CHAPTER XIX

UNDER THE WINDOW

“This mansion surely is queer, that’s all I can say,” Kitty declared feelingly as she and Doris, followed by Wags, walked slowly down toward the front entrance. “One minute I want to rush right away and then again I like to be here just to see what will turn up next.”

“I feel the same way,” Doris agreed, gazing thoughtfully down at her chum, “but I don’t feel like paying five hundred dollars to see the show.”

“That is a lot of money, but think what you will get eventually.”

“Yes, it is a tempting proposition and I have absolute confidence in the Misses Gates.”

“Then what is troubling you, Dory?”

“Oh, it seems to me Ronald Trent isn’t honest and I can’t understand why he is on such friendly terms with Henry Sully. Ugh! The more I see of the whole outfit the less I like them!”

“Same here! But you’ve practically given Ronald the money, haven’t you?”

“He hasn’t it yet, Kit, and the more I think about it, the more I’m inclined to change my mind.”

“But it may mean losing your inheritance.”

“I think I’ve a plan, Kit.”

“What is it?”

“Well, I’ll not get a bank draft at all, as Ronald suggested I do. Instead, I’ll write a letter to Jake and ask him to go to the Chilton bank and get the cash for me. I’ll have him bring it here to the mansion himself! Ronald can’t very well protest at that, and in the meantime perhaps we can learn more about him. How does that strike you?”

“Brilliant!” Kitty approved in admiration, “but why have Jake come with the money?”

“Oh, I thought he’d like it up here, as he used to work at Rumson. And for another thing, he might be able to help us. You never can tell what may turn up.”

“I agree with you!”

“Jake is a regular whiz at detecting schemes, Kit, and if anything is wrong here, he’s apt to find it out in a jiffy.”

“You always did have brains,” Kitty said admiringly. “How do you think of things like that?”

“Well, it took me several days,” Doris admitted with a laugh.

The morning passed rather slowly for the girls. They knew that Azalea was with the crippled child and Iris had gone to her room. They played several games of croquet, but it was dull sport when they were accustomed to tennis and golf. Wags seemed less entertaining than usual and presently wandered off toward the rear of the estate.

“Where did that dog go?” Kitty asked when they had finished their game.

“Back of the house somewhere. I’ll bet he’s into some mischief!”

“We’d better go after him,” Kitty suggested.

Dropping their croquet mallets, they leisurely made their way toward the rear of the mansion. Passing beneath the kitchen window they sniffed the appetizing odor of the cooking dinner and wished that it were time to eat. Though they disliked Cora Sully most heartily, they agreed that she was an excellent cook.

The girls had no intention of lingering by the kitchen window, but as they passed they were startled to hear a voice which they recognized as that of Henry. They would have paid no heed, but one sentence forced itself upon them.

“_If only we could git rid of her!_”

Involuntarily, Doris and Kitty halted and listened. They were not given to eavesdropping or to interfering in affairs which did not concern them, but the implied threat of violence assured them a sinister plot was in the brewing and they did not know but that they were destined to be the victims. What they heard next set them at rest on this score.

“If Etta was out of the way, then we could travel on some of that money Trent promised us from the oil land,” Henry muttered.

Kitty and Doris exchanged puzzled glances. Who was Etta? The question was answered for them as Cora began to talk.

“A cripple!” she complained. “What can you do tied to such a child? She’s nothing but a burden, anyway. It’s better if she’s put out of the way.”

“We’ll have to be careful,” Henry warned in a low voice. “Won’t do to git the old ladies suspicious. And we daren’t do anything rash till we git our hands on that paper.”

Doris and Kitty, now convinced that the two in the kitchen were disclosing important information, crept nearer the window.

“I don’t see where they keep it hid,” Cora returned sullenly. “I’ve looked the house over from top to bottom but I can’t find the paper anywhere. I know it’s here somewhere, probably in one of their desks, but they keep ’em locked and I haven’t been able to get the keys.”

The girls heard no more, for just then Henry, evidently fearing that some one might overhear the conversation, crossed over to the window and slammed it shut. Kitty and Doris pressed their bodies up close to the house, but they were in no danger of being discovered, for the man did not glance out.

Frightened at what they had learned, the girls moved swiftly away from the window.

“What next?” Kitty murmured when they were some distance away. “Why, they’re nothing but criminals! They mean to do away with that poor little crippled girl!”

“Not if we can prevent it!” Doris said grimly.

“What can we do?”

“We’ll keep close watch on them. There’s one thing certain. They won’t attempt to harm Etta until they get that paper they spoke of.”

“What do you think it can be?”

“Some kind of stock or deed, I imagine. We’ll speak to the Misses Gates about it at the first opportunity. And in the meantime, we mustn’t let on that we suspect anything!”