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

by Amy Bell Marlowe

  CHAPTER XXIX

  AN AUTOMOBILE RACE

  Lyddy was to write to Aunt Jane the next day. That was the decision whenHarris started for town after breakfast, too. No time was to be lost inacquainting Aunt Jane with the fact that the old doctor spoke truly whenhe had said that "there were curative waters on Hillcrest."

  In Dr. Polly Phelps's day a mineral spring would have been of smallvalue compared to what it would be worth now. Jud Spink, of course, hadknown something about the old doctor's using in his practise the waterfrom somewhere among the rocks. On the lookout for every chance to makemoney in these days, the owner of "Stonehedge Bitters" and "DiamondGrits--the Breakfast of the Million" had determined to get hold ofHillcrest and put the mineral water on the market--if so be the springwas to be discovered.

  Too penurious to take any risk, however, Spink had wished to be sure thatthe mineral spring was there, and of its value, before he risked his goodmoney in the purchase of the property.

  The question now was: Had he satisfied himself as to these facts? Had hefound the mineral spring quite by chance, and was he not still in doubtas to the wisdom of buying Hillcrest?

  It would seem, by his trying to get at the old doctor's papers, that Spinkwished to assure himself further before he went ahead with his scheme.

  "We'll put a spoke in his wheel--that's sure," said Harris, as he badethe two girls good-bye that Monday morning, while Lucas and the restiveponies waited for him.

  In two hours he was back at the farmhouse. The ponies stopped at the doorall of a lather, and both Harris and Lucas looked desperately excited.Tom Castle, as well as the Bray girls, ran out to see what was the matter.

  "He's off!" shouted Lucas Pritchett. "He's goin' to beat ye to it!"

  "What _are_ you talking about, Lucas?" demanded 'Phemie.

  "Where does your aunt live, Miss Lyddy?" asked the young chemist. "Not atEasthampton?"

  "No. At Hambleton. She is at home now----"

  "And that Spink just bought a ticket for Hambleton, and has taken thetrain for that particular burg," declared Harris, with emphasis. "If I'donly been sure of your Aunt Jane's address I would have gone with him."

  "Do you really think he's gone to try to buy the farm of her?" questionedLyddy.

  "I most certainly do. He couldn't have made connections easily had hestarted yesterday after you drove him away from Hillcrest. But he's afterthe farm."

  "And she'll sell it! she'll sell it!" wailed 'Phemie.

  "Perhaps not," ventured Lyddy, but her lips were white.

  "He can get an option. That's enough," urged Harris. "We've got to headhim off."

  "How?" cried the older girl, clasping her hands.

  "Jumping horse chestnuts!" ejaculated Tom Castle. "It's a cinch! It'seasy. You can beat that fellow to Hambleton by way of Adams----"

  "But there's no other train that connects at the junction till afternoon,"objected Lucas.

  "Aw, poof!" exclaimed Tom. "Haven't we got the old buzz-wagon right here?I'll run and see father. He'll let me take it. We'll go over the hill anddown to Adams, and take the east road to Hambleton. Why, say! that Spinkman won't beat us much."

  "It's a great scheme, Tommy!" shouted Harris Colesworth "Go ahead. Tellyour father I can run the car, if you can't."

  In twenty minutes the big car was rolled out of the barn, and Mr. Castlecame out to see the quartette off,--the two girls in the tonneau andHarris and Tom Castle on the front seat.

  "You see that he doesn't play hob with that machine, Mr. Colesworth,"called Mr. Castle, as they started. "It cost me seven thousand dollars."

  "What's seven thousand dollars," demanded Master Tom, recklessly, "toputting the Indian sign on that Professor Spink?"

  They were not at all sure, however, that they were going to be able to dothis. Professor Spink might easily beat them to Aunt Jane's residence inHambleton.

  But at the speed Tom took the descent of the ridge on the other side, onemight have thought that the professor was due to board a flying machine ifhe wished to travel faster. 'Phemie declared she lost her breath at thetop of the hill and that it didn't overtake her again until they stoppedat the public garage in Adams to get a supply of gasoline.

  The boys behind the wind-break, and the girls crouching in the tonneau,saw little of the landscape through which the car rushed.

  They rolled into Hambleton without mishap, and before noon. A word fromLyddy put Master Tom on the right track of Aunt Jane's house, for he hadbeen in the town before.

  "We're here quicker than we could have had a telegram delivered," declaredHarris, as he helped the girls out of the car. "I'm going in with you,Miss Lyddy--if you don't mind?"

  "Why, of course you shall come!" returned Lyddy, really allowing hergratitude to "spill over" for the moment.

  "Me--oh, my!" whispered 'Phemie, walking demurely behind them. "The end ofthe world has now _came_. Lyd is showing that poor young man some favor."

  But 'Phemie, as well as the other two, grew serious when the girl whoopened the door told them Mrs. Hammond had company in the parlor.

  "Two gentlemen, Miss--on business," said the maid.

  Just then they heard Professor Spink's booming voice.

  "Oh, oh! he's here ahead of us!" cried 'Phemie, and she flung open thedoor and ran into the room.

  CHAPTER XXX

  THE HILLCREST COMPANY, LIMITED

  "Don't sign it!" shrieked 'Phemie, seeing Aunt Jane, her bonnet on asusual, with a pen in her hand.

  "For the good land's sake, child! how you scart me," complained the oldlady.

  "Don't sign anything, Aunt!" urged 'Phemie. "That man is trying to cheatyou," and she pointed a scornful finger at Professor Spink.

  "What do you mean, girl?" demanded the other man present, who was sittingnext to Mrs. Hammond. He looked like what he was--a shyster lawyer.

  "This girl is crazy," snarled Spink, glaring at the party of young people.

  "So are we all, then," Harris Colesworth responded. "I assure you, Mrs.Hammond, that these men are trying to trick you."

  "I dunno you, young man; but I _do_ know my own mind. This man, Spink, hasfinally made me a good offer for Hillcrest Farm."

  "And if you don't sign that paper at once, ma'am," suggested the lawyer,softly, "the deal is off."

  "That's right," declared Spink, rising. "I've made my last offer--takeit or leave it."

  "How much do they offer you for the farm, Mrs. Hammond--if that's not arude question?" demanded Harris.

  "Never _you_ mind!" blustered Spink.

  But Aunt Jane stated the amount frankly.

  "It's worth more," said Harris, sharply.

  "I expect it is; but it ain't worth no more to me," replied the old lady,calmly.

  "I'll raise their offer a hundred dollars," said Harris, quickly. "Myname's Colesworth. My father and I are well known here and in Easthampton.We are amply able to pay you cash for the place."

  "Well, now," observed Aunt Jane, with satisfaction, while the girlsstared at the young fellow in wonder, "you are talking business. A hundreddollars more is not to be sneezed at----"

  "We'll raise the young man's bid another hundred, Mrs. Hammond,"interposed the lawyer, eagerly. "But you must sign the agreement----"

  "Raise you another hundred," said Harris.

  The lawyer looked at his client for instructions. Professor Spink's facewas of an apoplectic hue and his eyes fairly snapped.

  "No, no!" he shouted, pounding one fat fist into his other hand. "I knowthis smooth swindler. He did me once before just this way. He sha'n't doit now. He's got some inside information about that farm. It's all off!I wouldn't buy the old place now at any price!"

  He grabbed his hat and rushed for the door. The little lawyer followed,seized his coattails, and tried to drag him back; but Professor Spink wasthe heavier, and he steamed out into the hall, towing the lawyer, openedthe door, and finally dashed down the steps. He and his legal adviserdisappeared from sight.

  "Well, young man," said
Mrs. Hammond, calmly, "I expect you know what youhave done? You've spoiled that sale for me; I may hold you to your offer."

  "If you want to, I shall not worry," laughed Harris, sitting down. "Butlet us tell you all about it, Mrs. Hammond, and then I believe you willthink twice before you sell Hillcrest at _any_ price."

  * * * * *

  Right in that boarding-house parlor was laid the foundation of the nowvery wealthy mineral water concern known as "The Hillcrest Company,Limited." But, of course, it was months before the concern was launchedand the wonderfully curative waters of Hillcrest Spring were put uponthe market.

  For once the fact was established that the mineral spring was there amongthe rocks at the back of the farm, it was only a matter of searching forit.

  The spring was finally located in the very wildest part of the farm--in adeep thicket, where the cattle, or other animals, never went to drink.So the spring was thickly overgrown.

  "And by cracky! you can't blame a cow for not wanting to drink _that_stuff," declared Lucas Pritchett when he first tasted the water.

  Medicinally, however, it was a valuable discovery. Bottled and put onsale, it was soon being recommended by men high in the medical world.

  "The old doctor knew a thing or two, even if he _did_ live back here onthe lonesomest hill in the State," said Aunt Jane. "No! I won't stay,children. You've treated me fust-rate; but give me the town. I want life.I don't see how Mrs. Castle can stand it. I'd vegetate here in a week andtake sech deep root that you couldn't pull me out with a stump-puller.

  "Besides, I'm going to have money enough now to live jest like I want toin town. And I'm going to have one of these automobile cars--yes, sir!I'll begin to really and truly _live_, I will. You jest watch me."

  But in her joy of suddenly acquired wealth she did not forget hernieces--the girls who had really made her good fortune possible. BothLyddy and 'Phemie owned stock in the mineral water company; and thenAunt Jane assured them that when she died they should own the farmjointly. She had only sold the spring rights to the company.

  The rest of the corporation consisted of Harris Colesworth and hisfather, Rufus Castle, his mother, Grandma Castle, Lucas Pritchettand--last but not least--Mother Harrison. The widow had asked theprivilege of investing in the stock of the company the fifty dollarsthat Professor Spink had paid her for her husband's old desk.

  And as that stock is becoming more and more valuable as time goes on, itwas not an unwise investment on the widow's part. As for Lucas, it wasby 'Phemie's advice that the young farmer put _his_ money into the stockof the mineral water concern, instead of into a red-wheeled buggy.

  "Wait a while, Lucas," said 'Phemie, "and you'll make money enough to owna motor car instead of a buggy."

  "And you'll take the first ride in it with me?" demanded Lucas, shrewdly.

  "Yes! I'll verily risk my life in your buzz-wagon," laughed the girl. "Butnow! that's a long way ahead yet, Lucas."

  The summer had passed ere all these things were done and said. Norhad the Bray girls lost a single opportunity of making their originalventure--that of keeping boarders at Hillcrest--a success.

  Lyddy had bought her cooking stove, her chickens had turned out a nicelittle flock for the next year, the garden had done splendidly, and whenthe corn was harvested the girls banked a hundred dollars over and abovethe cost of raising the crop.

  Best of all, their father's state of health had so much improved, duringthese last few weeks, that the girls could look forward with confidenceto his complete restoration, in time, to a really robust condition.

  Hillcrest had been his salvation. The sun and air of the mountainside homehad finally brought him well on the road to recovery; and the joy his twodaughters felt because of this fact can scarcely be expressed in words.

  Grandma Castle and the Chadwicks wanted to remain until New Year's, sothe girls got no real vacation. Several automobile parties had now foundtheir way to the house on the hill, and the old-fashioned viands, thehuge rooms, open fires, and all the "queer" furniture induced them toreturn from time to time.

  So Lyddy and 'Phemie decided to be prepared for such parties, or for otherpeople who wished to board for a week or so at a time, all winter.

  Mr. Bray had grown so much stronger by now that sometimes he expressedhis belief that he ought to go back to the shop and earn money, too.

  "Wait till next season, Father," Lydia urged him, softly. "We can all pulltogether here, and if we have only a measure of good fortune, we shallbe independent indeed by _next_ fall."

  The prospect was surely bright--as bright as that which lay before Lyddyand Harris Colesworth one Indian summer day as they strolled down the laneto the highroad.

  "I don't see how Aunt Jane can find this place lonely," sighed Lyddy,leaning just a little on the young man's arm, but with her gaze sweepingall the fair mountainside.

  "_You_ couldn't leave it, Lyddy?" he asked, with sudden wistfulness.

  "No, indeed! Not for long. No other place would seem like _home_ to meafter our experience here. It's more like home than the house I was bornin at Easthampton.

  "You see, we have struggled, and worked, and accomplished somethinghere--'Phemie and I. And Aunt Jane says it shall some day be ours--all ofHillcrest. I love it all."

  "Well--I don't blame you!" exclaimed Harris, suddenly swinging about andseizing her hands. "But, say, Lyddy! don't be stingy about it."

  "Stingy--about what?" she asked him, rather frightened, but looking upinto his sparkling eyes.

  "Don't be stingy with Hillcrest. If you are determined to stay here--allyour life long--you know---- Don't you suppose you could find it in yourheart to let _me_ come here and--and stay, too?"

  Nobody heard Lyddy Bray make an audible reply to this--not even thecurious squirrel chattering in the big beech over their heads. But Harrisseemed to see just the reply he craved in the girl's eyes, for he cried,suddenly:

  "You _dear_, you!"

  Then they walked on together, side by side, over the carpet offlame-colored leaves.