The end of first story.

Just then I heard light footsteps in the passage. Somebody on the other side of the curtain brushed against my knees. The curtain moved to one side, and a woman's hand touched my shoulder. "Smee?" whispered a voice that I recognized at once. It was Mrs Gorman. Of course, she received no answer. She came and sat down beside me, and at once I felt very much better.

 'It's Tony Jackson, isn't it?' she whispered

'Yes,' I whispered back.

'You're not "Smee", are you?'

'No, she's on my other side.'

She reached out across me. I heard her finger-nails scratch a woman's silk dress. "Hullo, "Smee". How are you? Who are you? Oh, is it against the rules to talk? Never mind, Tony, we'll break the rules. Do you know, Tony, this game is beginning to annoy me a little. I hope they aren't going to play it all evening. I'd like to play a nice quiet game, all together beside a warm fire."

"Me too,"I agreed.

"Can't you suggest something to them? There's something rather unhealthy about this particular game. I'm sure I'm being very silly. But I can't get rid of the idea that we've got an extra player.. . Somebody who ought not to be here at all."

That exactly how I felt, but I didn't say so. However, I felt very much better. Mrs Gorman's arrival had chased away my fears. We sat talking. "I wonder when the others will find us?" said Mrs Gorman.

After a time we heard the sound of feet, and young Reggie's voice shouting. "Hullo, hullo! Is anybody there?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Is Mrs Gorman with you?"

"Yes."

"What happened to you? You've both got forfeits. We've all been waiting for you for hours."

"But you haven't found 'Smee' yet," I complained.

"You haven't, you mean. I was 'Smee' this time."

"But 'Smee' is here with us!" I cried.

"Yes," agreed Mrs Gorman.

The curtain was pulled back, and we sat looking into the eye Reggie's electric torch. I looked at Mrs Gorman, and then on my other side. Between me and the wall was an empty place on the windows-seat. I stood up at once. Then I sat sown again. I was feeling very sick and the world seemed to be going round and round.

"There was somebody there," I insisted,"because I touched her."

"So did I," said Mrs Gorman, in a trembling voice." And I don't think anyone could leave this window-seat without us knowing."

Reggie gave a shaky little laugh. I remembered his unpleasant experience earlier that evening. "Someone's been playing jokes," he said. "Are you coming down ?"

...___________6__________...

We were not very popular when we came down to the sitting room.

"I found the two of them sitting behind a curtain, on a window-seat," said Reggie.

I went up to the tall, dark girl.

"So you pretended to be 'Smee', and then went away!" I accused her.

She shook her head. Afterwards we all played cards in the sitting room, and I was very glad.

Some time later, Jack Sangston wanted to talk me. I could see that he was rather cross with me, and soon he told me the reason.

"Tony," he said, " I suppose you are in love with Mrs Gorman. That's your business, but please don't make love to her in my house, during a game. You kept everyone waiting. It was very rude of you, and I am ashamed of you."

"But we were not alone!" I protested. "There was somebody else there - somebody who was pretending to b**e "Smee". I believe it was that tall, dark girl, Miss Ford. She whispered her name to me. Of course, she refused to admit it afterwards**."

Jack Sangston stared at me. "Miss who?" he breathed.

" Brenda Ford, she said."

Jack put a hand on my shoulder."Look here, Tony," he said, " I don't mind ajoke, but enough is enough . We don't want to worry the ladies. Brenda Ford is the name of the girl who broke her neck on the stairs. She was playing hide and seek here ten years ago."

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