“Then you explain why Mrs. Marborough doesn’t invite us into her house!” Penny challenged her chum. “And why did she turn the members of the Pilgrimage Committee away?”
“Oh, probably the place isn’t fixed2 up the way she wants it yet.”
“That’s no reason. No, she has a different one than that, Lou, and I’m curious to learn what it is.”
“You’re always curious,” Louise teased, taking Penny by the arm. “Come along. Let’s get a drink at the well.”
While the girls were lowering the bucket into the bricked cavern3, Mrs. Marborough joined them, a woolen4 shawl thrown over her head and shoulders.
[55]
“I’ve not had time to get much work done yet,” she apologized. “I really must hire a man to clean up the grounds.”
“Then you have decided5 to make your home here?” Louise inquired eagerly.
“For the present, I may. Much depends upon how a certain project turns out.”
Penny and Louise waited hopefully, but Mrs. Marborough said no more. Changing the subject, she inquired about Rhoda Wiegand and the other members of the Palette Club.
“I like young people,” she declared brightly. “Do tell your friends to come to Rose Acres whenever they wish.”
“A rather strange thing occurred yesterday,” Penny said suddenly. “Rhoda made a wish here at the well, and it came true.”
“What was the wish?” the old lady inquired with curiosity.
“That the people with whom she lives might have more food. Two baskets were left at the trailer camp. Louise and I were responsible for one of them, but we can’t account for the other.”
“Very interesting,” Mrs. Marborough commented. “In years past, a great many wishes which were made here, apparently6 came true. So I can’t say that I am surprised.”
“To what do you attribute it?” Louise asked quickly.
[56]
“Chance perhaps,” Mrs. Marborough smiled. “One cannot explain such things.”
A chill, penetrating7 wind blew from the direction of the river. Shivering, Louise drew her jacket collar closer about her neck, remarking rather pointedly8 that the weather was turning colder. Even then, Mrs. Marborough did not suggest that the girls enter the house. A moment later, however, she excused herself and went inside, leaving them alone in the garden.
“It does seem odd that she acts so secretive,” Louise commented. “I’m inclined to agree with members of the Pilgrimage Committee that her manners aren’t the best.”
“Perhaps you’ll finally decide that I am right!” Penny said triumphantly9. “Take my word for it, there’s something inside the house she doesn’t want anyone to see!”
Louise started slowly toward the road, only to pause as her chum proposed that they walk to the river and call upon Truman Crocker, the stonecutter.
“You intend to tell him who stole his chicken?” Louise asked in surprise.
Penny shook her head. “No, I’ll let him discover it for himself. I want to talk to him about that big rock he hauled to the museum.”
Louise could not imagine what useful information her chum might expect to gain, but she obediently trailed Penny through the rear yard of Rose Acres, down a sloping path which led to the river.
[57]
“I hope you know the way,” she remarked dubiously10 as the going became more difficult, and they were forced to move slowly.
“Oh, we can’t miss the cabin. Crocker’s place is the only one near here,” Penny responded.
The trail was a narrow one, so infrequently used that bushes and vines had overgrown it in many places. Finally emerging on an open hillside, the girls were able to gaze down upon the winding11 river. Recent rains had swollen12 it to the very edges of the banks, and from a distance Truman Crocker’s shack13 appeared to be situated14 dangerously close to the water.
“Wouldn’t you think he would soon be flooded out?” Louise commented, pausing to catch her breath. “I shouldn’t care to live so near the river.”
“Oh, the water never comes much higher,” Penny rejoined. “A few years ago the city built some sort of river control system which takes care of the spill should there be any. Anyway, Crocker’s place wouldn’t represent much of a loss if it did wash away.”
The girls regained15 their breath, and then started down the slope. Penny, who was leading the way, did not pay particular attention to the rutty path. Suddenly catching16 her shoe in a small hole, she tripped and fell sideways.
“Ooh, my arm!” she squealed17. “I struck it on a big rock!”
Louise helped Penny to her feet, brushing dirt from the girl’s skirt.
[58]
“You’ve ripped your stocking,” she said sympathetically.
“I guess I’m lucky it wasn’t my head,” Penny returned gazing ruefully at the tear. “Let’s sit down and rest a minute.”
Seating herself on the large smooth rock, she gingerly examined a bruised18 place on her elbow. Louise stood beside her, plucking burs from her chum’s sweater.
“I’m all right now,” Penny said a moment later, getting up. “Why, Lou! Do you see what I’ve been sitting on?”
“A rock, my pet.”
“A stone that looks exactly like the one at the museum!” Penny cried excitedly.
“All rocks are pretty much alike, aren’t they?”
“Certainly not,” Penny corrected. “There are any number of varieties. This one is quartz19 unless I’m mistaken and it does resemble the one at the museum.”
“Maybe you can find some writing on it,” Louise teased. “The rock only weighs two or three hundred pounds. Shall I lift it for you so you can see the under side?”
“Don’t bother,” Penny retorted, eagerly examining the stone. “I’ve already found it.”
“Found what?”
“The writing! I knew this stone looked like the one at the museum!”
[59]
Louise was certain that her chum merely pretended to have made such an important discovery. However, as Penny continued to examine the rock in an intent, absorbed way, she decided to see for herself.
“Why, it’s true!” she exclaimed incredulously. “There is writing on the stone!”
Carved letters, so dimmed by age and weathering processes that they scarcely remained legible, had been cut unevenly20 in the hard surface.
“‘Went hence vnto heaven 1599,’” Louise deciphered slowly. “Why, 1599 would date this stone almost before there were known settlers in the country!”
“Almost—but not quite,” replied Penny. “Historians believe there were other settlements before that date. Obviously, this is a burial stone similar to the one found on the Gleason farm.”
“If it’s such an old rock why was it never discovered before?”
“The stone may be a fake, but that’s not for us to try to figure out. We’ve made an important discovery and the museum is sure to be interested!”
“Don’t forget that this is on Mrs. Marborough’s property,” Louise reminded her chum. “We’ll have to tell her about it.”
Retracing21 their way to Rose Acres, the girls knocked on the door. Mrs. Marborough soon appeared, looking none too pleased by their unexpected return.
[60]
“What is it?” she asked, blocking the doorway22 so that the girls could not see beyond her into the living room.
Breathlessly, Penny told of finding the dated stone on the hillside.
“Did you know such a rock was there?” she asked eagerly.
“I’ve never seen any stone with writing on it,” Mrs. Marborough replied. “Goodness knows there are plenty of boulders23 on my property though.”
“Another stone similar to it was found yesterday on the Gleason farm,” Louise revealed. “Do come and see it, Mrs. Marborough.”
Before the widow could reply, the three were startled by heavy footsteps on the veranda24. Turning, the girls saw that Jay Franklin had approached without being observed. Politely, he doffed25 his hat.
“Excuse me, I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation,” he said, bowing again to Mrs. Marborough. “You were saying something about a rock which bears writing?”
“We found it on the hillside near here,” Penny explained. “It has a date—1599.”
“Then it must be a mate to the stone discovered by Mr. Gleason!”
“I’m sure it is.”
“Will you take me to the spot where you found it?” Mr. Franklin requested. “I am tremendously interested.”
[61]
“Of course,” Penny agreed, but her voice lacked enthusiasm.
She glanced toward Louise, noticing that her chum did not look particularly elated either. Neither could have explained the feeling, but Jay Franklin’s arrival detracted from the pleasure of their discovery. Although ashamed of their suspicions, they were afraid that the man might try to take credit for finding the stone.
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1
intrigue
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| vt.激起兴趣，迷住；vi.耍阴谋；n.阴谋，密谋 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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cavern
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| n.洞穴，大山洞 | |
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4
woolen
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| adj.羊毛(制)的；毛纺的 | |
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5
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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6
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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7
penetrating
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| adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的 | |
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8
pointedly
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| adv.尖地，明显地 | |
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9
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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10
dubiously
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| adv.可疑地，怀疑地 | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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12
swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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shack
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| adj.简陋的小屋，窝棚 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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15
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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16
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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17
squealed
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| v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18
bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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19
quartz
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| n.石英 | |
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unevenly
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| adv.不均匀的 | |
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retracing
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| v.折回( retrace的现在分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
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22
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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23
boulders
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| n.卵石( boulder的名词复数 )；巨砾；（受水或天气侵蚀而成的）巨石；漂砾 | |
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24
veranda
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| n.走廊；阳台 | |
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doffed
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| v.脱去，（尤指）脱帽( doff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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