The Marshland Mystery

accompaniment of Mr. Poo’s excited barks.
    It took Sergeant Rooney only a minute to drag the pin out of the hasp that held the barn door secure, and then he flung open the door. Gaye came stumbling out, followed by the joyfully barking puppy.
    Trixie heard Miss Rachel catch her breath suddenly and cry out softly, “Emily!” And when Trixie turned to look at her, the little old lady had buried her face in her hands and was sobbing pathetically.
    Emily again! Trixie thought, puzzled. She looked back quickly toward Gaye, who was now clasped in Miss Crandall’s arms, crying loudly. There was something about Gaye’s appearance that didn’t seem just right. It puzzled Trixie for a second, until she realized that the child was wearing a frivolous little lace-trimmed white dress made in the style of forty years ago. It was at least a couple of sizes too large for her. Trixie remembered seeing a dress like that on a picture of some Belden, in a snapshot album in the farmhouse attic.
    “Now, how did she get hold of that outfit?” Trixie wondered.
    The answer came to her suddenly. The little imp had gotten into one of those old trunks up in the barn loft and helped herself! She had probably been hiding up there while Trixie was searching for her and had deliberately kept quiet, hoping it would worry Trixie.
    And now, Trixie thought disgustedly, she was acting for all her worth, looking pathetic as she leaned against her aunt’s shoulder and pointed at Miss Rachel accusingly. “She locked me in her barn!” she wailed. “I was scared!”
    “Well, you’re out now, kid,” Paul Trent assured her, with a scowl toward Miss Rachel, “and we'll see she doesn’t get her hands on you again!”
    That was too much for Trixie. She stormed over to confront Gaye accusingly. The others, even Jim and Brian, looked surprised.
    Blue eyes flashing with anger, Trixie told Gaye loudly, “You’re just putting if on, Gaye Hunya! I happen to know you were hiding in the barn. And when I came to look for you, you scrunched down in the loft and kept Mr. Poo quiet so I wouldn’t know you were there!”
    Gaye pushed Aunt Della’s arms away and glared at her accuser. “I hate you!” she yelled. “You ran away and left me, when you promised I could go with you!”
    Paul Trent scowled at Trixie. “Let the kid alone. Can’t you see she’s had a bad time? What are you trying to do?”
    “Get her to tell the truth!” Trixie flashed. “Miss Martin didn’t lock her in purposely. She didn’t even know Gaye was in the barn!”
    “She did, too!” Gaye shouted, starting to cry again. “You’re not telling the truth,” Trixie said flatly.
    “That’s enough, Trixie!” Sergeant Rooney sounded very stern. “I think I’d better have a talk with Miss Martin.”
    But when he brought Miss Rachel over to them a couple of minutes later, he was at ease.
    Gaye was still sniffling and trying to look tragic, but this time the sergeant only smiled at her and then turned to Miss Crandall. “I think we’d better get her back to the Wheelers’, Miss Crandall. She’s a little mixed-up. I think the truth is that she fell sleep in the loft after Trixie went out, and when she woke up, Miss Rachel was locking up for the night. I don’t know, Gaye, why you didn’t let Miss Rachel know that you were there, unless it was because you had opened one of those trunks that didn’t belong to you. Was that it?”
    Gaye scowled at him and hung her head. Miss Crandall frowned. “Is that where you got that awful outfit?
    Where are your decent clothes?”
    Gaye sniffled. She nodded toward the barn and answered meekly, “Up in that balcony or whatever it is. I was wet and cold, and I didn’t think anybody would mind if I put on some dry things nobody was using.”
    “It’s all right,” Miss Rachel said with a little smile. “I’m glad you could use it, child. And I wish you and your friends would come in for a cup of my hot mint tea. It would warm you all up for your trip home.”
    “No, thanks,” Miss Crandall said stiffly. “As soon as the dress is laundered, Gaye will return it, with her apologies, and pick up her own clothing.” She snatched Gaye’s hand. “Come along, now. We’ll discuss your misbehavior later.”
    Trixie expected yells from the little girl as Miss Crandall led her away, but Gaye went along meekly.
    Trent sullenly watched them go but made no effort to follow them. Sergeant Rooney clapped him on the shoulder