The Witch Tree Symbol Part 18

George shook her head. "But see what I found," she said, pointing to the twisted old cherry tree. "Doesn't it look like a witch tree?"

"It sure does," Nancy said, and ran over to inspect it. She searched the crotches of the low branches, but found nothing unusual on or near the tree.

"If it's tied up with the witch tree symbol and Hoelt," she said thoughtfully, "it could be a landmark for directions to the schnitz. I'm going to investigate the attic for any dues to the ident.i.ty of the person who was up there, or to the witch tree symbol."

Once more the girls returned to the house. Again Bess bent over so that Nancy might pull herself up through the trap-door opening.

"Here, take my pocket flashlight," George offered as Nancy peered into the dark opening.

"Thanks."

Nimbly, the slim girl hoisted herself into the small attic. Beaming the flashlight about, for a moment Nancy saw nothing. Then her alert eyes picked out a dust-covered object shoved far back under the eaves. She crawled over to it.

Nancy brushed off a layer of dirt from the article and discovered that it was an old German Bible about ten by twelve inches in size. Its cover was brittle and frayed.

Picking it up gently, Nancy returned to the trap door. "Bess, will you please take this?" she requested. "And be careful with it."

Getting on her knees, Nancy held on to the edge of the opening with one hand, and with the other she pa.s.sed the Bible to Bess. Then she lightly swung herself downward and jumped to the floor.

The girls hastened to examine the old book. The flyleaf was speckled with brown from age. Nancy, noticing some faded writing in ink, shone her light on the page, and read aloud, "'Given to Rachel Hoelt by her parents at the time of her marriage.' "

"Hypers!" George exclaimed. "Do you suppose this house is still owned by the Hoelt family?"

"If it were," Nancy said, "I think the police would have looked here for Roger Hoelt."

Bess thought the crook might have known the house was empty and used it as a hiding place, but Nancy pointed out it contained none of the stolen furniture that was missing from the carriage she and Ned had recovered.

"Also," she reasoned, "Roger Hoelt uses both an automobile and a horse and buggy. He couldn't drive either of them in here. Besides, this house shows no signs of recent occupancy."

"I agree," said George, "but the witch tree could be a signpost. We'll keep on looking."

Nancy agreed and also felt they should take the old Bible with them and leave it at the Glicks' for safekeeping. Later, she would search for law-abiding members of the Hoelt family who might be interested in preserving this valuable find.

"I think Roger Hoelt probably was the person we surprised in the attic," Bess now declared. "Maybe he was looking for this book and we interrupted his search."

They wrapped the Bible carefully in some of the old newspapers and carried it to the car.

"I have a hunch that we may be narrowing our search for Roger Hoelt and MandaKreutz," she announced as they drove away.

"By now, Manda may be back home," George mused, thinking that the Amish girl might have found out the Hoelts' true aims and character.

"Perhaps," said Nancy doubtfully. "But I think we would have heard of it through the grapevine if she had returned to her family. Later we can stop at the Kreutz farm and see."

By the time they got back to the Glick home, Mrs. Glick had returned from the quilting party. She was bustling about, preparing dinner.

"Something smells mighty good!" George smiled.

Mrs. Glick wiped her hands on her ap.r.o.n. "We are having 'old shoes' and milichflitche. 'Old shoes' are mashed potatoes inside of a dumpling. The milichflitche is pie," she went on, "made of flour, cream, sugar, and cinnamon."

During the delicious meal the girls told of their day's experiences, and asked if Mrs. Glick could explain the odd-looking tree they had seen.

The woman nodded. "It has hex bayse growing on its branches. That means witch's broom."

This information made the girls feel even more sure that at last they were on the right track. They told the Glicks of their plan to call on the Kreutzes to see if Manda had returned.

"I'm sure that if she had," Mrs. Glick said, "the women at the quilting party would have known about it. One of them did say that the Kreutzes think you're responsible for Manda's vanishing."

"That's why they acted so peculiarly!" Nancy exclaimed, recalling the couple's strange actions.

"Maybe they decided we had encouraged Manda to learn more about life away from the farm," Bess said.

Despite this, Nancy and Bess left for the Kreutz homestead after dinner. George remained behind, since her ankle was throbbing a bit.

"If Manda isn't here," Bess said, "I'd hate to have Papa Kreutz go into a rage again when we arrive."

Nancy grinned at this remark as she drove up the lane to the farm. She parked, then walked with Bess to the door of the house. Bess was about to knock when the door was opened by Mrs. Kreutz.

The woman grabbed each girl by a shoulder and yanked her inside crying, "Dummeldich!"

CHAPTER XIV.

A Groeszdawdi Clue

MRS. Kreutz quickly closed the kitchen door behind Nancy and Bess, and said, "Please to forgive me for speaking Pennsylvania Dutch to you. I was saying 'hurry'!"

"What's the matter?" Bess asked quickly.

Manda's mother looked around as if afraid someone would hear her reply. In a whisper she said, "I could not let you stay outdoors. Papa has come to believe you girls persuaded Manda to run away. He has told many people this. If he should drive in now, please run yourselves the front door out."

Nancy felt that she should remind Mrs. Kreutz that the convertible parked outside was a dead giveaway. But before she could say a word, Mrs. Kreutz asked breathlessly, "Have you news of Manda?"

"We were hoping she might have returned home," Nancy replied. "We haven't been able to find her."

Mrs. Kreutz wrung her hands. "Oh, my little daughter!" she wailed. "If it had not been for Papa saying no one could talk to her, she would be here now. I am so afraid she is in danger."

The girls agreed with this but did not voice their opinion. Instead, they a.s.sured Mrs. Kreutz that they were doing everything possible to find Manda.

"The police are trying to locate Mr. and Mrs. Hoelt, the people we think Manda is working for," Bess added.

Nancy brought the girl's mother up-to-date on all that had happened, ending with the question, "The man on the street who spoke to Manda's cousin Melinda, said, 'Get to the schnitz!' Have you any idea what he meant?"

When Mrs. Kreutz said no, Nancy asked whether the woman had ever heard of a storehouse for dried apples in the neighborhood. At this remark Mrs. Kreutz turned pale. Grasping Nancy's hand, she said, "Manda asked me that very question!"

"I believe that's where she has gone," Nancy said. "Where is the storehouse?"