The Manor House School

lot T

rnoon along the picture gallery to take another look at it. There were the pretty smiling face-so like Monica's-and the bunch of red roses that had saved

some use again!" sighed Lindsay. "She o

ke her speak and te

and a great gust of wind blew along

she exclaimed. "The pict

said Lindsay, who had be

l you

have ima

ere all firmly fixed in the panelled walls, and no bre

just when we were wishing she could talk! No wonder peopl

Lindsay scornfully. "You

me so. I'm not going to stay here any l

ave too much of a good thing. It was a distinct relief to her to leave the gloomy old gallery, with its armour and tapestry, and walk out into the fresh

use used to be that Sir Piers w

re say. The river runs somewher

if there

end of the orchard. I saw Sc

we go a

rig

the adventure more interesting. They ascertained first that Scott was safely attending to his tomatoes in the greenhouse, then they

there, hidden by those

aid Cicely, looking nervously at

You're surely not

bank was covered with reeds and rushes. Tall purple flowers were growing on a green, boggy island

because we have it all to

found!" exclaimed

der the branches of a big willow to a smooth little pool, where there ac

ers on the prow. It came quite easily to the edge of the bank when Lindsay pulled the chain, and seemed delibera

I'm sure I could punt us out o

ould find some water-lilies,"

n. It was wound tightly round the tre

thout a thought of the consequences she bounce

squeals, and both girls were floundering in the water. Luckily the pool was shallow, and they were in no danger

cely blankly, trying to wrin

things," replied Lindsay. "We shall

will Miss F

cted, dripping figures came creeping along the terrace. If they had hoped to reach the sid

en? Come at once into the house and change your clothes. You give more trouble than a

recreation for the whole of the next day. This seemed only a very small circumstance i

n their best handwriting. It was trying, certainly, particularly as the other girls were playing a tennis handicap, and they could hear the soft thud of balls, and the cries o

the lawn. The classroom was at the back of the house, and overlooked a small paved courtyard. Below, on a wooden bench in the sunshine, sat Scott, leisurely

ews of the tennis players, when they suddenly changed their intention. Mrs. Wilson had appeared in the porch. S

n, then, throwing down his blacking brush, he crossed the courtyard to speak to her.

ning," he began. "It had best be done a

"but I'll come with you to make sure. You'll

t's a job that will need some caution. We

quiet," said Mrs. Wilson, a

s rows of boots on the bench. She did not wish him, at any cost, to see

ng to do?" asked C

something dreadful if they

t in the

ive voice. "I expect they've stolen the treasure, and they're going to hide it in the

they've killed hi

night, and find out what they're about. I shouldn't wonder if we're on the verge of a great discovery. It was most fortunat

at the idea of the black doings which it

low them in the dark," she sai

s on us. Monica may be in the greatest danger, and we are the o

unt of the tournament, so preparation followed immediately afterwards, and Lindsay and Cicely were obliged, with thei

h whether Mrs. Wilson and Scott were really going to meet in the garden to carry out some fell intention. The t

n't begin until it's dark, so they can't have

after we're in bed," said Cicely. "I don't se

nfidently. "I have a kind of feeling tha

pering about?" asked N

a joke o

en; "you're always looking at each other and making

utler. "You and I used to be friends, b

worth telling," declared

y afterwards. "We don't want the others to hear,

thing to be found out, I'd rat

-open eyes, watching the room grow darker and darker. When the wardrobe and the chest of drawers and the washstand had at last all merged together into

! There's a light m

senses, but when she realized the nature of the

on and Scott?" s

't tell. Be quick! We must go at

nd tiptoed downstairs to the side door. The servants

or Miss Frazer!" shivered Cicely, wi

t. They're both safe

ross the lawn. It was a cloudy night, with neither moon nor stars in the sky. The outline

shrubbery towards the arbour," said Lind

Cicely, as a faint glea

"not to disturb them on any account. We must

o much as a leaf. They were close now to the lantern. They could see

Mrs. Wilson who were in the shrubbery below. Every now and then a glint of light revealed their faces unmistakably. They were talking together in low tones, unfortunately too

" breathed Cicely into Lindsay's ear.

heavier," whispered Lindsay, tryin

silver

anything in t

Not a

held her tightly by the hand. The fear that old Sir Giles Courte

sure. We must notice exactl

ter view of the proceedings, but as she d

RTUNATE

t's

in "The Griffin's

growl in rep

k, anyhow," came

ight towards the oak where the two girls were hiding. Nearly paralysed with fear, they did not dare to run

ack. The latter was not quite prepared for the sudden movement, the ground was uneven, she swayed, clutched violently

a cry of consternation. In the suddenness of his dismay, the la

ed anyhow through bushes and over flower-beds, scratching their faces on overhanging boughs, and tearing their dresses o

, and he must have given up the chase. The door was still unbolted, and they hurried breathlessly upstairs, luckily meeting nobody on the way. What

n Lindsay, when they were once more co

noticed who we wer

to catch a glimpse of our face

l that they wanted to keep secret, he looke

is that now they find they've been discovered,

e fell just at

oice was v

indsay. "If Scott recognized us, he and Mrs. Wilson will know we're watching them. They'll

re its accustomed aspect of grim inscrutability. If she connected them with last night's happenings, she certainly did not betray the

nce with the scene of their adventure. Somebody had plainly been digging in the ban

ng here?" said Cicely wistfully, po

sack to some safer spot. Even the very stupidest persons wouldn't have gone on burying valuables

ess where they'd put

est in abeyance. It needed courage to risk the anger of Mrs. Wilson and Scott if they were once more caught meddling. It had seem

ss Russell," said Cicely, who occasionally had uneas

nonsense on our part, like grown-up people generally do. And how could we prove we were right? Miss Russell would tell us to mind our own