The Secret of the Sundial

  CHAPTER VIII A Face Dishonored

  It was only natural that Madge and Cara, sharing their delightful secret,should seek each other's company, somewhat to the exclusion of otherfriends. They did not mean to be aloof, but always there were manyprivate matters which they wished to discuss. In school they passed agreat many notes and one of these, which read: "Did you get the spade?"was accidentally intercepted by Enid Burnett who thought it intended forher. The message caused her considerable wonderment. At recess shemanaged to corner Madge.

  "What on earth are you two up to?" she demanded suspiciously. "Have yougone in for gardening?"

  "Oh, in a way," Madge evaded.

  Until they had a real story to relate, she and Cara preferred to keep theother members of Skull and Crossbones in the dark concerning theiractivities. To tell their friends immediately might subject them to anunmerciful teasing. Nevertheless, Enid and Jane were not to be hoodwinkedso easily. They guessed that they were being excluded from some secret,and as school was dismissed, stationed themselves at the front door readyto waylay their friends.

  Madge and Cara had been anticipating such a move, and quietly slipped outthe back way.

  "A secret isn't a secret if too many are in on it," Madge defended theiraction. "We can tell them later on, but for a few days let's keep it toourselves."

  Cara had hidden the spade in the high weeds of a vacant lot not far fromthe Swenster mansion. They rescued it and proceeded to their destination,not at all disturbed by the curious stares focused upon them by personsthey met on the street.

  After securing permission from Miss Swenster, they went immediately tothe garden. They took turns digging, investigating all the filled holesnear the fountain and sundial. Finding nothing, they carefully replacedall soil turned up.

  "Well, you can't make me think that man was digging just for theexercise," Madge fretted.

  "Perhaps he found what he was after," Cara suggested pessimistically. "Inthat case we're only wasting our time."

  Miss Swenster presently came out to watch the girls.

  "Such ambition!" she marveled. "When you have finished, I want you tocome inside and have some of the chocolate cake I baked this afternoon."

  After another fifteen minutes had elapsed, the girls decided they weredoing entirely too much damage to the garden, and abandoned their projectfor the day. After such backbreaking work it was pleasant to sit in thecomfortable living room, sipping hot chocolate and nibbling at MissSwenster's delicious cake.

  "Nearly all the work is done now except that I must pack small articlesin boxes," their hostess told them. "The dishes must be sorted too." Shesighed. "It hurts to see everything go but I do hope the auction will bewell attended."

  Madge and Cara eagerly offered to help with the packing, and after apolite protest, Miss Swenster agreed that they might. It was too late towork that afternoon but they promised to appear early Saturday morning.

  The two intervening days passed slowly. At nine o'clock on the morning ofthe third, the girls presented themselves again at the mansion. Theyfound Miss Swenster sorting out old photographs.

  "It's very trying to decide which ones I must throw away," she told them."I'd like to save them all but I can't."

  The girls expressed interest in the photographs and Miss Swenster showedthem the picture of her mother, and of Florence Swenster. In looking atthe youthful, sweet faces of the two sisters, it was difficult for Madgeand Cara to realize that they could ever have been jealous rivals. Theyrapidly ran through the other photos, laughing at ridiculous poses ordresses that were amazingly old fashioned.

  After they had finished looking at pictures, they set to work packingdishes. It gave them a genuine thrill to handle the choice pieces ofporcelain and china.

  "I haven't done anything to the study yet," Miss Swenster told them alittle later. "I must get at that room as soon as we finish the dishes."

  Presently she went upstairs on an errand. Before she returned, the girlspacked the last dish. The study door was open and after waiting a fewminutes they decided to see what must be done there.

  They saw that the walls were lined with books which required packing.Coverings had not been removed from the furniture.

  "Look!" Madge exclaimed suddenly.

  Cara turned to see her chum regarding an object above the old secretary.It was a picture, and most strangely, its face was turned toward thewall!

  "What do you make of that?" Madge whispered. "The other pictures aren'tthis way."

  "Let's see what it is!"

  "Perhaps we shouldn't."

  However, the temptation was too great. Cara turned the picture over. Ahandsome young boy with round, full cheeks, twinkling eyes and a croppedhead of golden curly hair, gazed down from the frame.

  "Who can it be?" Cara murmured.

  Before Madge could reply, they heard footsteps on the stairway. A momentlater, Miss Swenster entered the study.

  "All through with the dishes?" she asked cheerfully. "My, but you arefast--" Her voice trailed off and her entire body seemed to stiffen. Shehad noticed the picture on the wall.

  She murmured something which the girls did not catch. Crossing the room,she removed the picture from its hook, and carried it from the study. Thegirls heard her mounting the stairs.

  For a moment they were too dumbfounded to speak. Then Madge exclaimed:

  "That's what we get for our ill bred curiosity! We've offended herterribly. It must have been her son."

  Cara nodded miserably.

  "The only thing we can do is to apologize."

  They spent an unhappy fifteen minutes waiting for Miss Swenster toreturn. Madge was on the verge of suggesting that it might be better forthem to leave, when she appeared. She smiled brightly as if nothing hadhappened, but they could see she had been crying.

  "We're terribly sorry," Madge began contritely. "We didn't mean to beprying. It was simply inexcusable of us to touch the picture."

  "I understand. It was nothing you did that affected me. Please, if youdon't mind, let's not mention it again."

  Miss Swenster was especially nice to the girls after that but theincident could not be forgotten in an instant. She made no furthermention of cleaning the study and Madge and Cara carefully avoided thesubject. They could tell that Miss Swenster was still upset. A half hourlater they made an excuse for leaving.

  "Do come again," she urged. "I know I've been very inhospitable. If youdon't come back I'll feel that I've driven you away."

  The girls were rather silent as they walked thoughtfully along thestreet. It was as if a measure of Miss Swenster's unhappiness had fallenupon their shoulders.

  "I feel so sorry for her," Madge said after a time. "She's made an idolof that boy. And he's brought her nothing but unhappiness."

  Cara glanced quickly at her friend.

  "Do you know that for sure?"

  Madge nodded.

  "Yes, I intended to tell you the first thing today, but it slipped mymind. I found out through Uncle George what her son had done to disgracethe family. And when you hear the story, you'll not blame Miss Swensterfor turning his face to the wall!"