Part 10 (2/2)

”Goodness knows there are plenty of boulders on my property though.”

”Another stone similar to it was found yesterday on the Gleason farm,”

Louise revealed. ”Do come and see it, Mrs. Marborough.”

Before the widow could reply, the three were startled by heavy footsteps on the veranda. Turning, the girls saw that Jay Franklin had approached without being observed. Politely, he doffed his hat.

”Excuse me, I couldn't help overhearing your conversation,” he said, bowing again to Mrs. Marborough. ”You were saying something about a rock which bears writing?”

”We found it on the hillside near here,” Penny explained. ”It has a date--1599.”

”Then it must be a mate to the stone discovered by Mr. Gleason!”

”I'm sure it is.”

”Will you take me to the spot where you found it?” Mr. Franklin requested. ”I am tremendously interested.”

”Of course,” Penny agreed, but her voice lacked enthusiasm.

She glanced toward Louise, noticing that her chum did not look particularly elated either. Neither could have explained the feeling, but Jay Franklin's arrival detracted from the pleasure of their discovery.

Although ashamed of their suspicions, they were afraid that the man might try to take credit for finding the stone.

CHAPTER 8 _A MOVING LIGHT_

As if to confirm the thought of the two girls, Jay Franklin remarked that should the newly discovered stone prove similar to the one found at the Gleason farm, he would immediately have it hauled to the Riverview museum.

”Isn't that for Mrs. Marborough to decide?” Penny asked dryly. ”The rock is on her land, you know.”

”To be sure, to be sure,” Mr. Franklin nodded, brus.h.i.+ng aside the matter of owners.h.i.+p as if it were of slight consequence.

Mrs. Marborough had gone into the house for a coat. Reappearing, she followed Mr. Franklin and the two girls down the trail where the huge stone lay.

”Did you ever notice this rock?” Penny questioned the mistress of Rose Acres.

”Never,” she replied, ”but then I doubt that I ever walked in this particular locality before.”

Jay Franklin stooped to examine the carving, excitedly declaring that it was similar to the marking of the Gleason stone.

”And here are other characters!” he exclaimed, fingering well-weathered grooves which had escaped Penny's attention. ”Indian picture writing!”

”How do you account for two types of carving on the same stone?” Louise inquired skeptically.

”The Indian characters may have been added at a later date,” Mr. Franklin answered. ”For all we know, this rock may be one of the most valuable relics ever found in our state! From the historical standpoint, of course. The stone has no commercial value.”

”I imagine the museum will want it,” Penny said thoughtfully.

”Exactly what I was thinking.” Mr. Franklin turned toward Mrs. Marborough to ask: ”You would not object to the museum having this stone?”

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