The Girls of Hillcrest Farm; Or, The Secret of the Rocks

by Amy Bell Marlowe

  CHAPTER XXVII

  THEY LOSE A BOARDER

  Harris had something beside a square and determined jaw. He had musculararms and he looked just then as though he were ready to use them. Spinkgave him no provocation.

  He fumbled in his pocket and brought out a key.

  "Is this the one, Miss 'Phemie?" asked the young fellow.

  The girl stepped forward, and in the lamplight from the bedroom doorwayidentified the key of the green door--with its tag attached.

  "All right, then. Go to your room, Professor," said Harris. "Unless youwant him for something further, Miss 'Phemie?"

  "My goodness me! No!" cried 'Phemie. "I never want to see him again."

  The professor was already aiming for the stairs, and he quicklydisappeared. Harris turned to the still shaking girl.

  "What's it all about, Miss 'Phemie?" he asked.

  "That's what I'd really like to know myself," she replied, eagerly. "He isafter something----"

  "So my father says," interposed Harris. "Father says Spink has somethinghidden--or has made some discovery--up there in the rocks."

  "I don't know whether he really has found what he has been looking for----"

  "And that is?" suggested Harris.

  "I wish we knew!" cried 'Phemie. "But we don't. At least, _I_ don't--nordoes Lyddy. But he tried to buy the farm of Aunt Jane once--only heoffered a very small price.

  "He has been hanging around here for months trying to find something. Hegot into the old offices to-night, and tried to break into grandfather'sdesk----"

  Harris nodded thoughtfully.

  "We want to look into this," he said. "I hope you and your sister willnot refuse my aid. This Spink may be more of a knave than a fool. Now, goback to bed and--and assure Miss Lyddy that I will be only too glad tohelp 'thwart the villain'--if he really has some plan to better himself atyour expense."

  'Phemie picked up her quilt, locked the green door, and returned to herroom. Throughout all the excitement Lyddy had slept; but 'Phemie's comingto bed aroused her.

  The younger girl was too shaken by what had transpired to hide herexcitement, and Lyddy quickly was broad awake listening to 'Phemie'sstory. The latter told all that had happened, including her experienceson the night they had come to Hillcrest. There was no sleep for thetwo girls just then--not, at least, until they had discussed ProfessorSpink and the secret of the rocks at the back of the farm, from everypossible angle.

  "I shall tell him that his absence will be better appreciated than hiscompany--at once!" declared Lyddy, finally.

  "But sending him away isn't going to explain the mystery," wailed 'Phemie.

  In the morning, before many of the other boarders were astir, the twogirls caught the oily professor just starting off with a handbag.

  "You'd better get the remainder of your baggage ready to go too, sir,"said Lyddy, sharply, "for we don't want you here."

  "It's packed, young lady," returned Professor Spink, with a sneer. "Ishall send a man for it from the hotel in town."

  "Well, _that's_ all right," quoth the girl, warmly. "You've paid yourboard in advance, and I cannot complain. But I would like to have youexplain what your actions last night mean?"

  "I don't know what you are talking about. I heard people moving about thehouse and--naturally--I went to see----"

  "Oh, you story-teller!" gasped 'Phemie.

  "Ha! I can see that you have both made up your minds not to believe me,"said the odd boarder, haughtily. "Good-morning!"

  "I honestly believe we ought to get a warrant out and have him arrested,"observed the older girl, thoughtfully.

  "What for? I don't believe he took anything," said 'Phemie.

  "Well! he was trying to break into grandfather's desk, just the same,"said Lyddy, and then Harris Colesworth joined them.

  Now, Lyddy believed that this young man was altogether too prone tomeddle with other people's affairs; yet ever since the Widow Harrison'svendue she had been more friendly with Harris.

  And now when he began to talk about the professor and his strange actionsover night, she could only thank the young chemist for his assistance.

  "Of course, we have no idea that that man took anything," she concluded.

  "But you know that he is after _something_. There is a mystery about hisactions--both here at the house and up there in the rocks," said Harris.

  "Well--ye-es."

  "I have been talking to father about it. Father has seen him wanderingabout there so much. His anxiety not to be seen has piqued father'scuriosity, too. To tell the truth, that is what has kept father so muchinterested in getting specimens up yonder," and the young man laughed.

  "He tells me that he is sure there can be no great mineral wealth on thefarm; yet Spink has found, or is trying to find, some deposit of valuehere----"

  "Do tell him about the bottles, Lyd!" cried 'Phemie.

  "Oh, well, that may be nothing----"

  "What bottles?" demanded Harris, quickly. "Come on, girls, why not take mefully into your confidence? I might be of some use, you know."

  "But they were nothing but bottles of water," objected Lyddy.

  "Bottles of water?" repeated the young chemist, slowly. "Who had them?"

  "Spink," replied 'Phemie.

  "What was he doing with them?"

  She told him how they had watched the professor with his inexplicablewater bottles.

  "Foolish; isn't it?" asked Lyddy.

  "Sure--until we get the clue to it. Foolish to us, but mighty importantto Professor Spink. Therefore we ought to look into it. Father doesn'tknow anything about this bottle business."

  "Well, it's Sunday," sighed 'Phemie. "We can't do anything about themystery to-day."

  But her sister was fully roused, and when Lyddy determined on a thing,something usually came of it.

  After breakfast, and after she had seen Lucas and his mother and Sairydrive past on their way to chapel, she put on her sunbonnet and startedboldly for the neighboring farm, determined to have an interview withCyrus Pritchett.