The Wishing Well Part 14

"Not from here. Dare we move closer?"

"Let's risk it," Penny said, and led the way through the open gateway.

Taking the precaution to keep tall bushes between themselves and the wishing well, the girls quietly stole closer. Soon they were near enough to distinguish that someone in dark clothing was kneeling on the ground, face turned away from them. Apparently the person was trying to lift one of the flagstones which formed a circular base about the covered well.

"Who can he be?" Penny whispered, pausing. "And what is he doing?"

At that moment the figure straightened, and the lantern was lifted from the ground.

"It's a _she_, not a he!" Louise observed in an undertone.

"Mrs. Marborough!"

"It looks like her from here," Louise nodded. "But what can she be doing at the well?"

Completely mystified, the girls remained motionless, watching. Mrs.

Marborough raised one of the flagstones and peered beneath it.

"She's searching for something," Penny whispered. "Probably she works after dark so she won't be observed."

It was evident to both girls that the moving light which had attracted their attention the previous night had, undoubtedly, been Mrs.

Marborough's lantern.

Although they now could understand the old lady's irritation at their intrusion, her actions mystified them. As they continued to watch, she pried up one stone after another, frequently resting from her labors.

"We might offer to help her," Louise proposed half-seriously.

"If we show ourselves now she'll order us never to return," Penny replied. "We want to find out what this is all about."

During the next ten minutes the girls huddled behind the friendly bush.

At the end of that period, Mrs. Marborough gathered together her tools, and went wearily into the house.

"Obviously she didn't find what she was after," Penny said, coming from behind the shelter. "What do you suppose it can be?"

"Buried treasure, perhaps."

"Or possibly the family silverware hidden during the Civil War," Penny chuckled. "I'm afraid not. Mrs. Marborough lived at Rose Acres all her early years. If there had been anything valuable buried, wouldn't she have done her searching long ago?"

"If that's a question, I can't answer it," sighed Louise. "What's our next move? Home?"

"I should say not! Let's inspect the wishing well."

Penny started forward, taking pains to avoid a patch of light which came from the lower windows of the Marborough house. Even in the semi-darkness the girls were able to see that many flagstones about the well had been removed and fitted again into place.

"Just for luck I shall make a wish!" Penny announced unexpectedly, lowering the bucket into the pit.

"What will it be this time?" Louise inquired, slightly amused.

Penny drank deeply of the cool, sweet water, and tossed a token into the well.

"I wish that Rose Acres would give us a whopping big mystery!" she said gaily. "Lou, why did Mrs. Marborough return to Riverview after being away so many years?"

"This is her ancestral home."

"True, but didn't she tell us that whether or not she remains here depends upon certain conditions? Lou, she must have had a very special reason for coming, and it may be connected with this wishing well! We ought to find out about it!"

"Why?"

"Why?" Penny fairly wailed. "Oh, Lou, at times you're the most exasperating person. Here we are face to face with something baffling, and you wonder why we should interest ourselves in it!"

"I like mystery as well as you, but you know Mrs. Marborough won't care to have us interfere in her private affairs."

"Probably not," Penny conceded. "Oh, well, we can forget all about it if that's the way you feel."

"How could we learn anything without provoking Mrs. Marborough?"

"I know of no way," Penny admitted. "In fact, she'll probably be irritated when I rap on her door again."

Louise followed her chum down the path toward the house.

"Ought we bother Mrs. Marborough now?" she asked in mild protest. "She may think we have been spying on her."

"Which of course we never would consider doing," Penny chuckled.

Paying no heed to Louise, she boldly clomped across the veranda and knocked on the door. The girls did not have long to wait. In a moment Mrs. Marborough appeared, looking decidedly fl.u.s.tered and nervous.

"Who is it?" she asked sharply, and then recognized the girls. "Oh, I see!"

"Mrs. Marborough, do excuse us," Penny began hastily. "I've learned something which I feel sure you'll wish to hear."

"You've seen another light in the yard perhaps?" the old lady inquired, her voice slightly mocking.

Penny glanced at Louise, uncertain what to say in reply.

"There has been no one in my yard either last night or this evening,"

Mrs. Marborough resumed tartly. "I appreciate your interest in my welfare, but I can only repeat that I am quite capable of looking after myself."

"We came to tell you about that big rock which we discovered on the hillside," Penny interposed. "Do you care to hear what Jay Franklin did?"

Despite herself, Mrs. Marborough was interested. She hesitated, and then came outside, carefully closing the door behind her. The peculiar action was not lost upon the girls.

"It's quite chilly out tonight," Penny said significantly. "Perhaps it would be better to step inside."

"I don't mind a little fresh air," Mrs. Marborough replied. "Now what is it that you wish to tell me?"

Feeling far from comfortable, Penny explained how Jay Franklin had kept the big rock as his own property and was endeavoring to sell it to the museum at a handsome profit.

"But he told me he would give the stone to the inst.i.tution!" Mrs.

Marborough exclaimed indignantly. "Will you see Mr. Franklin tomorrow?"