Hoofbeats on the Turnpike Part 27

"It is the deed!" he exclaimed, dumbfounded. "Then my wife did steal it from Mrs. Lear! But why--why would she do such a thing?"

"I'm sure she didn't realize--"

"Mrs. Burmaster is a sick woman, a very sick woman," the estate owner said unhappily. "But what must I do?"

"What can you do except go downstairs and tell the truth?"

"Face them all? Admit that my wife is a thief?"

"It seems to me that the only honorable thing is to return the deed to Mrs. Lear."

"The deed must be returned," Mr. Burmaster acknowledged. "But not tonight--later."

"I realize that you wish to protect your wife," Penny said quietly. "It's natural. But Mrs. Lear has to be considered."

"I'll pay you handsomely to keep quiet about this," Mr. Burmaster said.

"Furthermore, I'll promise to return the deed to Mrs. Lear tomorrow."

Penny shook her head.

"Very well then," Mr. Burmaster sighed. "I suppose I must face them. I don't mind for myself. It's my wife I'm worried about. She's apt to go into hysterics."

Tramping down the stairs, the estate owner confronted the little group of villagers. In a few words he acknowledged that the deed had been found, apologized to Mrs. Lear, and placed the doc.u.ment in her hands. Throughout the speech Mrs. Burmaster stood as one stricken. Her face flushed as red as the robe she wore, then became deathly white.

"I thank you, Mr. Burmaster, you're an honorable man," Mrs. Lear said stiffly. "I feel mighty sorry fer the way things turned out. Maybe--"

"Oh, yes, everyone can see that you're sorry!" Mrs. Burmaster broke in shrilly. "You're a hateful, scheming old hag. Now get out of my house!

Get out all of you and never come back!"

"About the dam--" Silas Malcom started to say.

"The dam!" Mrs. Burmaster screamed. "Let it break! I wish it would! Then I'd never see any of you again! Go on--get out! Do you hear me? Get out!"

The little group retreated toward the door. Mrs. Burmaster did not wait to see the villagers leave. Weeping hysterically, she ran from the room.

CHAPTER 18 _FLOOD WATERS_

Rain splattered steadily against the car windows as the noon pa.s.senger train pulled from the Witch Falls station. Penny and Louise watched the plump drops join into fat rivulets which raced one another to the sill.

Since saying goodbye to Mrs. Lear, Silas Malcom, and their other valley friends, they had not done much talking. They felt too discouraged.

"I wish we'd decided to catch the train at Delta," Penny remarked, settling herself for the long ride home. "Then we could have said goodbye to Joe Quigley. We'll be pa.s.sing through the station soon."

Louise nodded morosely.

"Things certainly ended in one grand mess," she commented. "Mrs. Lear got the deed to her property back, but the feud will be worse than ever now.

Furthermore, we never did solve the Headless Horseman mystery--not that it matters."

Reaching for a discarded newspaper which lay on the coach seat, Penny shot her chum a quick, knowing look.

"Just what does that mean?" Louise demanded alertly.

Penny pretended not to understand.

"You gave me one of those wise-owl looks!" Louise accused. "Just as if you _had_ solved the mystery."

"I a.s.sure you I haven't, and never will now that we're leaving the valley."

"But you do have an idea who was back of the scheme?"

"Mrs. Lear, of course. We saw that much with our own eyes."

"But we didn't learn who actually rode the horse. Or did you?"

"Not exactly."

"You do know then!"

"No," Penny denied soberly. "I noticed something about the rider that made me think--but then I'd better not say it."

"Please go on."

"No, I have no proof. It would only be a guess."

"I think you're mean to keep me in the dark," Louise pouted.

"Maybe I'll tell you my theory later," Penny replied, opening the newspaper. "Just now, I'm not in the mood."

Both girls had been strangely depressed by their last few hours in the valley. Mrs. Lear had refused to come with them or to seek refuge in the hills. Gleeful at her victory over Mrs. Burmaster, she had seemed insensible to danger.

"Look at this headline," Penny said, indicating the black type of the newspaper. "FLOOD MENACES RED VALLEY!"

Quickly the girls scanned the story. The account mentioned no facts new to them. It merely repeated that residents of the valley were alarmed by heavy up-state rains which had raised Lake Huntley to a dangerous height behind the dam.

"Wonder if Salt got any good pictures when he was here yesterday?" Penny mused. "Probably not. This is the sort of news story that doesn't amount to much unless the big calamity falls."

"You don't think the dam actually will give way?" Louise asked anxiously.

"How should I know? Even the experts can't agree."

"At any rate we're leaving here, and I'm glad. Somehow, I've had an uneasy feeling ever since last night."

Penny nodded and glanced from the car window again. Rain kept splashing fiercely against the thick pane, half obscuring the distant hills. Along the right of way, muddy water ran in deep torrents, washing fence and hedgerow.

As the train snailed along toward Delta, there was increasing evidence of flood damage. A row of shacks near the railroad tracks was half submerged. Along the creek beds, giant trees bowed their branches to the swirling water. Many landmarks were completely blotted out.