Page:Black cat 1897 07 v2 n10.pdf/44

42 "And I shall have the pleasure of working my way through college after all," said Ellen Ann, with quivering lip.

I (nicknamed Molly) swallowed something in my throat and burst out: "Girls, we m-must find that box if we h-have to b-bl-ow the h-house up to do it," then broke down completely.

All of which but showed the sad straits we were in, and that each had secretly nourished a hope that Aunt Ellen's will would bring us succor. For if ever there was a family of four dilapidated women in need of money, we were that family.

We moved to Strangetown.

Being young, we soon were more hopeful, and came to regard this queer episode in our lives in the nature of a prolonged lark which might terminate at any minute in something quite splendid. An acute sense of the ridiculous, coupled with our love of mystery, did much to bring about this state of affairs. Then, too, our pride was aroused. It was clearly our duty to disprove Aunt Ellen's accusations, and only when the prize had been found and divided (for, of course, we expected to share it equally) could we feel that this had been done.

The homestead was spacious, comfortable, and well furnished in the fashion of fifty years ago. The grounds surrounding it were large and well kept. Years before we bad heard tales of secret drawers and closets in this very house, and of Aunt Ellen's habit of keeping large sums of money concealed in the house and about her person. Already our wits were sharpening and a delightful expectancy pervaded our every action.

One night about a week after our arrival in Strangetown, Ellen Ann and I were awakened by Caroline. She stood at our bedside in her nightgown, a tall candle shedding its rays upon her excited features. "Get up, girls, I've found the sign," she whispered.

Half dazed, we followed her to where an ancient chiffonier stood against the wall. Caroline placed a trembling finger on the quaint carving which embellished its old sides. Sure enough, there, faintly outlined between a dragon's claws, was a circle within a circle!

We became very wide awake, indeed. We had hardly expected to find the treasure so soon, yet here we were just on the verge of its discovery. At first, we thought of calling mother to