret of Jockey Hollow.
There was no longer any need for Viney Tucker to play the ghost.
Granny Howe removed such of her last belongings as she wanted to preserve, giving some really valuable antiques to the girls and to Arden the picture of Patience Howe. Harry asked for and was given the old bra.s.s box in which were found the papers so long lost.
For the papers in the box Arden Blake"s eyes had lighted upon in the chimney hole were the very ones needed to prove Granny Howe"s claim to the money. It was not necessary for the Pangborn lawyers or the Park Commission to engage in any involved proceedings.
The holidays pa.s.sed all too quickly for Arden and her friends. They went riding several times again, between Christmas and New Year"s and in that week work was again started on tearing down the Hall. But no longer did men rush out yelling that they had seen a dead woman on a bed, and no more was heard the tramp of the soldier"s boots on the stairs.
All the ghosts had vanished. And with them vanished much of Viney Tucker"s queerness. She let the better side of her nature show itself, and now, when Granny had the girls in for tea, Viney joined them.
Arden and her friends had tea with Granny the day before the holiday season ended. She thanked them again and again, for it was through their instrumentality that everything had happened as it did.
"And to think," murmured Dot as they left Granny"s little cottage, "that we"ll soon be back at Cedar Ridge. Nothing ever happens there!"
"But think of all that did happen!" laughed Arden.
THE END