CHAPTER X An Unsatisfactory Test
Anne rolled over in bed and groaned.
"What did you say?" she murmured drowsily.
"Wake up, sleepy head," Madge said, shaking her again. "I've had anotherinspiration about the formula."
At the word "formula" which was magic to her ears, Anne sat upright,ready to listen.
"We've been hopeless duds trying to bring out the secret writing byheating the pages of the book!" Madge declared.
"And you awakened me to tell me that? Of all the--"
"I'm not through. Remember, you said your Father knew a great deal aboutsecret inks and the like."
"He was a government specialist," Anne corrected; "He probably knew asmuch about secret inks as any man in Washington."
Madge nodded eagerly.
"Exactly. And here we've been working on the theory that he would use themost simple means of hidden writing. Why, you can write with milk andbring it out by heating the paper. Any school child knows that."
"Father always had an aversion to the obvious thing too," Anne declared,catching her friend's trend of thought. "He probably used the very latestmethod of secret writing."
"That's the conclusion I reached," Madge announced eagerly. "I'm willingto wager that the formula is written in 'Kim' if only we can find theright method of bringing it out!"
"I'm sure I don't know the way," Anne returned. "You can't find that sortof information in books either--that is, not the latest processes."
"You don't know anyone who might help us?"
"Clyde Wendell, if he would."
"Let's count him out. He wouldn't help a blind man."
"Then I fear--oh, wait! I just thought of a man who worked with Father inthe Washington bureau. He knows everything about codes and ciphers andsecret inks."
"Can you reach him?"
"Why, I could write to Washington. I believe he's still with thegovernment."
"That would take ages," Madge protested. "We must have quick action orMr. Brownell will leave. Why not telegraph?"
"I can," Anne agreed instantly. "Why, where are you going?" she demandedas Madge slid out of bed.
"I'm going back to the laboratory after 'Kim.' It would be just our luckto have it stolen during the night. No use taking chances."
Anne would not permit her to go alone so together they stole down thedark hallway. The floor creaked beneath their feet and the light from thelamp made weird shadows dance on the plaster walls.
To their relief they found the book where they had left it. For theremainder of the night they slept with it under Anne's pillow.
At the first sign of dawn they arose and dressed. They planned to go toLuxlow as soon after breakfast as they could find means of transportationand the question arose as to what should be done with the book.
"I don't like to leave it here while we're gone," Anne said. "The househas been entered once and we saw a prowler around at night. Why don't youtake it back to the lodge?"
"I'd prefer not to have the responsibility."
"Do keep it, Madge. I'll not have a comfortable moment if we leave ithere."
Unwillingly, Madge allowed herself to be persuaded. Shortly after eighto'clock, they locked the house and crossed the lake to the Brady lodge.Neither Mr. Brownell nor Clyde Wendell were abroad for they were laterisers. The girls went to Madge's room for her coat and hat and whilethere decided that for the time being "Kim" would be safe in the lowerbureau drawer. They covered the book with a layer of clothing.
"No one ever comes in here save Aunt Maude and she wouldn't think ofdisturbing anything," Madge said.
How to get to Luxlow was the next problem for Mr. Brady had taken the caraway early that morning. However, learning that one of the rangers wasdriving in, they received permission to ride with him. Madge ratherwished that Jack might have been the one to take them but he was busysurveying a new road which the government intended to put through theforest.
Enroute to town the girls busied themselves with the telegram theyintended to dispatch to the man in Washington. Anne had found his addresson an old envelope in her father's files. It was not easy to explain whatthey wanted to know in a few words without sounding utterly ridiculous.After several trials, the message finally suited them. Arriving atLuxlow, they sent it off and purchased supplies which Mrs. Brady hadrequested. The last item on the list she had given Madge, read:"magazines for Bill."
"He always wants the cheapest kind," she told Anne. "I have a notion totake him a few high-brow ones for a change."
"He'll never forgive you if you do."
They sought a street stand which displayed magazines of all type. Withconsiderable embarrassment they selected a half dozen of the melodramaticsort and Madge actually blushed as she paid the salesgirl.
"The next time, Bill buys his own trash or he goes without!" she fumed."Did you see the pitying look that girl gave us? She thought we wantedthem for ourselves."
They walked slowly down the street, Madge carrying the magazines so thatthe jackets would not be noticed by the passersby. They were within sightof the ranger's parked automobile when Anne heard her name called. Sheturned and saw Jake Curtis.
It was too late to retreat. They could only wait and face the music.
"I went out to Stewart Island last week to see you, Miss Fairaday," theman began in an unpleasant tone. "You were gone."
"I must have been at the Brady lodge," Anne replied uneasily. "Or perhapsit was the day we went fishing. If I had known you were coming--"
"You'd have been away just the same!" the man finished harshly. "Well, Iwarn you it will do you no good to try to avoid me. I mean business. Themortgage must be paid by the first."
"This isn't the first," Anne reminded him. "I have several days yet."
"Not to sell the house, you haven't. I'll give you just twenty-four hoursto decide what you want to do. I'll wipe off the mortgage and give youfive hundred dollars for the house and island. But the offer only holdsuntil tomorrow noon."
"It's robbery!" Anne protested.
"Take it or leave it," he retorted, and turning, walked away.