CHAPTER XIX UNDER THE WINDOW
"This mansion surely is queer, that's all I can say," Kitty declaredfeelingly as she and Doris, followed by Wags, walked slowly down towardthe front entrance. "One minute I want to rush right away and then againI like to be here just to see what will turn up next."
"I feel the same way," Doris agreed, gazing thoughtfully down at herchum, "but I don't feel like paying five hundred dollars to see theshow."
"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 theMisses Gates."
"Then what is troubling you, Dory?"
"Oh, it seems to me Ronald Trent isn't honest and I can't understand whyhe is on such friendly terms with Henry Sully. Ugh! The more I see of thewhole 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'minclined 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 Chiltonbank and get the cash for me. I'll have him bring it here to the mansionhimself! Ronald can't very well protest at that, and in the meantimeperhaps we can learn more about him. How does that strike you?"
"Brilliant!" Kitty approved in admiration, "but why have Jake come withthe money?"
"Oh, I thought he'd like it up here, as he used to work at Rumson. Andfor another thing, he might be able to help us. You never can tell whatmay turn up."
"I agree with you!"
"Jake is a regular whiz at detecting schemes, Kit, and if anything iswrong here, he's apt to find it out in a jiffy."
"You always did have brains," Kitty said admiringly. "How do you think ofthings 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 waswith the crippled child and Iris had gone to her room. They playedseveral games of croquet, but it was dull sport when they were accustomedto tennis and golf. Wags seemed less entertaining than usual andpresently 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 therear of the mansion. Passing beneath the kitchen window they sniffed theappetizing odor of the cooking dinner and wished that it were time toeat. Though they disliked Cora Sully most heartily, they agreed that shewas an excellent cook.
The girls had no intention of lingering by the kitchen window, but asthey passed they were startled to hear a voice which they recognized asthat of Henry. They would have paid no heed, but one sentence forceditself upon them.
"_If only we could git rid of her!_"
Involuntarily, Doris and Kitty halted and listened. They were not givento eavesdropping or to interfering in affairs which did not concern them,but the implied threat of violence assured them a sinister plot was inthe brewing and they did not know but that they were destined to be thevictims. 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 moneyTrent promised us from the oil land," Henry muttered.
Kitty and Doris exchanged puzzled glances. Who was Etta? The question wasanswered for them as Cora began to talk.
"A cripple!" she complained. "What can you do tied to such a child? She'snothing 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 gitthe old ladies suspicious. And we daren't do anything rash till we gitour hands on that paper."
Doris and Kitty, now convinced that the two in the kitchen weredisclosing important information, crept nearer the window.
"I don't see where they keep it hid," Cora returned sullenly. "I'velooked the house over from top to bottom but I can't find the paperanywhere. I know it's here somewhere, probably in one of their desks, butthey 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 someone might overhear the conversation, crossed over to the window andslammed it shut. Kitty and Doris pressed their bodies up close to thehouse, but they were in no danger of being discovered, for the man didnot glance out.
Frightened at what they had learned, the girls moved swiftly away fromthe 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 littlecrippled 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'tattempt 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 Gatesabout it at the first opportunity. And in the meantime, we mustn't let onthat we suspect anything!"