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

enster

en trees hid the grounds from view. The windows had been boarded up for years and most persons could not recall when the house had been occupied. It had fast fallen into decay. S

rvey the place from the front, then

if we're caught trespassi

turned, undisturbed. She rattled the back gate and was surprised to find it

Cara added with growing uneasin

to be so easil

ver easy as sca

meone shou

orst, we can only b

friend could not hope to duplicate. Still prot

vergrown rose garden. She saw a tiny cement pool, clogged with old dead leaves and st

med admiringly. "Let's see if

sisted. "I never could ma

he girls stood beside it. Upon the brass face appeared slightly raised R

after four o'clock

ra laughed. "You know sch

urately. That's because they're turned out at the factory and sent all over the countr

made," Cara acknowledged.

ld tell that her friend was eager to get away. Reluctantly, she ga

s that you saw your

where we're standing. Someone

y studied the ground. She paused

stirring it with the toe of her shoe. "I

I hope you don't think I

er who could have been diggi

e was burying

k her head

ple's yards to bury their pe

ptly. "Perhaps there's

hat only happens in story books. Cara,

t all. Anyway, I didn't wa

nable to tell whether or not anything had been buried. Cara displayed slight intere

t dig around in t

l, demanding to know wher

ush only a few feet away. "I f

t still on it. If it had been lying there long, it would be rusty. Cara, I'll wager

t was m

Madge went on reflectively. "Now what I can't understand is why anyon

on. She watched with hopeful interest as her friend began to turn up the loose ear

en here. And if anyone should find us diggi

then to Cara's wonderment, returned the spade to

uch pains?"

spade," Madge explained. "I'm curious to learn what there

e to go about it?" Cara

whoever was here last night didn't care to be observed.

will be conspicuous for my abs

t watch and flashed it

time it is? I mus

o see what secrets it guarded. It would be relatively simple to pry loose a board, but of course she

that the alley was deserted, climbed over. They walked thou

our hat," Madge advised. "If you do, we

planning any midnight visits to the mans

planning another trip to the old mansion, but

ump to hasty conclusions," she told herself, as she continued home.