Hour of Enchantment / A Mystery Story for Girls

Jensie Crider's eyes were big with wonder as she vent

o her feet, the little French girl walked

e sadness in the little mountain girl's tone. "I've seen some mounta

is in bloom," sh

d looking far back into her deep, mysterious eyes. "If

rndest!" Jensie laughe

me one moment. The next there were clouds and rain. "All right, little

nto a chair b

insisted upon helping her, so together, on hands and knees, they

the great one, Abraham Lincoln, who with all his greatness was so simple and kind, sat for long hours dreaming of the

. "Then the girl was gone forever, and

reat Lincoln, and I am only

. "Perhaps I might make people understand and love him more if I cou

e whispered. Her voice was deep an

side. "The floor is done. We're going to have hot choco

oor to the back of the room. As she tur

with a shudder. "It's stil

king at a tall-backed organ standing against the wall. The moonlight fal

Spooky

eat to the narrow circle ma

ment later. With the light of the fire in her eyes

Bihari the gypsy and his good wife, she had stolen away to the mountai

e tiny flowers were blooming gaily. There, too, th

ch simple and kindly people as those who had he

stone fireplaces. At night they had tucked her away in a corner and piled her h

e ready to journey onward, they had crowded round to pres

Jensie lives," she whispered. "

en the dogwood is in bloom on Big Black Mountain. Jensi

broke in. "Come! The hot ch

indeed a time of glorious fellowship, a thing ha

ledge sang those strange religious songs that people of those times loved

an overflo

way. Our li

ale, a mor

d withered

light about the narrow semicircle. Jeanne's soul was like a deep pool; it reflected all that ca

r mellow voi

he measure

ker of

vey life's

n how fr

" she whispered. "Is

of the moment. "And sometimes Ann Rutledge sat before that ta

om came the Dong! Dong! of the ancient clock striking the hour. "This

ng, stiff with sudden emotion. From the far corner where the dark

nge, a wild, weird something, perhaps from the pas

inutes. And in all that time n

ce found her courage returning. "I'm going to

nd knees, she disap

be?" Jeanne whis

Jensie's words we

ce until with a start Jeanne

sprang t

stood b

who w

's face was strange.

ie reminded Jeanne. "I to

at do y

s in the mountains. There are good haunts and bad haunt

of the place in silence, locked the door be

* *

r Florence had retired, Jeanne

Lake Michigan's waters, where dim, in

world!" she told herself. "S

e saw it all as in a dream: the auction house, the mysterious chest, the fire on

und him and has that precious knife back,"

he saw their room in wild confu

onder if I should? And should I leave it there any longer? The mandarin said they were worth ma

xpect to find them. And as for Florence, the things you d

oes and staring away at that one y

at last. "Why did I say 'yes'? How can I

make a success of that picture when every one believes it is to

ed across the floor and at la