The Secret of the Sundial / Madge Sterling Series, #3

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would not allow Madge to escape without relating all there was to know

d. "Of course, it was a wild shot in the dark, for I never dreamed he could tell me. Wel

Tell me wh

dity. Anyway, Miss Swenster took him from an orphan's home. She gave him every adv

a lot of her money went

other. Then one day he up and forged a check for over a thousand dollars! Uncle George was a directo

d aghast a

ey send him

the person whose name had been used, agreed not to prosecute. Her son

" Cara mused. "And when she was having financial troubles of

d, getting up from the steps. "I must dash home n

next. Their evenings were spent cramming for month-end examinations

nth of October, the Swenster mansion and all its furniture would be sold at public auction. It remi

, fall day, the first really cold one of the season. Madge's eyes were

uding from her friend's sweater pocket: "Ha! I'll bet a cent it's from tha

ng furiously. "Jack has more import

u know you like him. That's why you'll not e

k. Why shouldn't I? H

as Cara burst forth in a g

Store last night lapping up a soda and listening moon-eyed while Fred King gave a ru

listener," Cara said cheerf

ss Swenster was delighted to see them again for she had begu

today, everything will be turned topsy-turvy si

ed that she was hiding her real feelings. In little ways, more by look and gest

ich Miss Swenster declared unnecessary. However, the girls arm

iss Swenster. "This may be our last chance to search

that you'll locate them. As I said before, I fear

ooked," Madge said, "and that's

ut the old furniture is still there. The pieces are really

the stairway, when Miss S

ght I heard a noise in the garden. I went to the window

u afraid?"

ous. I can't imagine what he can be after. I

stairs to the attic. It was a large, roomy affair

rushed against a cobweb. "I

n to dig into things. Madge discovered a Paisley shawl which she insisted was a treasure and Cara found a beautiful wov

girls returned to the living

the coverlet. "My grandmother wove that spread herself. And the shawl was brought over to this country

u?" Madg

that I'll not have places to store them. I know! You girls must acc

promising they would take good care of them. Both were proud to own such treasures. They were eager to return h

Nevertheless, they went about it in business-like fas

e inquired, not wishing to rep

ss Swenster returned with o

e where John Swenster's picture had hung. A bright square of wallpap

he did with it?"

her lips in mute warning that Miss Swens

cted her attention to the bookcases while Madge made an attack upon the paneled mahogany desk. Sh

er amazement, the panel dropped