The Haunted Bridge Part 11

"I'm not sure I would," said George.

"It's all part of the ravine mystery," Nancy remarked, "but how does it figure in?"

The girls went on. Presently they reached the dividing point of the two trails. Nancy's gaze roved down the path along the ravine.

"I think the sound came from that direction," she said firmly. "Let's investigate-"

"Not me," Bess cried, grasping Nancy's arm. "I've had enough adventure for one day, thank you."

Nancy's protests were overruled, and she was fairly pulled along toward the haunted bridge. One at a time the girls crossed it and retraced their steps toward the golf course.

To keep out of the way of players who might be coming down the fairway, Nancy and her friends walked within the fringe of woods. Now and then they could hear voices and knew that a match was being played somewhere nearby.

Suddenly an object came whizzing through the air, striking a tree not more than a dozen yards from where the girls were walking. It was a golf ball and landed squarely behind another tree.

"Someone will have a mean shot to play," Nancy remarked. "Let's duck out of sight and watch."

The girls had just hidden behind some trees when Martin Bartescue entered the woods. He was muttering to himself, savagely berating "his luck." The man hunted among the shrubbery for a few minutes and finally came upon his ball.

"Never mind, caddy," the girls heard him shout. "I've found it."

Satisfied that no one was watching, he took an iron club and deftly raked the ball from the hollow spot in which it had lodged. Now, with it lying in an un.o.bstructed path to the fairway, he played a clean shot out of the woods.

"Did you see that?" Nancy whispered in great disgust. "He cheated!"

CHAPTER VIII.

The Gardener's Scare

"SOMEONE should report Barty to the golf committee," Bess declared angrily. "The nerve of him to move his ball!"

"He ought to be barred from further compet.i.tion," George added.

"I agree," Nancy said.

When the girls reached the hotel they found Carson Drew seated on the terrace. After he had chatted with the three for a few minutes he took Nancy aside and told her that he would have to leave immediately to catch a plane to New York.

"I'd appreciate your driving me to the airport and keeping my car. I must go because New York detectives have asked me to bring the bra.s.s chest and its contents there for examination," he explained.

"Then they think the jewelry may be stolen property?" Nancy asked quickly.

"Yes. Nancy, keep your eyes open for that woman you encountered at Hemlock Hall. She'll probably be wanted for questioning."

"All right, Dad. I suspect that her name may be Margaret Judson but I have no proof."

"You've done remarkable work on the case so far," Mr. Drew praised his daughter warmly. "While I'm gone, watch out. Remember that the woman we're after is shrewd and dangerous."

"I'll be careful."

In the morning Nancy learned that her golf match would not be played until later in the day.

"Girls," she said to Bess and George, "I'm driving down to the village to call on Chris's mother. He said she could tell me more about the Judsons and their burned home."

Chris had told his mother to expect Nancy. Mrs. Sutter greeted her cordially. She proved to be a loquacious woman who launched into a long account of her children's achievements and talents. With difficulty Nancy managed to change the subject and talk about the Judson family.

"Oh, yes," Mrs. Sutter said with a nod. "Chris was telling me you were interested in them, though I told him I didn't see why anyone would be. They were aloof people, never mixing with their neighbors.

"Margaret was pretty but she aged a lot after her parents died. She was engaged to marry a college professor. I don't know what happened. After the fire, she just ran off. I did housework for a woman who knew the young man. She told me he was all broken up over it and has not married."

"Why did Margaret run away?"

"Some said it was because she was so upset over her parents' death, and then the fire on top of it. Others thought maybe she just wanted to break the engagement and didn't have the courage to tell the professor."

"Isn't any member of the Judson family living in the community now?"

"Oh, no. They're all gone and no one knows what became of Margaret Judson except perhaps the gardener."

Mrs. Sutter did not recall the man's name nor where he lived.

"I heard that he goes to the Judson place sometimes and cuts the weeds. But I guess he's given up hope that Margaret will ever return."

"Have you any idea how I can find this gardener, Mrs. Sutter?"

"Not unless you happen to run into him by accident. He doesn't come to town very often and I don't know anyone who could tell you where he lives."

"I'd really like to find him," Nancy murmured.

"You're pretty interested in the family, aren't you?" Mrs. Sutter asked.

Nancy could see that Mrs. Sutter was overcome with curiosity. "I found something near the golf course which I thought might belong to Margaret Judson. That's why I'm trying to trace her."

The explanation partially satisfied Mrs. Sutter, and Nancy left before the woman could ask any more questions. On her way to Deer Mountain Hotel she stopped her car at a service station to get gas. She learned from the attendant that the Judson estate could be reached by a dirt road which ran south of the ravine.

"I'll drive out there on the chance the gardener may be cutting weeds," Nancy decided. "I'll still have time to get back for my golf match."

The trip to the Judson estate took a little over half an hour. Nancy left the car by the roadside and walked up an overgrown lane to the estate. At first she thought the place was deserted. Then suddenly she glimpsed a man some distance away. He was cutting weeds with a hand sickle.

As Nancy moved forward eagerly, he looked up. Seeing her, he dropped his sickle and started to run in the opposite direction.

"Wait!" Nancy begged him. "Please wait!"

The man paid no attention. He leaped onto a bicycle hidden in the bushes, then rode rapidly down a path and disappeared among the trees.

"Don't run away!" Nancy shouted as she dashed after him.