Part 24 (2/2)

”But where is the furniture?” demanded Louise in bewilderment.

Penny's light cut squares across the room, but the only objects revealed were a chair and a table drawn close to the fireplace.

”What can this mean?” Louise gasped. ”The house always has been furnished. Now everything is gone.”

Penny did not answer. The sound of shuffling feet on the front porch caused both girls to freeze against the wall. Before they could retreat to the bas.e.m.e.nt stairs, the living room door opened. Light from a street lamp cut a path across the bare floor.

Mrs. Marborough stood framed in the doorway. The girls had made no sound, yet the mistress of Rose Acres seemed to sense that she was not alone.

”Who is it?” she called sharply. ”Speak up! Who is hiding here?”

CHAPTER 17 _THE MARBOROUGH PEARLS_

In frightened voices Penny and Louise acknowledged their presence in the dark room. Greatly relieved that the intruders were girls, Mrs.

Marborough struck a match and lighted three half-burned candles which were set in a huge gla.s.s candelabra.

”Oh, so it's you!” she exclaimed as the flickering light fell upon their faces. ”May I ask why you have broken into my house?”

”We're thoroughly ashamed of ourselves, Mrs. Marborough,” Penny said apologetically.

”Indeed we are,” added Louise. ”When we started to investigate the wis.h.i.+ng well we didn't intend to enter the house.”

”Suppose you explain,” suggested the mistress of Rose Acres.

”It's a long story,” sighed Penny. ”May we sit down somewhere?”

The request embarra.s.sed Mrs. Marborough. She hesitated, and then indicated that the girls were to follow her. To their surprise she led them through another empty room to the kitchen, there lighting a candle.

Its soft illumination revealed an old oil stove, several chairs, a porcelain table and a cot which obviously served both as a day couch and bed.

Mrs. Marborough offered no explanation or apology. Taking wood from a box, she piled it into the fireplace, and soon had a cheerful blaze on the hearth.

Drawing their chairs to the fire, Penny and Louise explained how they had entered the old mansion. Mrs. Marborough listened attentively to their story but did not appear especially surprised.

”I've always known about that old tunnel,” she said when they had finished. ”It was built by the first owner of this house, many, many years ago, and I doubt if it ever was used. I tried to find the entrance from the bas.e.m.e.nt a few days ago, but was unable to locate it.”

”We saw you with your lantern at the wis.h.i.+ng well,” Louise confessed.

”That was what aroused our curiosity.”

”I was looking for the other tunnel entrance. I found it without much trouble, but it was so deep down in the well that I dared not risk trying to get into it. Although I considered hiring a man, I hesitated, because I knew it would cause talk.”

Penny and Louise were feeling much more at ease, sensing that the mistress of Rose Acres no longer was irritated by their actions. Eagerly they waited for her to reveal more.

”I suppose you think me a queer old lady,” Mrs. Marborough resumed.

”Perhaps I am, but I have a very good reason for some of the things I do.

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