We had come to the mausoleum.

"What an extraordinary building," commented Drake.

"It's the mausoleum," Julia explained.

"It's most ornate."

"It was built about a hundred years ago," explained Charles ' 'It's rather eerie, is it not?''

"Well, I suppose it would be," said Drake. "Is it open?"

"Good Heavens, no. It's opened very rarely . . . only when someone is put in there, I suppose. Just think, I shall be there one day . . . Philip too. What a thought. You girls . . . well, I suppose you'll marry and you won't be Sallongers then ... so therefore unworthy of the place."

"I've always been interested in mausoleums," said Drake. He had dismounted. "I want to look at it. That stone work is unusual. All that work ... for the resting place of the dead."

"I call it the House of the Dead," said Cassie.

"That makes it sound quite frightening," said Julia with a shiver.

"I wouldn't like to walk past it at night," went on Cassie. "Would you, Lenore?"

"I think I should feel a little uneasy," I admitted.

"I wonder why they call it a mausoleum," said Julia. "It suits it, doesn't it? You couldn't imagine having a party in a mausoleum."

"I think the eeriness has become attached to the word be-cause of what it implies," suggested Drake." I wonder who first called it that," said Cassie." I can tell you that,'' added Drake.' 'I was thinking of taking up archaeology at one time. If I fail as a politician, I might take it up again. It is called a mausoleum because of the tomb erected at Halicarnassus to Mausolus, the King of Caria, by his widow. That was about 353 B.C. I believe it was large and magnificent and was recognized to be one of the seven wonders of the world."

"I'd love to see it," I cried.

He turned to me with a smile. "That would be quite impos-ible," he said. "It fell into decay during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. People took parts of it away for building material."

"The Mr. Barkers of the thirteenth and fourteenth centu-ries," I murmured.

'' No doubt they didn't regard themselves as vandals. But when you are in London, Lenore, I'll take you to the British Museum. The site was discovered not so long ago-about 1857-and all that could be saved was brought to England. It has now been set up in the Museum."

"How I should love to see it.

"One day you shall."

"I should like to see it, too," said Julia.

"It will be a great pleasure for me to take you both.''

"And me?" said Charles.

"But, of course. I see I have succeeded in arousing your interest." He turned to Charles. "Is it possible to see inside?"

"I imagine so," said Charles. "There is a key somewhere. I daresay Clarkson knows where."

"Why don't you go and get it, Charles," suggested Julia. "Then we could all look now."

"I should so enjoy that," said Drake.

Charles said: "Very well, I will." And he strode towards the house.

"I hope I don't bore you with my enthusiasm," said Drake.

"It is rather different from the Barker lore," I said.

He laughed and Julia put in: "I think the past is so fascinating. You must have had lots of fun, Drake, discovering these things."

"It is fascinating. I should love to be involved in some spec-tacular discovery . . . revealing a lost city . . . some temple of tomb. Of course that sort of thing happens once in a lifetime. Most of it is a hard slog with no rewards.''

"I can see that politics is going to win," I said.

He smiled ruefully. "I expect it will."

We talked a little while about old tombs and the party last night until Charles came back triumphantly holding up the key.

"Now," he said, "your ghoulish curiosity will be satisfied."

We had all dismounted and followed Charles past the angels with flaming swords to the gate. As we passed along Drake noticed the cross protruding from the ground.

"That looks like a miniature grave," he said.

"It is a grave," Julia told him. "A dog is buried there."

"One of your pets?"

"No . . . not ours," said Julia.

I explained: "The dog belonged to one of the boys from the stables. He was very attached to it and some wicked boys stoned it to death ... not far from here. He was terribly upset. He is rather simple and loved the dog so much. How people can do such things I cannot imagine.'' I spoke passionately remembering it all. I still felt strongly about that incident. I knew that Willie often visited the grave and sat there talking to the dog. I had heard him. He had little Pepper now who comforted him a great deal, but I guessed he never forgot the other.

I was rather ashamed to feel that there were tears in my eyes.

"It was a foul thing to do," said Drake vehemently. "Only mindless idiots act so."

He took my arm, pressed it in sympathy and walked close to me towards the angels.

"Ready?" said Charles. "The great moment has come." He put the key in the lock and turned it with some difficulty. "It's stiff," he explained, "because it is opened so rarely . . . only when they are taking some poor Sallonger to join his forefathers."

"I should have thought the air inside will not be very good," said Drake.

'' There is a little space open to the air ... somewhere . . . I believe," Charles told him.

The door had swung open. We were confronted by steep stairs which led down into darkness. We descended in single file, Charles leading the way.

"Careful," he shouted. "Don't slip, any of you. You never know what could happen to you down here."

We went down and down. There must have been at least thirty steps. Then we were in the high underground chamber. We were confronted by an enormous piece of statuary of the Virgin and the infant Christ and another of a woman and two angels. Beside this group was a figure which was clearly meant to represent Satan. He appeared to be attacking the angels with the sceptre he carried. Presumably they were fighting for the soul of the deceased woman. It was indeed eerie, for there was only a shaft of light which came from high up in the wall through a gap in the stone and which I calculated must be at about ground level. Along the sides of the chamber were rows of coffins.

It was very cold and I began to shiver. I felt as though I were being caught up in the past.

"Impressive," whispered Drake. "Do you know it is built on the same lines as Mausolus's tomb? I've seen pictures of what it must have looked like long ago, before it fell into decay."

"How would you like to spend a night down here?'' enquired Charles. "You, Cass . . . eh, what about you?"

"I think my hair would turn white overnight," said Cassie. '' People's hair does, you know, if they are very shocked.''

"It would be rather fun to see what you look like with white hair," said Charles. "What about leaving her here?"

"No," shrieked Cassie.

"Of course we wouldn't," Drake assured her. "It's only the darkness and the thought of the dead, you know. That's what makes it so ghostly. It's really just an underground tomb."

"I wonder what happens at night," said Julia. "Do you think they come out of their coffins and dance round here?''

"Not very pleasant just in their shrouds. The temperature in a little bleak," said Charles.

Drake was walking round examining the walls, and declared that it was all fascinating.

"We should open it to tourists," said Charles.

"But it's so chilly," added Julia.

"I think you are all cowards," said Charles. "But what can you expect from a parcel of girls?"

I felt the dampness seeping into my bones. I looked at the coffins on the ledges and thought there was room for many more.

Then I felt myself suddenly gripped by the shoulders.

"Gotcher," whispered a voice in my ear. "I am the ghost of the mausoleum. I am going to keep you down here as my bride.''

I turned sharply and looked into the gleaming eyes of Charles. His face was very near my own and I was seized with trembling, "Why, you are scared," he said laughing.

"Who wouldn't be, jumped on like that in a place like this," said Drake. "Stop playing tricks, Charles."

Charles answered: "I didn't think she would be so easily scared. You're a frightened little thing, Lenore, for all your bravado."

"Let's go," said Julia. "I've had enough. We've seen it. That was all you wanted, Drake."

"Yes, it has been most interesting. I'd like to come again. Next time we should bring candles."

"And warm coats," added Cassie.

Julia was making for the steps.

"I'll go first," announced Charles, "and lead the way."

"I'll take up the rear," said Drake.

''I was wondering who was going to be the last," said Charles. "You girls would all have been scared wondering who was coming to claw you back. Well, you have been ill-mannered enough to call uninvited at their private house."

I'll make sure they don't get me," added Drake. "Come on it is really chilly."

We were all breathing heavily after the climb up the steps and, blinking, came out in the fresh air.

"Well, I hope you enjoyed it," said Charles. "All present and correct." He glanced at me. "You look as if you've seen a ghost. I really do believe you thought you had."

"No," I replied. "It was just the suddenness of the attack."

He grimaced. ''I'll have to get this key back to Clarkson. He was most insistent. See you shortly."

He rode away.

"It was quite an experience," said Drake, looking at me.

It was the afternoon of the following day. Drake had gone off with Charles and Philip on some masculine excursion early in the morning. Julia was in a bad temper because of this. She wanted to be with Drake all the time.

I took a book and was on my way to the pond garden when I met one of the young boys from the stables. He came running to me rather breathlessly. He said: "Oh, Miss, I was coming to the house to see if I could find you. I wanted to see you."

'' What's wrong?'' I asked.

"It's Willie. He's lost his dog."

"Oh no . . ."

"Yes, Miss. He's in a state about it. He's been in the forest looking for him all day. I think I might know where he is."

"Well, where is he?"

"He's in that burial place, Miss. People was there yesterday. P'raps he got in while the door was open. I thought I heard him there . . . through that slit in the wall. I put me ear there. . . ."

"Well, have you told Willie?''

"Couldn't find him. I thought as you . . . being friendly with him like . . . and me not liking to go down on me own.

"Well, we must go and see." He held up a key.

"I got it from Mr. Clarkson ... I don't like to go in on me own ... I thought as how you ..."

It seemed possible that Pepper had gone into the mausoleum. It must have been when the door was open and we were all down there. I could imagine his sniffing round the place. He came there often with Willie.

I did not relish going into that dark underground place.

I said to the boy: "Come on ... we'll both look round.''

He hesitated.