CHAPTER III
THE COMPLICATIONS
"Before I begin," said Mr. Ford, as he glanced over the papers thatlittered the table, "let me ask, has anything new come up about yourfriend Amy? Is she any nearer solving the mystery of her identity?"
"No," replied Betty.
"Then what occurred to-day?"
"Oh, it was that horrid Alice Jallow!" exclaimed Mollie. "Excuse me, Mr.Ford!" she cried, impulsively, "but I just can't help saying it."
"You are excused," he said, smiling.
By turns the girls told what had happened on the ice.
"Humph! Rather strange," mused the lawyer. "Quite a coincidence. I don'tbelieve I ever told you, Grace," and he looked at his daughter, "but, asa matter of fact, I am the principal owner of this lumber camp where yougirls may go."
"No, you never told me, Daddy."
"Well, I am. I bought it some time ago as an investment, but things wentwrong. I guess the right men didn't have charge. Neither the lumberbusiness, nor the leasing of camp sites and bungalows to Summervacationists and Fall hunters, paid. The matter got into the courts andI had myself named as receiver, so I could better look after myinterest. Now I don't know just what I am going to do, except that Iwant some one up there to see to things. If I can get Ted Franklin andhis wife I know it will be all right, and you girls will have a finetime with them.
"You can have a bungalow or a cabin or two to yourselves, if you like,and lay in enough provisions for all winter. It's on a branch of theArgono River," he went on, "and you can skate all the way to camp on theice, if you like. But we'll discuss the details later."
"What about the complications, Daddy?" asked Grace, laughing.
"I'm coming to them. Mr. Jallow, the father of your friend Alice----"
"She isn't our friend," said Grace, quickly.
"Well, anyhow, her father is mixed up in this lumber camp business. Heowns a lot of property next to mine, and he claims some that I thinkshould belong to me."
"He does?" cried Mollie. "That's just like the Jallows! Always takingwhat doesn't belong to them--even the reputation of other girls. Sheborrowed my botany a year ago and never returned it."
Mr. Ford smiled.
"I don't know anything about the girl Alice," he said, "but that Jallowis certainly a sharper, to be moderate. He and I will have a clash if hedoesn't look out!" and Mr. Ford's hands clenched.
"What about, Daddy?" asked Grace.
"Why, as I said, he claims some land that I think is mine. When I boughtthis lumber camp, and formed a company, with myself as the largeststockholder, I was given to understand that a certain tract, containingvaluable timber, went with my purchase. I had it surveyed, and Isupposed I had title to this big strip, that joins on some land Jallowowns.
"We didn't cut any trees on this strip for some years, and here thisFall, when we started in on it, Jallow stopped us by an injunction fromthe court."
"By what right?" asked Betty.
"Why, he claimed that valuable strip was his. I contested, of course,but it seems that there was a mix-up in the landmarks. Those by which Iwent, when I had my survey made, had disappeared, and others which wereaccepted by the court seemed to indicate that the land was Jallow's. ButI know better. I was there at the survey, and saw the marks. The troubleis that I couldn't prove it. My word alone was not enough, and thesurveyor, I am sorry to say, is dead."
"Then you can never prove it is your land, Daddy?"
"Well, if I could find an old lumberman--Paddy Malone he calledhimself--if I could find him, I might prove my case, for he was with meat the time, he and a couple of his friends, and he saw where the stakesand stone piles were. But Paddy seems to have disappeared."
"That's too bad!" exclaimed Mollie, sympathetically.
"Yes. Well, I may be able to do something later. I am sure the landmarkswere changed--if not by Jallow, by some one interested with him. Thestrip they claim, and which I say is mine, is the most valuable in thewoods. I wish I could establish title to it, but unless I can findPaddy, or some of his friends, I'm afraid I'll have to lose.
"That is the complication I spoke of. But it need not hinder you girlsfrom going to spend the winter in camp--or at least part of thewinter."
"Will there be any danger?" asked Grace, rather timidly.
"No, not at all. You won't be mixed up in the legal proceedings. Nothingwill be done, anyhow, until Spring. Then I'll see what can beaccomplished. I only want a legal representative in the camp, in caseJallow tries any more sharp tricks. He has won the first skirmish,however, so I don't believe he'll make another move until I do. It onlycomplicates matters, though.
"Now, if you girls think you'd like to go winter camping, why, say theword, find out if your folks will let you," and Mr. Ford looked atMollie and Betty, "and I'll arrange with Ted Franklin and his wife."
"Of course we'll go, Daddy!" cried Grace, dancing about the room. "Itwill be just lovely; won't it, girls?"
"Scrumptious!" agreed Mollie.
"I'm sure I can go!" declared Betty. "Now let's go tell poor Amy!"
"Yes, I think the change will do her good," said Mr. Ford, reflectively."Those Jallows--well, perhaps the least said about them the better."
Talking excitedly over the chance that had been offered to them, Grace,Mollie and Betty were soon on their way to the home of Amy Stonington.They found their chum in better spirits. The gloom of the day hadpassed, and she smiled, though wanly.
By common, though unspoken, consent, the little episode of the afternoonwas not referred to.
"But, oh! we've got the finest news!" cried Betty, enthusiastically."We're going winter camping! Think of that! Winter camping!"
"Tell me about it!" commanded Amy, her face brightening. And they toldher.
The description had been nearly finished, and from Mr. and Mrs.Stonington had been exacted a tentative promise that Amy could go if therest did, when the telephone bell rang.
"It's Will on the wire," said Amy to Grace. "He wants to speak to you."
"How did he know I was here?" asked Grace, as she took the receiver fromher chum. "Oh, papa must have told him. Yes, what is it, Will? What! Mr.Blackford there? And he has some strange news of his missing sister?Yes, you and he can come right over!"
She turned and gazed with startled eyes at her chums.
"I--I wonder if he has found her?" faltered Mollie.