"We leave the two of you alone for one summer to go and visit Grandma, and you move us lock, stock, and barrel to some, to some dilapidated old house clear out in the boonies." "My social life's goin' right down the drain." "Oh, now, don't you worry, honey." "No southern gentleman worth his salt's gonna let a few miles stand between him and a pretty girl like you." "You're gonna be with the same friends in the same school, and it's just five miles further out." "Besides, it's not every day you get a chance to buy a piece of history." ""Perhaps the most picturesque" ""and atmospheric of the river plantations" ""was the famous Dumaine Estate in Jefferson County." ""In the days prior to the Civil War," ""the stately manor house was the scene of many elegant balls until... "" "Well..." "You see?" "It'll be just like that again as soon as we get it fixed up." "Until what?" "Oh, nothing, nothing." "I..." "I read you the most important parts." "Then, come on, Mama." "Let's see what we're really gettin' into." "Now, Connie Sue, give that book back." "That is my book." "Now, now, no fighting' while I am driving' this car." "Hey, no wonder." " Oh, really!" "Listen. "Until the estate fell into ruin" ""under the ownership of a retired riverboat captain" ""named Jacques Dumaine" ""whose fondness for the bottle was matched" ""only by his obsession for gambling. "" "Oh, come on now, Connie Sue." "Give me the book." " Wait a minute, Mama, there's more." " I mean it." "I'll park the car and you can go read it in the woods if you want." "It is my book." "Oh, I'm so angry!" "I'm really..." ""The final infamy came to the house in the fall of 1862" ""when the old man went insane" ""and hung himself in the hayloft of the barn. "" "Far out!" "Far out?" "It's gross, that's what it is." "Oh, now, come on, children." "That is just enough." "Now, Mama, what kind of a weird place are you dragging' us off to?" "We are not dragging you off to any place." "Your father and I have purchased a perfectly astonishing example of authentic Antebellum architecture." "Haven't we, Joe?" "I suppose, children, if your mother is determined to re-live" "Gone with the Wind, I think the least we can do is humor her." "Oh, ho, ho, really?" "Since when was it all my idea?" "Yeah, was a bargain, I guess." "Who could resist a "fixer upper. "" "A "fixer upper"?" "How much of a "fixer upper"?" "Oh, it's just a, uh, few little things, you know, here and there." "I think it's gonna be neat livin' in that old riverboat captain's house." "Right." "There's the turnoff, Dad." "Well, what do you think?" "Isn't it just the most divine place you ever did see?" "I know you and Daddy are stoked on history, but I do hope, at least, there's indoor plumbing'." "Your enthusiasm is simply overwhelming." "Come on, Penelope, it won't be that bad." "I reckon we're the only romantics in this family, Em." "Alexander, give me a hand with the luggage, son." " Alex, come on." "Get a move on." " Oh, yeah." "Here you go." "And that, too." "That's it." "Okay." " it's so huge, it looks like a museum." " Well, now..." "You're gonna need a whole store full of furniture." "Well, darlin', I don't see where that's such a problem..." " Hi there." " It's so big." " You like it?" " It's different." "Well, it's not much different than the other house." "I mean, that was a colonial, too." "Yeah, I know, but this house feels old." "Well, it is old." "That's why your mother and I wanted it." "Hey, where's my room?" "Well, it's right u!" ") there at the end of the stairs, first door." "Here, here." "Take the white ones." "Go on." " Mama, don't baby me." " I'm not babying you, but you're so unhappy, I don't know what to do." " You." " Who, me?" " Oh." "Just like I thought." " I beg your pardon." "You're the one." "What one?" "The one the spirits have waited for." "Excuse me." "I gotta go." "Strange forces are at work here, mysterious forces of the other world that only you can comprehend." "Alexander!" "You must be ready, boy." "Listen for the call of the spirits." "They'll come to you soon." "You must be ready, boy." "Shake a leg, Son." "Why don't you, uh, hotfoot it out to the barn with these." " Oh, yes, sir." " Thank you." "Oh, every time I see this place, I love it more." "Oh, Joe." "I've dreamed of livin' in a house like this all my life." "Miss Scarlett, I'd carry you up those stairs in fine style if it weren't for my bad back." "Oh, never seems to bother you on the golf course." "Hey!" "Hey, what you think you're doin'?" "I'm sorry." "Who the devil are ya, anyway?" "Alexander Armsworth." "Well, I got a right to be here, Mr. Alexander Armsworth." "Don't worry about that none." "Eases the misery." "Ah!" "Bet you just can't wait to tell your rich old daddy you found" "Amory Timmons laying' down on the job." "Huh'?" "No, sir." "Well, wouldn't do you no good no how." "Today's my day off." "Don't you never tell no one what to do on their day off." "Alexander." "Hey there, puppy." "Come on, now." "I won't hurt you." "Come on." "Yeah, that's better." "You sure are a funny lookin' old thing, know that?" "Just like an old mop, yeah." "How did you manage to get up here anyway, moppet?" "Huh?" "Who do you belong to?" "Alexander, are you in here?" "Hey, Alexander?" "What the heck are you doing out here, Blossom?" "Helping my Aunt Vinia to clean." "Well, go help then." "I don't want you tagging after me all the time." "There's something I gotta tell Va, Alexander." "Something vital." "Something dumb, more likely." "You better listen and listen up good 'cause it has to do with mysterious voices from the other world that only you can comprehend." "What are you talking about?" "Aunt Vinia just told me you're a sensitive." "Don't take her long to tell." "All she needs is to look at your palm," " or feel your head bumps." " A what?" "A sensitive's got second sight..." "The Dower to see through the darkness that clouds the minds of mortal men, to see the unseen." "Well, how can your Aunt Vinia know what kind of sight I got?" "Today's the first time she ever laid eyes on me." "And if she believes that stuff, she's as freaky as you are." "You best not scoff, Alexander." "Aunt Vinia knows about the other world." "And restless spirits, them that wander through all eternity and never find no peace." "Well, I don't believe in ghosts." "And I don't believe in your Aunt Vinia neither, so just stop following me around with all your stupid stories!" "Well, you better start believin', Mr. Smarty-Pants." "You must be ready, boy." "Moppet!" "Come here, girl, look what I brought you." "Moppet?" "Who's down there?" "Blossom, is that you?" "Darn you, Blossom!" "You spider-legged spook." "You think you're so funny!" "You get out of here right now." "I told you to stay away from me." "Oh, now, listen." "Be sure and tell George and all your dear ones I send my love." "Okay." "Bye-bye" "The nerve!" "The pure unadulterated nerve of that woman!" "Now, how in the world did Ludee Calhoun ever find out that we were plannin' our open house for the first Saturday in November?" "The printer, the caterer, the CIA..." "In the wars of social one-upsmanship, Em, everybody is suspect." "Ha, ha!" "Well, I wouldn't be surprised if she hadn't bribed the painter." "He saws now that he doesn't know when he's gonna be able to finish the outside of the house." " Oh, now, Em." " Well, I think it's just plain tacky." "Her calling' up all sweetness and light to say that she just had to move her harvest ball up a week early to accommodate some very important guests." "Oh, now, listen." "She knew..." "She knew that we were plannin' our open house." "Em, criminal lawyers, they like to use delaying tactics, but we, uh, corporate attorneys, we like to beat the other fella to the punch." "What?" "How about movin' our party up a week?" "Oh." "We could have one little, uh, costume party." "How delicious!" "Hmm." "Oh!" "Oh, how delicious!" "Oh, but listen now, not a regular costume party." "I mean, not one with ghosts and goblins and things." "I mean, we'll have to have something special." "Something to match this house." "We'll give a cotillion with people dressed up, you know, as they were in Civil War days." "Oh, Joseph, Joseph, I wouldn't be surprised if Miss Mary Lee Merryweather herself didn't come." "Now, Em, don't go overboard." "She hasn't been to a party in 40 years." "Well, only because the parties now can't hold a candle to the ones she remembers." "But this one will be just like the old days." "We'll have, um, we'll have mint juleps, and we'll have party ices and waltzing'." "Oh, everybody who is anybody will be here!" "Oh, Ludee Calhoun will be just green with envy!" "Hey, Dad!" "Dad!" " Yeah." "Hey, come on, Dad." "I'm gonna be late." " But why aren't you on the school bus?" " Did you miss it?" "I couldn't pry Connie Sue away from the bathroom mirror." "Oh, dear, well, you have to forgive your sister, darlin'." " She's just goin' throuqh a phase." " Oh, Ma..." "Now, don't tease." "You're gonna be there yourself before long." "Well, tomorrow we set this household on a schedule." " About phases?" "Mmm." " No, bathrooms." "Uh, well, how about a kiss for your mother?" " Ma!" " Oh, Ma!" "Goodbye, goodbye." "Have a good day." "Don't forget your paper sack." "Have a good day at school." " Olav." " Alexander, your lunch." "Oh!" "Thanks." " Hey, Alexander." " Oh, hey, guys." "How do you like livin' out in the boonies?" "It's all right." "I wouldn't want to live in an old wreck of a house like that." "It's not no wreck." "It's historical." "My mother's just hvsterical trying to fix up an old monstrosity like that." "Aw, what do you know?" "Captain Jacques Dumaine used to live in my house." "He was a riverboat captain." "They wrote books about him." "Bet you no one that famous ever lived in your house." "Hey, Alexander, your girlfriend's wantin' you." "She's not my girlfriend." "Come on, let's go." "Alexander, can I talk to you?" "It's vital." "We wouldn't want to keep you from anything that's vital, Alexander." "Hey, Henry!" "We'll leave you alone with Miss Cotton Blossom." "What is it now?" "It's about the thing that's in your barn." "You seen it, didn't you?" " Seen what?" " The ghost that's haunting your barn." "The only thing in my barn that I've seen is you." "Last night you took a light up in the hayloft and you swiped my new dog." "I weren't in your hayloft last night or never." " Hey, Alexander." " Hey." "You lie so much, you don't know what's true and what isn't." "I do so!" "I mean, I do not." "Oh, yeah?" "Well, what about that time when you told everybody your father was a government agent working on a secret mission in China?" "And you don't even have any father." "A lot you know." "His mission's so secret, nobody knows about it." "Not even me and Aunt Vinia." "I'm sorry, Blossom, but just quit bugging me." "Bet he would be a secret agent." "Somebody brave and special." "Mr. Timmons!" "Mr. Timmons!" "Here I am." "Right here." "Yes." "Hi, Ms. Armsworth." "You callin' me?" "Huh?" " Indeed I was, Mr. Timmons." " Well, how you doin'?" "I was, uh, I was just takin' a nap." "I was resting'." "From what exertions?" "It is after 4:00." "You have not done a lick of work on that gazebo." "Well, uh, if youse to ask my professional opinion," "I'd say that the Whole place needed painting." "That is not your concern." "This is." "Listen, I'm gonna do it." "I guarantee it." "You don't have to worry about that." "Well, lam worried..." "About this." "Oops." "Ah, you got me there." "I'm sorry about that." "It's not gonna happen again." "I mean it." "Oh, well." "Would you look at this picture, please?" "I would like our gazebo to be every bit as beautiful as this one." "Well, that's real pretty." "Yep, I can do that." "It'll be picture perfect." " I guarantee." "You got my word." " I hope so." " I'll leave the magazine with you." " Well, thank you very much." "Good day, Mr. Timmons." "Ms. Armsworth." "Oh, yeah." "Alexander." "Moppet, where'd you come from?" "What is it, girl?" "Where are you taking me?" "Wait, Moppet!" "Blossom, you up here?" "This is one of your dumb tricks." "Come on, enough's enough." "Alexander." "Alexander." "Wait." "Do not go, Alexander." "I need your help." "Where are you?" "I am in the darkness of the other world." "But for a short time it has been given for me to come to you, to seek you out from among the living." "Me?" "Do not be frightened, Alexander." "No harm will come to you." "You must help me, Alexander." "We have only a short time to solve the riddle." "The task must be completed before the midnight hour on All Saints' Eve, and only you can undertake it." "What's All Saints' Eve?" "I believe you call it Halloween." "Why do I have to help you?" "Because you are the one I have been waiting for all these long wears, the one with the gift." "The one who can release me from the terrible curse of my uncle." "What kind of curse?" "One which condemned me to wander among the lost souls and restless spirits, and kept me from my dear parents who have been searching for me all these long years." "If you do not help me, I will never be able to rest in peace." "I'd like to help you, honest, but I don't know anything about curses." "Hear me now, for I may say this once and only once." ""Sleeping lies the murdered lass..." ""Vainly cries the child of glass..." ""When the two shall be as one," ""the spirit's journey will be done. "" "That doesn't make any sense." "You must find the sense." "You must solve the riddle, and you must do it soon." "Now, repeat it quickly." "I must be certain that you remember." ""Sleeping lies the murdered lass..." ""Vainly cries the child of glass..." ""When the two shall be as one," ""The Spirit's journey will be done. "" "What does it all mean?" "You must learn its secret for me and solve the mystery that has kept me from my eternal rest for more than 100 years." "I must go now, Alexander." "Do not fail me." "Release me from my prison or I will haunt you for the rest of your days." "Haunt me?" "Wait a minute." "I don't even know who you are." "Inez Dumaine." "But what do I do?" "Where do I start?" "Early bird catches the bathroom." "Like mother, like daughter." "Um, could I talk to you for a minute?" "Sure." "It's kind of private." "Well, uh, let's take it in your office." " Dad?" " Hmm?" "Do you think it's possible for some people to know special things about spirits and ghosts and stuff like that?" "Well, I'm more interested in fact than in fancy, Alexander." "But there are people that, uh, study what they call "psychic phenomena. "" "Of course, you hear stories all the time." "I even heard the ghost of old Captain Dumaine still roams around this place every now and then." "Supposed to be looking for a hidden treasure." "Treasure?" "In our house?" "A fortune in diamonds, so they saw', around this place somewhere." "If he didn't find it, could we look for it?" "Oh, don't go getting' your hopes up, Alexander." "It's just a good story." "I think the fearsome ghost is the invention of Mr. Amory Timmons." "Well, my ghost isn't bad." "She's in trouble and she needs help." "Slow down, Alexander." "Who's in trouble?" "Inez Dumaine." "I saw her last night, out in the hayloft." "You know what I think?" "I think you've been dreaming." "Nuh-uh." "It was real." "The dog woke me up, Moppet." "Alexander, there's no dog in this place." "But you don't understand." "I understand that young men have overactive imaginations." "Then you don't believe me." "I believe that you believe you saw her." "Uh, let me make a suggestion." "Why don't you leave off reading these books before you go to sleep at night?" "First thinq you know, you're gonna be seeing ghosts everywhere." "Next." "Come on, snap to it." "You're gonna miss your school bus." "Boo!" "Crass, Blossom." "Very crass." "Who'd you think it was?" "The ghost?" "I got some stuff for us to use." "Long as we're dealin' with beings from the other world, we may need 'em." "I got 'em from my Aunt Vinia." "She sells them, and they're all guaranteed." "Aw, come on." "These are lodestones to drive off bad luck and draw good." "And that chamois has brimstone in it for keepin' away evil spirits." "This here is shem-shem-touras, the 10th Seal of Mercury." "What's that?" "Tail of a black cat." "Witch-Sayers use 'em to spot witches." "You put it on your nose, like this, and look across it, and they become visible." "What's the matter with you?" "That stuffs not good for anything." "I figured if it worked on witches and such, we ought to make it work on that ghost, too." "Look, if there is a ghost, and I'm not saying there is or there isn't." "It's my ghost and I'm the one that's a sensitive." "So, just take vour old junk and quit tryin' to butt in on everything." "Is it the ghost of Inez Dumaine?" "What do you know about Inez Dumaine?" "It is her." "Oh, my goodness." "Tell me what you know!" "I don't know much, but my Aunt Vinia does." "She can tell you all sorts of things about spooks and ghosts." "We can go ask her right after school." "It ain't very far." "We live right through them woods over yonder." "I'll think about it." "You do that, Alexander." "What's the matter?" "This is stupid." "You want to find out about Inez Dumaine, don't you?" "What are these?" "Fish eyes." "We got dried bat wings and jellied turkey gizzards, too." "Want me to show ya?" "Oh, you've seen her." "You've seen Inez Dumaine, didn't ya, boy?" "I tried to reach her myself, but I couldn't." "Aunt Vinia, we want you to tell us all about her." "Folks'd say she was the only child of a rich New Orleans family." "And when the Yankees was comin', her ma and pa sent her to stay with her uncle for safekeepin' in that big old house you're staying in now." "What happened to her?" "She died." "Nobody knows exactly." "Folks lust thought her crazy old uncle, Jacques Dumaine had somethin' to do with it." "They saw" "Maybe he did." "Maybe he didn't." "All I know is she died and nobody could Drove nothing one way or the other." "Well, she gave me a riddle to solve and it has something about murder in it." "Recite it to me, boy." ""Sleeping lies the murdered lass..." ""Vainly cries the child of glass..." ""When the two shall be as one," ""the spirit's journey will be done. "" "Oh, that poor child." "What does it mean?" "The spirits have chosen you to discover that." "I have to figure it out before midnight on Halloween." "She said if I don't do it by then, she'll never be able to go to her eternal rest." "That's 'cause she has unfinished business from her earthly life." "Well, if I only knew where to start." "There's only one place to start, boy." "That's where the dead lie sleeping in eternal silence." "Where the restless spirits stand guard over the earthly remains." "What are you waiting for?" "I gotta be home by 9:00." "I ain't never been in no graveyard before." "It's spooky." "I thought you knew all about graveyards and ghosts, and things from the other world." "Not me, my Aunt Vinia." "Come on!" "Dumaine." "Maybe we better forget it." "I think I just about..." "Got it." "Go ahead." "You wanted to see where she's buried." "Not me." "You're a boy, and boys go first." "Whatever happened to women's lib?" "You chicken?" "Will you stop that?" ""Captain Jacques Dumaine. "" "It's her." "Oh, my goodness." "Oh, my goodness." "Oh, my goodness." "Alexander, let's get out of here." "I'm scared." "Will you be quiet?" "I'm trying to think." "Well, can't you think outside?" "I think a whole lot better when I'm outside." ""Sleeping lies the murdered lass." ""Sleeping lies the... "" "Blossom, this is it." "This is where Inez is sleepin'." "This is where she's buried." "That's the first part of the riddle." "Please, let's go, Alexander." "I don't want to hear about no murder in here." "If I could only figure out the second part." ""Vainly cries the child of glass. "" "What's a child of glass?" "This is dumb." "We don't even know what we're lookin' for." "What's a child of glass, anyway?" "How do I look?" "I thought you wanted to help." "I am helping'." "Just got tired of lookin', that's all." " Well, I'm tired of looking, too." " Why don't you stop, then?" "We ain't gonna find nothing in all this old junk up here." "No, do not stop, Alexander." "I need you." "No, do not stop, Alexander." "I need you." "Who said that?" "Inez, is that you?" "It's the spirit." "Come on, Inez." "What are you trying to do, scare us?" "Alexander, I am afraid." "You're afraid!" "Tell me, Alexander, have you solved the riddle?" "Do you have the answer?" "Well, not exactly." "I figured out the first Dart, though, about the murdered lass, but I don't know what a child of glass is yet." "You must hurry." "My time is so short." "We'll figure it out, Inez." "Well, this is Blossom Culp." "She's helpin' me." "Pleased to meet ya." "Enchantée, mademoiselle." "Inez, does the riddle have anything to do with the treasure?" " Treasure?" " What treasure?" "The Dumaine treasure." "Don't you remember that?" "No, I do not." "Why do you talk of treasure?" "What treasure?" "Well, Dad saws it's supposed to be hidden somewhere around here." "Alexander, do not speak of this treasure again." "Remember what you are to do." "I am depending on you to free me from this terrible curse." " What treasure?" " Will you stay out of this?" "I hope you understand..." "All I understand is that you're my only chance to be free." "Help me, Alexander." "Oh, my goodness." "But, Ma, you don't understand." "I don't have much time." "I gotta figure out the riddle by tomorrow, midnight." "What I understand is that you are using the most outlandish excuse to get out of your doing your share of the work." "A ghost in distress!" "I mean, now, really, Alexander..." " But, Mom!" " Oh, no." "Oh!" "Oh, no!" "Alexander, go fetch your father, quick." "Oh!" "Mr. Timmons!" "Hey!" "How are ya doing, ma'am?" "Well, I done her." "What ya think?" "Well, I..." "Picture perfect!" "Isn't that what you promised me, Mr. Timmons?" "That's right, ma'am." "Looks pretty good to me, huh?" "You are inebriated again." "You sure love using them big words, don't ya?" "Em!" " What's the trouble, Em?" " Well, I..." "This gazebo is a disaster and this man is a..." " Disgrace." " Well, this dumb thing ain't worth nothin' no how." "I was going to string it with these lights, and I was gonna serve my mint juleps in here tonight." "Well, what's all the fuss?" "The house ain't even painted yet." "Really!" "No one will notice it at night, and the fuss is..." "The fuss is that you have been drinking so much that you have not been able to finish your work today." "The fuss is..." "I want you off this place as fast as you can get packed." "Now, wait a minute." "See, you can't kick me off." "I've been..." "I've been taking care of this place for more than 20 years." "We've been more than patient with you, Mr. Timmons." "You can't say that you weren't warned." "Just too do you think you are, Mr. High and Mighty?" "Huh?" "You think 'cause you come along here buying all this property, you got a lot of money, that makes you somethin'." "Is that what you think?" "You think when you say "jump," the whole world's gonna jump?" "Let me tell Va somethin'." "That money don't make you nothin'." "Nothing at all." "A lot of us poor people, we've been around here a long time before you ever come." "We're gonna be in here a long time after you go." "Don't you never forget that!" "All right, Timmons." "You had your say." "Now, You gonna clear out or am I gonna have to throw you out?" "Just take it easy." "I'm gonna go." "You don't have to throw nobody nowhere." "You think just 'cause you run Jefferson County and everybody in it, that you run me?" "Well, let me tell you somethin' real clear." "You don't run no Amory Timmons!" "Not at all." "That's what's due you." "You ain't heard the last of me, bub." "Missy." "Come on in." "Oh, I don't know what I'm going to do." "Alexander, I've been lookin' for you." "I gotta talk to you about somethin' vital!" " I can't talk now." " But I said it's vital!" "Okay, what's so vital?" "I've been thinkin'." "Maybe we ain't been going about this lookin' business in the right way." " What do you mean?" " We ain't looked in the crystal ball yet." "You're not gonna start with all that witchcraft stuff again." "You want to help Inez or not?" "Sure, but what do you know about crystal balls?" "Aunt Vinia's got a crystal ball." "I watched her plentv of times." "I know what to do." "Okay, but I gotta finish this first or Mom will have my hide." "I'll be waiting." "Blossom, are you here?" "What are you made up for?" "Hush." "We gotta prepare ourselves to enter the world of the spirits." "Sit down at the table." "Look, Alexander," "deep down into the crystal ball." "Look how peaceful and quiet." "And listen." "Listen to the spirits calling you from beyond." "Alexander." "Alexander." "Alexander." "Alexander, what is it?" "What are you looking at?" "Something's holding me." "Some kind of force." "Oh, my goodness, I done it." "I've really done it." "Alexander, look." "Inez, are you ready, mon chéri?" "Oh, Maman." "Must I go?" "I do not want to leave you and Papa." "Oh." "Mais oui, mon petit cho..." "There is no other way." "It is no longer safe in New Orleans." "But you have little Brigitte to watch over you and your beautiful Babette." "Never let it out of your sight." "You must promise me this." "Oh yes, Maman." "I promise." "I will keep her with me always." "Remember, Inez." "Remember the promise you made to your maman." "Maman!" "Maman!" "Where are you?" "Where have you gone?" "Elle est morte." "Dead." "They're all dead." "No, Uncle Jacques." "It is not true." "Why must you say these things?" "Mine now." "Treasure!" "Diamonds!" "All mine!" "Tell me where they are!" "I do not know!" "Give them to me." "But I cannot." "I do not know where they are." "Curse be on you." "You will walk in darkness." "In the spirit world." "Never to meet your dear parents again." "No!" "Please!" "Then tell me!" "Tell me, where are the diamonds?" "Blossom." "It's that doll." "The china doll that she was carrying." " What?" " That's the child of glass." ""When the two shall be as one," ""the spirit's journey will be done. "" "We gotta find that doll and take it to where she lies sleeping in the crypt." "Why don't we look in the hayloft?" "Looked there once." "I don't remember seeing any doll, do you?" "That's 'cause we weren't looking for it." "Well, you're gonna have to do the looking', then." "I gotta get dressed for Mom's party." "Alexander." "You're gonna let some old party keep you from helping that poor girl?" "You think I want to det dressed up in that dumb old costume?" "Just so happens that I have to." "If I get grounded I won't be able to help Inez at all." "Oh." "Tell you what, though." "If I hurry, I might have enough time to check up in the attic." "See if there's any old stuff up there." "You do that, Alexander." "I'll look up in the hayloft." "I ain't scared." "Much." "Oh, there's no reason to be scared of Inez." "We're helping her." "Yeah, but I wouldn't want to meet up with that old Captain, that's for sure." "Alexander, what have you been doing in the attic?" "It's almost 8:00." "You'd better get dressed." "I sure wish this night was over." "I sure wish this night was over." "I know it seems like forever when you're doing something you think is dumb." "You gotta think of Mama." "She wants this to be an evening to remember." "And we ought to help make it that." "Hey!" "Watch it!" "Alexander, I know where it is." "Where what is?" "The doll?" "No, the place where Inez..." "You know, the place where it happened." "You found where she died?" "Yeah, I figured it out." "You'd better be right, Blossom." "'Cause I'm gonna get in a whole lot of trouble." "You'll see." "Where are we goin'?" "The old well." "Come on." "Aw, Blossom, this place is all locked up." "We can get in through here." "That there is the old well." "Under them boards." "I remembered it when I thought back about Inez falling." "'Cause I used to play in here when I was little." "This is where she died." "What are you doing now?" "This is three knaves oil." "And this here is two jacks extract." "This wonder of the world root will make the spirits show us the whereabouts of the things that was lost." "Like the doll." "And the treasure." "If I look through this mirror," "I'll be able to see a vision of where they's hid." "You're weird." "I'm gettin' out of here right now." "You don't want to look no more?" "I can't." "Ma will kill me if I'm late." "Wouldn't do to your old party even if I did get an invite." "Hey, hello there." " Hi, Pete, how do you do?" " Good to see you." " Happy to see you." " Au revoir." "Yeah." "Mr. and Mrs. Desmond?" "You know a Mr. and Mrs. Desmond." "Inez?" "Inez, you up here?" "I ain't steaiin' nothin', Inez." "Honest." "Just borrowing'." "I want to see a beautiful ball like you hear about in the fairy tales." "I'm beholden, Inez." "Truly beholden." "I'll probavly be down at the bank to see you in another week or so to pay for all this." "Yeah, that's rig ht." "Oh, thank you." "Thank you." "Excuse me, Mrs. Culp, will you take these out to the veranda?" "Everybody out there is very hungry." "Yes." " Thank you." "Oh, welcome to our house." "It's so nice to have you here." "Oh, thank you." "You think so?" "Thank you very much." "Hello." "Hello." "Welcome." "Come on." "Come on." "Sit." "What is that cat doing in here, darling?" "Oh, oh, hello, everybody." "Oh, Connie Sue, darling, would you do me a favor?" "Over there is John Gardner." " Would you dance with him, he's so shy." " Oh, Mama." "Now don't complain, sweetheart." "Oh, you look so lovely and I love you." " Oh Mama, please." " So much." "Oh, Mr. Thompson, would you please play me that divine waltz you promised, and don't forget those, uh, Stephen Foster songs, all right'?" "Oh, Stephen Foster?" "Really, Mother, how gross." "Oh, Joe, darling, do you think my grandmother's lamp is safe there?" "Well, do you, uh, want me to move it upstairs?" "Oh no, sweetheart, that's not necessary." "But I would appreciate it if you could just move it over to the corner a little bit." "Well, now, don't you worry." "Ludee Calhoun." "Why, Ludee." "I am so pleased you could come." "Oh, what a perfectly glorious dress." "My great grandmother." "Oh, really?" "Oh, the only thing I have left of my great grandmother's is her lamp." "Joe teases me by saving that's why I wanted this house, to show it off properly." "What a quaint idea for a housewarming." "A Halloween party." "Complete with an old witch." "I was just telling Joe that a true cotillion is the only way to match the traditions of this house." "Oh." "What a pity you didn't have a chance to get the outside painted." "But my dear, with all the travelin' back and forth, surely you must find the whole thing terribly, terribly tedious." "Ludee is playing down everything but she has not missed a detail." "She is positively green with envy." "Well, she is going to be a lot greener in a minute, hon." "You have just scored the social coup of the decade." "What?" "Look who's standing in the doorway." "There she is, Miss Mary Lee Merryweather herself." "Oh, Miss Merryweather, what a delightful surprise." "What exquisite lace." "My goodness, you must feel a great deal better to be going out socially once again." "Age and infirmity have nothing to do with my being a recluse, Ludee." "Just the quality of the parties." "Well, lam quite certain that you will enjoy..." "Oh, Miss Merryweather, I cannot tell you how honored we are to have you here." "The honor is mine, Emily." "I so often think of your dear grandmother." "Maw I have the pleasure, Miss Mary Lee?" "Well, I doubt if it'll be much of a pleasure, Joseph." "I'm not as young as I used to be." "A lovely lady is like fine wine." "Age makes it all the better." "Hey there, Moppet." "Good to see you." "Is this the way you solve the riddle?" "Do you not realize we have no time for frivolities?" "Well, you don't think I like being dressed up in this dumb costume, do you?" "Well, if I cut out now, they'll fix it so I can't help you at all." "But Alexander, you must." "You are my only hope." "If you cannot find the answer by midnight tomorrow..." "I know." "I know." "I'm out here right now trying to puzzle it out." "I am sorry." "I will be very quiet." "I promise." " Alexander..." " You promised." "I know, but they're playing a waltz." "You know, girls don't make any sense, not even ghost girls." "Big deal if they're playing a waltz." "I want you to dance with me." "Well, if that doesn't beat all." "At first you're so all-fired worried about time slipping' by and now you want to take time out to dance?" "Come on, Inez." "Please, Alexander." "When I was a little girl," "I used to sit on the steps when I was supposed to be sleeping and watch Maman and Papa dance and dream of one day Waltzing with a handsome beau." "But it could not be." "And I may never have another chance in all eternity." "But I don't know how to waltz." "Come, I will show you." "If I were a girl, a real girl, would you dance with me then?" "Well, you're not." "To each spirit is given the Dower to step through the ghostly veil and once again live as we were on earth." "The Dower lasts only a short time and it can only be used once." "Well, you wouldn't want to waste it." "I want this one waltz, Alexander." "I want it with all my heart." "Moppet!" "How did that dog get in here?" " Moppet!" " Brigitte!" "I'll get her." "You stay out here." "Oh!" "My lamp." "Get on home now." "Where did that thing come from?" "Aw, come on, Penelope." "Come on, baby." "Connie Sue, Connie Sue, take that cat upstairs." "Alexander, I want you to get that mutt out of this house!" "I want you to lock it up and we're gonna talk about this later!" "Now, get!" "Get!" "Ludee, dear, please, don't go." "Well, I certainly am not going to stay looking like this." "Well, I cannot tell you how bad I feel." "You could not possibly feel as bad as I do." "Your great grandmother's dress..." "I thought it was your intent, Emily, to recreate a more gracious South." "Not Sherman's March to the Sea." "Oh, Ludee." "I'm so sorry." "Oh, dear." "Oh, dear." "Oh." "Mom, I'm sorry." "Oh." "Oh, darling." "It's all right." "It's all right." "It was an accident." "This is some night to remember, isn't it?" "Oh, all my life I've dreamed of living in a house like this and..." "Giving an elegant party with charming guests from all of the finest families." "And now we have this..." "Shambles." "Oh, dear." "I guess you think, I'm just the silliest thing, don't you?" "It's all right, honey." "You go on now." "I'll be all right." "Thank you." "Oh." "Oh." "Miss Desmond, here's your shoe." "Thank you, Mr. Armsworth." " Dad." " Out." "Out." "Emily." "Oh, oh, Miss Merryweather..." "Whenever Scarlett O'Hara faced disaster she always said, "I'll think about it tomorrow. "" "And meanwhile, she fortified herself with a mint julep." " Oh." " Won't you join me?" "Oh, thank you." "You have done a remarkable job restoring this place." "Well, I..." "I'm afraid the gazebo leans a little." "Why, honey, it always did." "Alexander, lam sorry for little Brigitte." "She did not mean to upset the party." "She was frightened." "You just had to show up tonight, didn't you?" "You just had to come dancin'." "Well, now I'm in all kinds of trouble and it's just because of you." "But Alexander..." "Why'd uou have to pick on me, anyway?" "I didn't ask you to come around." "Alexander, please." "Why don't you do find somebody else to solve your dumb riddle?" "I'm tired of all your ghost stuff, anyway." "Inez?" "I'm sorry." "I didn't mean it." "Inez?" "I'm really sorry for those things that I said." "Won't you come back?" "I still want to help you, honest." "We don't have much time." "Say I'm trash, will ya?" "Hah." "Throw me out of my house after all these years." "You ain't gonna have a house to live in, Mr. Rich Man." "For your parties and your pretty family." "Come on, burn!" "Burn!" "Come here, you little brat!" "Got ya now!" "Let me go!" "Come here, you!" "When I get hold of you!" "Where are ya?" "Come on." "Em!" "Hey!" " Hey, you there!" "Joe!" "Joe!" "Joe!" " What?" " Alexander's in the barn." " Oh, my God." " Wait a minute, Daddy." "I saw him from my window." "Alexander!" "Oh, no." "Here, Em." "Em!" "No, Em!" "Em, no!" "No, Em!" "Wait, child." "Well, what happened?" "Alexander's in the barn!" "Hurry." "Please, hurry." "1" " L-20, 1-L-20, code 1." " 11-L-30..." "It's like I told you before." "Alexander wasn't caught in that fire." "He must've gotten out somehow." "Well, thank the Lord for that." "Where could he be?" "He couldn't just vanish into thin air." "We'll find him, ma'am." "Now, don't you fret." "We think somebody deliberately set that fire." "Poured a can of paint thinner over the dry hay and touched a match to it." "Amory Timmons." "Ma' am?" "Well, I had to fire him." "He, uh, made some remarks to me." "But I never took him seriously." "We seen Mr. Timmons runnin' off when we're coming to the fire." "Was he alone?" "He was all by himself and heading' for the river." "I'll get out an all-points bulletin." "We'll get him." "L, I don't..." "I don't care about Amory Timmons." "I just want my boy back again." "We'll find him, ma'am." "Moppet!" "Is Alexander in there?" "Is that what you're trying to tell us?" "Come on!" "Blossom, where's she going?" "Is he in there?" " Alexander!" " Alexander!" " Alex." " Alexander!" "Are you in there?" "Alexander!" "Alexander!" "Alexander, you down there?" "I see him!" "Where?" " There he is." "He's down there on the ledge." "Do we have any robe around here?" "Oh, there." "Get that rope on the wall." "Get it for me, would you?" "I'm going down." " I can't let you do that." " Nothing can stop me." "No, it's crumbling." "Now, look at that." "The whole thing could give way." "Now, I'll get some more men out here and we'll rig up a winch." "That stuffs not gonna support the weight of either one of us." "I can do it." "Let me take a rope down to Alexander." "That is out of the question." "It's too dangerous." "Mr. Armsworth, please!" "I could do it." "Yeah, it might work." "If we tied a rope around her and let her down easy." "Well, it's worth a try, anyway." "Mrs. Culp, We can't ask your niece to do that." "I want to, Aunt Vinia." "Please." "She'll be took care of." "All right then." "She'll be fine, just fine." "Won't ya, honey?" "All right, Blossom." "Now you stay away from the sides." "That mortar is loose." "One of those stones is liable to break off on ya." "That's it." "Careful, honey." "Almost there." "Just a little farther." "I'm here." "He's alive." "I can see him breathing'." "Well now, look, I'm gonna throw you down another rope and I want you to put it under his arms..." "And then pull that noose tight." "Yes, sir." "You all right, Blossom?" "Yeah, I think so." "Just hang on, young 'un." "We're gonna try and pull you back up to the ledge." "Oh, my goodness." "Ow." "Ow." "Ow." " Tie it up, Em." "Tie it up, Em." " Okay." "Alexander, I got something to show ya." "Blossom?" "Yeah, it's me." "You all right?" "How did you get down here?" "On a rope." "Just like Aunt Vinia always says, good things can come out of bad." "Look, Alexander, the doll we seen in the crystal ball." "You got it." "That's great." "You better pull him up." " Careful." "Careful." " All right, dear." "Up, up." "Come on." "That's it, come on." "You'll be fine, Blossom." "Almost." "Em, give me a hand." "Give me a hand over here." "Come on, darlin'." " That's good." "All right." " Come on, darlin'." "Come on." " SHERIFF I got him." "That's it." "All right." "Watch his head..." "Boy..." " Give me some slack." " I am!" "I am!" "All right." "All right." " You're safe now." " Okay Blossom, honey." "You're next." " How are you, Alexander?" " I'm okay." "Got 'er'?" "Yeah, I got it." "Go ahead." "I'll hold it." "I'll hold it." "Go on." "Atta girl." "All right." "Got her." "Now." "Hang on." "Okay." " Slack." " I'll give you some slack." "That's a girl." "How are you, Alexander?" "You had quite a fall, son." " How are you feeling?" " Everything's goin' round in a circle." "Here, let me see." "Hey, he might have a concussion." "You take him back into the house." "I'll go radio for Doc Adams." "We'll lift you up now, darlin'." "Come on." "There you go." "There you go." "I don't know how we can ever thank you, young lady." "Go." "Go." "Bless your heart." ""Vainly cries the child of glass. "" "That's it, isn't it?" "I think so, and we'll have to get 'em together before midnight tonight." "Oh, I pray that boy is strong enough to set her soul to rest." "If he isn't, I'll have to try and do it myself." "Not with that man running loose." "I promised your ma I'd take care of ya." "I aim to keep that promise." "Okay, Phil," "You continue up Highway 28 to the bridge and Sam will meet you there." "Come in, Sam." "Right, Sheriff." "Keel) moving' north along the river shallows." "Deputy Briggs and his men are headin' across the hills." "We're going south through the swamp." "Right, Sheriff." "Now, You gotta figure this Timmons might be a little drunk or crazy or both." "So, I don't want nobody trying to be a hero." "When you spot him, you give me a holler on the radio." "Now, you got that?" "Yes, sir." "Just what do you think you're doing?" "You're supposed to stay in bed." "Well, I can't." "I gotta do something." " Something vital." " Have you freaked?" "It's after 10:00." "Oh, no." "I gotta get to the cemetery before midnight." "Cemetery?" "Alexander, what kind of a crazy stunt are you pulling now?" "Blossom found the doll, the child of glass." "We gotta get it to the crypt." "Promise you won't tell?" "I'll promise no such thing." "Alexander, get back in that bed." "Connie Sue, how would you like to be a restless spirit wandering for a hundred years and never being able to get to your folks?" "You really did get a bang on the head." "Alexander, stop this minute, or I'll have to call Papa." "I never asked you many favors before, Connie Sue, but I'm asking' you one now, the most important one in my whole life." "Please let me help Inez." "I won't be gone for long." "Honest!" " Thanks, Connie Sue." " Be careful." "Blossom!" "Where's Blossom?" "She ain't here." "Well, where is she?" "I gotta talk to her." "She ran off somewheres." "What about the doll, the china doll?" "She took it with her." "Code 1." "Calling Sheriff Muncey." "Where are you, Sheriff?" "At the Dumaine plantation." "We're setting fresh hounds on the trail from here." "We seen Timmons along Shakedown Road." "Chased him a bit but he gave us the slip in the woods 'bout, uh, two miles from the cemetery." "All right." "Stay where you are, I'm on my way." "That's where Alexander went, Daddy." "What are you talkin' about?" "He said he had to go to the old cemetery." "Well, and you just let him go?" "Well, I didn't know what to do, Daddy." "Clem!" "Wait a minute!" "I'm coming with you." "He was carryin' on about a child of glass and restless spirits." " I didn't know." " He had a concussion." "Now, you should've called your mother and me." "Well, you just better start sayin' your prayers, young lady, that your little brother's all right." "Blossom, it's me." "Blossom!" " Blossom, why don't vou..." " Gotcha, you little brat." "Didn't think you'd come this way." "Hear them dogs?" "Well, they're after me." " You better get outta here." " No, not before there's a little accident." "See, you're the only one can put me away." "You're the only one who seen what happened." "Ain't that true?" " I didn't see anything." " Ah, You're just sayin' that 30's you can save your skin." "You'd tell it like that the moment you got free." "Well, I hit my head." "I'll tell 'em I can't remember." "Nah." "I can't take no chances." " They'll know it was you." " They won't know it was me." "They're gonna think it was an accident." "You're gonna hit your head on this gravestone." "Blossom, let's go." "Come on!" "The doll!" "Ah!" "Alexander, wait!" "Alexander!" "You bows, you're on the left, move out to the left." "Youse on the right, get out on the right." "That's it." "Let's move out." "Hurry!" "Whew!" "Think we gave him the slip." "Yeah." "Alexander." "It's probably close to midnight." "You better give me the doll." "Guess that's it." "Just hope we're in time." "I wish we could see her again." "Yeah, I'd like to tell her I'm sorry for what I said." "And at least say goodbye." "I reckon she's restin' now." "There you are, you little brats." "I ain't done nothing." "You got the wrong guy." "I'm coming." "Help!" "Stay away!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help me!" "There's a haunt back there!" "Help!" "Get away!" "Help!" "He's runnin' right at us." "No." "Hold your fire." "Hold your fire." "Help." "Help me!" "There's a haunt back there." "There's a spirit, right over there!" "Come on, let's get outta here, quick!" "I give up!" "I give up!" "Let's go." " Thanks, Inez." " Yeah." "You saved our lives." "It was my pleasure." "Inez, I'm really sorry for those things that I said last night." "I didn't mean them, honest." "I know that, Alexander." "You and Blossom showed me that such little differences between friends do not matter." "It is only a sign that you care for each other, n'est-ce pas?" "You have found her." "You have found my little Babette." "That's the child of glass, Inez." "The last part of the riddle." "Mes arms, you have been very brave." "Both of you." "You faced much danger and hardship to help me, a stranger, a lost soul from the other world." "You gave much of yourselves for another." "And because you did so, I may now go to my eternal rest." "If only I could repay your kindness." "Does this mean we'll never see you again?" "Not in this life, Alexander." "We ain't gonna get haunted no more?" "Only by memories, perhaps." ""When the two shall be as one, the spirits journey will be done. "" "Goodbye, my friends." "Do not forget me." "Inez?" "I got something in my eye." "Me, too." "Look, Alexander, the doll!" "Diamonds." "It's the treasure that Captain Jacques Dumaine was looking for." "It's her gift to you and me, Blossom." "Alexander!" "Blossom!"