CHAPTER 18 _SIGNBOARD INDIANS_
The realization that in all likelihood Mrs. Marborough had sold hervaluable antiques to the second-hand dealer was disconcerting to Louiseas well as Penny. They did not believe that Mr. Butterworth would pay afractional part of the furniture's true value, and apparently the widow'sonly reason for parting with her treasures was an urgent need for money.
"Of course, I may have guessed wrong about it," Penny admitted as she andLouise started toward home. "Just to check up, I'll call at Mr.Butterworth's shop tomorrow and see what I can learn."
"I wish we dared tell someone about the condition of the house," Louisesaid thoughtfully. "Why, if Mrs. Marborough is in need, Mother wouldhelp."
"So would Mrs. Weems," added Penny. "But we gave our promise not toreveal anything we saw. For the time-being, our hands are tied."
The events of the night had made the girls eager to return again to RoseAcres to search for the missing pearl necklace. They agreed thatimmediately after school the next afternoon they would call upon Mr.Butterworth and then keep their appointment with the widow.
"Remember, we mustn't tell anyone what we have learned," Penny warned asshe parted company with her chum. "Not even Rhoda."
Throughout the following day, both girls were so excited that they foundit all but impossible to study. When the closing bell finally broughtrelease, they bolted from the school building before any of theirclassmates could detain them.
"I have the address of Mr. Butterworth's shop," Penny said, consulting apaper. "It's not far from here."
The building proved to be a typical second-hand store with old tables andchairs piled in the windows along with cut glass and bric-a-brac.Entering, the girls wandered about until a woman asked them if they weresearching for anything in particular.
"We're interested in furniture," Penny explained. "Old pieces--antiquesif we can find them."
"Come into the back room," the woman invited. "Mr. Butterworth bought anumber of pieces just a few days ago. From one of Riverview's best homestoo."
"Where was that?" inquired Louise.
"I didn't hear him mention the name. It was from a house that has beenclosed many years. The owner returned only a short time ago and isclosing out everything."
The girls did not doubt that the furniture under discussion had beenobtained from Rose Acres. They were certain of it as they viewed rosewoodand mahogany chairs, imported mirrors, porcelain ornaments, massivefour-poster beds, sofas with damaged coverings, and handsome chests andbureaus. Penny ventured to price a few of the items. The amount asked wasso low that she knew Mr. Butterworth had paid an extremely small sum tothe widow. Making an excuse for not purchasing, she and Louise escaped tothe street.
"There's no question about it," Penny declared as they set off for RoseAcres. "Mrs. Marborough sold her beautiful things to Mr. Butterworth."
"He can't appreciate their value or he never would offer them at such lowprices," Louise added. "Anyone who buys those things will obtainwonderful bargains."
Penny nodded soberly. Lost in thought, she had little to say until thegirls drew near Rose Acres.
"Don't let on to Mrs. Marborough that we've learned about the furniture,"she warned. "It's really none of our affair if she sells her belongings."
The widow had been expecting the girls and had everything in readiness toexplore the tunnel. While they searched it from end to end, she waitedhopefully at the wishing well.
"Have you found anything?" she called several times.
"Not yet," Penny would reply patiently.
She and Louise laboriously examined every inch of the bricked passagewaybut with fading hope. The walls were firm, giving no indication thatanything ever had been hidden behind or within them. To have excavatedthe hard-packed dirt flooring was a task not to be considered at themoment.
"There's nothing here," Penny whispered to her chum. "I doubt that thepearls ever were hidden in this tunnel."
"Mrs. Marborough will be terribly disappointed," Louise replied in anundertone. "What shall we tell her?"
"We can pretend to keep on searching. Maybe if we prowl about this placefor a few days, we'll have luck."
"The pearls were hidden near the wishing well. We have that much to goon."
"They may have disappeared years ago," Penny contributed pessimistically."To tell you the truth, I don't feel very hopeful about ever findingthem."
Leaving the tunnel by means of the easier exit, the girls emerged intothe basement. They were preparing to climb the stairs to the first floorwhen Mrs. Marborough's voice reached their ears almost as plainly as ifshe were in the cellar.
"Louise! Penny! Are you all right?"
Startled by the clearness of the call, the girls paused on the stairway.
"Why, her voice came through as plainly as if she were in this room!"Louise exclaimed. "You don't suppose Mrs. Marborough has ventured intothe passageway?"
Thoroughly alarmed, the girls raced up the stairway and out of the houseinto the yard. To their relief they saw Mrs. Marborough standing by thewishing well, peering anxiously down.
"Oh, here you are!" she murmured as they ran up. "I was beginning to getworried. The last time I called you did not answer."
"We were down in the basement," Penny explained. "Mrs. Marborough, yourvoice came through to us as plainly as if you were in the passage."
The disclosure did not seem to surprise the widow, for she smiled andsaid:
"I've always known that sound carried from the well to the house. Infact, in past years I found it amusing to listen to conversations carriedon by persons who never dreamed that their words were overheard."
"Then that explains why so many wishes which were made here at the wellcame true!" Penny cried. "You were the Good Fairy behind it all."
"Oh, now and then, if it pleased my fancy, I arranged to have a wishgranted," Mrs. Marborough acknowledged, smiling grimly. "That was in thedays when I had money--" she broke off and ended--"more than I have now,I mean."
"Mrs. Marborough, you must have heard those wishes we made the day ofyour return to Riverview," Penny said after a moment. "Were youresponsible for sending a basket of food to Rhoda's people?"
"I am afraid I was."
"And did you grant Rhoda's second wish?" Louise asked quickly. "Did youhave anything to do with getting her brother, Ted, a job?"
"Judge Harlan is an old friend of mine," Mrs. Marborough explained. "Imerely wrote him a note suggesting that he would do me a favor by helpingthe boy if he found him worthy."
Although the widow's admission cleared up much of the mystery which hadsurrounded the old wishing well, Louise and Penny were dumbfounded,nevertheless. Never once had anyone in Riverview connected Mrs.Marborough with a particularly charitable deed.
As if guessing their thoughts, the woman said sharply:
"Now mind, I'll not have you telling this around the town! I'm throughwith all such silly business, and I don't propose to have busybodiesdiscuss whether or not I am addle-brained!"
"Why, Mrs. Marborough!" protested Louise. "It was a kind, generous thingto do."
"Generous, fiddlesticks! I did it because it pleased me and for no otherreason. Let's not talk about it any more."
Mrs. Marborough questioned the girls concerning their exploration of thetunnel. Her disappointment over the failure to find the pearls was keenbut she tried not to show it.
"I knew it was a fool's errand coming to Riverview to look for thatstupid necklace!" she declared. "Like as not, it never was hidden at RoseAcres, my sister's letter to the contrary. I intend to forget about thewhole affair."
"Oh, Mrs. Marborough, don't give up so soon," Penny pleaded. "Louise andI have only started to search. We may find it yet."
"You've been very nice," the widow said, smiling almost in a friendlyway. "I'll remember it always when I am far away."
"Then you intend to leave Riverview?" Louise ask
ed in disappointment.
"I must sell Rose Acres. I have no other course open."
"Not to Jay Franklin, I hope!" Penny exclaimed.
"I have no intention of dealing with him if anyone else will make anoffer. So far I have found no other person who is interested in theproperty."
Drawing a deep sigh, Mrs. Marborough arose. Without much enthusiasm sheinvited the girls to come with her into the house, but they tactfullydeclined.
"We'll come again tomorrow, if you don't mind," Penny said as she andLouise turned to leave.
"Do," replied Mrs. Marborough. "We might make a final search for thepearls."
Enroute to Riverview, the girls talked over the situation and agreed thatthe prospect of finding the necklace was a slim one. They had grown tolike the eccentric widow and were sorry that she had decided to move awayfrom the city of her birth.
"I am sure if she had money she would remain here," Louise declared. "Andit will nearly kill her if she is forced to deal with Jay Franklin. Howshe does dislike him!"
Parting with her chum in the business section of Riverview, Penny wentdirectly to the _Star_ office. Her father was ready to start home.
"Anything new about Jay Franklin and those record stones he hopes to sellto the museum?" Penny inquired absently as the automobile sped along thecongested streets.
"Nothing you haven't heard," Mr. Parker replied. "Franklin expects tomake the sale and probably will. The museum people have put themselves onrecord as saying that the stones bear authentic writing."
"Then it appears that your original hunch was incorrect," Penny observed."Too bad you played down the story in the _Star_."
"I may have made a mistake. All the same, I am pinning my hopes on theexpert from Brimwell College."
"What expert, Dad?"
"I guess I neglected to tell you. The _Star_ hired Professor Anjus fromBrimwell to inspect the stones. His opinion doesn't coincide with that ofthe museum experts. He has pronounced them fakes."
"If the experts can't agree, then how can one prove anything?"
"It is something of a tangle," Mr. Parker smiled. "I turned that tool youobtained from Crocker over to Professor Anjus. He expects to makeexhaustive tests and to report to me within a few days."
The car had reached the outskirts of Riverview. As it passed alongstreets which were sparsely dotted with houses, Penny called attention toseveral large billboards which disfigured the landscape.
"Look, Dad!" she directed, pointing to a particularly colorful poster."An Indian show is coming to town next week!"
Mr. Parker turned his head to gaze at the billboard. To Penny'samazement, he suddenly slammed on the brake, bringing the car to alurching halt at the side of the road.
"That's it!" he cried, his eyes on the huge sign. "The motive! I couldn'tfigure it out, but now I have the clue I need! Penny, we'll put a crimpin Jay Franklin's little game, or my name isn't Anthony Parker!"