The Indian Burial Ground Mystery

pads or pencils in the little room. Quickly turning
the book over, she saw a name on the front: Edward
Palmer.
    Then she remembered who Edward Palmer was. She’d learned about him in
history class. He was a Tory spy who’d been hung on Gallows Hill, right near
Sleepyside, in 1777. Since the diary entry was dated January 3, 1777, Palmer
had probably been caught and hanged some time after that. It was impossible to
know if he had ever returned to the cave to get his gold. That meant the gold
might still be buried—and someone besides Trixie Belden knew about it, too!
    I’ll just run over to the library, Trixie
thought. I’m sure the librarian will lend me some paper and a pencil.
It’ll only take me a minute.
    Pushing the chair back with a loud scrape, Trixie threw open the door to
the archive room. She dashed up the dimly lit staircase that led to the main
floor.



7 * The Stolen Clue
     
    Trixie managed to get
to the front door without being seen by Jake Hanson. She knew that if Mr.
Hanson were to see her leaving, he’d lock the door, and she’d have to waste
time trying to get him to let her back inside. Since it was almost closing
time, he might not let her in at all. Then the map and the diary would have to
wait until tomorrow afternoon —and that might be too late.
    Trixie dashed out of the building and broke into a run. After the
darkness of the archive room, her eyes needed to adjust to the sunlight. As
they did, she saw a yellow Volkswagen parked at the curb in front of the
building. Hearing the clatter of Trixie’s shoes on the pavement, the man in the
car looked up. It was Harry!
    Trixie gasped. What was Harry doing at the Historical Society? She’d
thought that Charles was the one who was interested in the archives. Then she
remembered something— both men were interested in historical materials. That
was what their conversation in the woods was all about—a map! A treasure map,
in all likelihood.
    The afternoon sun glancing into the car window made it hard for the man
inside to see her. He narrowed his eyes to a squint, then a shock of
recognition flickered across his face. With a sharp scowl, Harry started the
engine of the car, and swiftly drove around the corner and out of sight.
    I wonder what his problem is, Trixie
thought. Why is he upset to see me? The map —maybe he knows I found the
map! Oh, brother. I’d better hurry and make a copy of that map. Then I’ll hide
the book somewhere on the shelves.
    Trixie ran the fifty yards to the library and practically dragged Honey
from her chair.
    “What are you doing?” Honey gasped, her voice a whispered protest.
    “Quick,” Trixie panted, trying to get her breath, “do you have a pencil
and a piece of paper?”
    “No,” Honey said. “What’s the matter? Why are you pulling on me so
hard?”
    “You’ll see in a minute, but I haven’t got time to explain now. Please
try to borrow a pencil and paper from the librarian. I have to get back to the
archive room.”
    Honey quickly did as Trixie asked, but she was confused. Trixie was
already at the door when Honey caught up with her.
    Out on the sidewalk, Trixie started running, and Honey had to run to
keep up with her.
    “This had better be good,” Honey gasped as the two girls went down the
stairs to the archive room.
    “It is,” Trixie answered with a sly smile. “I just want it to be a
surprise.”
    But what a surprise Trixie had waiting for her when she opened the door
to the room. The table was bare, and the little leather-bound book was gone.
    “It was right here!” Trixie cried. “I left it here not five minutes
ago.”
    “What was right here, Trixie?” Honey asked in an
exasperated tone. “Now will you please tell me what’s going on?”
    “The diary and the map,” Trixie moaned. “Wait! Maybe someone put it back
on the shelves.”
    “What diary? What map?” Honey asked, watching Trixie race madly around
the room, running her fingers across the backs of all the books.
    “Edward Palmer’s diary, of course,” Trixie answered, slightly
distracted. “And the map showing where he buried his treasure.”
    “Run that by me one more time, Trixie Belden,” Honey said. “You found a
diary and a treasure map?”
    “That’s exactly what I found,” Trixie said, turning to face her friend.
“Hey, wait a minute. That yellow pad wasn’t on the chair when I was here
before. Someone must have come down while I was at the library.”
    Suddenly there was a loud banging