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

ret Com

psing into comic-strip slang as she always

as staring wide-eyed at the secre

ide!" she cried. "Oh,

brightened as she felt something not unlike a leathe

disappointment. "It's

ch to expect that we'd find the pearls. I suppose Miss S

nster answered from the kitchen, and later en

her the diary. "I must have touched a hidden spring wh

the desk, her face showing that

ompartment," she said. "This desk bel

y have been hers t

uickly ran through the yellowed pages. The

am sure of it. I have seen her w

er diary in such a stra

nster returned. "Florence was a queer one in a good many ways tho

l, hearing it click as it went firmly into place.

. "I know about where my hand

loring its surface. At first she had no better success, then her finger

eways pressure,

had learned the secret. In the meantime, Madge had

have written anything i

e had thought the search for the pearls only a useless, amusing whim of the

d. "If Florence had any secrets to

ention to return home early, they dropped down on the black plush settee and

iously studied out several paragraphs which were disappointingly trite. Florence had rec

d when they happened upon the first not

ght when I wore the pearls to the A

squeal of delight a

really did exist. The necklace wasn

ls what became

st to reward their patience. Then they turned a page and read a brief item

e is ingratiating herself with father, h

hings," Cara observed. "From all that we

n the diary; She gazed at h

e last notation. See a

ecame interesti

re are a few more paragraphs

ara leaned closer as they came

r died

ed at the notation, trying to mak

thing like that? Not a word of his sickness or any

as too moved a

tfully. "I'd quicker think she

tudy to say that luncheon was ready. The girls sprang gu

em, smiling. "I've already telephoned to y

fine luncheon. However, they were so excited over the diary that had they eaten bread and milk, they would no

t," Cara laughed. "Oh, I'm just sure Floren

o carry her away, but her cheeks were flushed and her eyes brighter than the gi

see them," she said. "But, oh! What

anced at her with

ould you do?

ff that sale. I'd get a gardener again and have this place res

y how deep was her feeling for the old mansion. She had arranged her sal

ver give up until the pearls were found. Surely,

ey had stacked them away, they hurried back to t

d," Madge warned. "Hold

k pages, and then in an

d not surprise me greatly. I am determined she never shall wear them! If I ca

breathed.

le George into my confidence and he has sworn that he will never t

n! Go

he end of

ast she managed to get the page turned over, but

that told about the pe