apparition arose, and to Flea's vivid imagination it seemed as if
voiceless gray ghosts were peopling God's Acre on all sides. She
recoiled in horror as the strange, wild cry drew nearer.

A hysterical sensation burning in her throat tightened it so she could
not speak to Flukey, nor could she drag her eyes from the thing moving
toward her. Snatchet growled; but Flea pressed his jaws together with a
snap, and the sound died in his throat. Squeaky moved slightly among the
dead leaves, then became quiet again. The phantom-like figure passed
almost near enough to touch the rigid girl. Its lips opened, and a
hoarse, owl-like cry aroused the sleepy birds above.

"It's Screechy!" murmured Flea, dropping back in fear. "She's come
seekin' Flukey and me! The bats be flyin' in her head!"

Screech Owl, ignorant of the children's proximity, went straight on,
gliding over the graves until she stopped before the stone mansion at
the edge of the graveyard. A light shone from the room, and the woman
stole directly under it. A tall, handsome young man, his gaze centered
thoughtfully upon the dark aspect, stood in the window. Flea saw
Screechy hold out her arms toward him with an appealing gesture. He
lifted his hand suddenly and drew down the shade, and his broad
shoulders were silhouetted against it in sharp, black lines. After that
the breathless girl saw the woman turn and stumble past her without a
sound.

"The bats left her head the minute that there winder got dark!" gasped
the watcher. Tremblingly she drew closer to Flukey, until sleep
overpowered her.