The Marshland Mystery

sale.
    “You are all dear, dear children,” she told them with a little catch in her voice, “and I know the sale will be very successful.”
    “My mother will be here,” Di said as she spread out the lunch on Miss Rachel’s kitchen table. “She adores antiques.”
    “Mine, too, I suspect.” Honey laughed and added, “And most of the ladies of the Arts Club—all looking for bargains.”
    “Which they won’t get,” Jim grinned. “Now that I’ve seen what’s here, I can just about guarantee that, instead of hundreds of dollars, you’ll have a couple of thousand by the time the day’s over.”
    “Oh, I hope so,” Miss Rachel said breathlessly.
    They all silently echoed her words.
     
    When they dismounted at the Wheeler stable a little later, they found Gaye waiting for them. She ran to meet them, shouting, “Did you find the miser’s gold? Where did he hide it? Let me see, right now!”
    Trixie slipped out of her saddle. “We didn’t go looking for anybody's gold, because we know there couldn’t possibly be any! We didn’t even go near the old ruins!”
    “I don’t believe you!” Gaye frowned.
    “We did bring you something, though,” Honey said with a smile, holding out a bouquet of sweet violets to Gaye. “Miss Rachel picked the very best of her flowers for you.”
    The scowl faded as Gaye put out her hand to take the violets. “Th-Thank you, Honey,” she said gravely. “They are very pretty.” Then she turned away and went toward the house, carrying the flowers carefully in both hands.
    “I really believe something touched that little heart of stone,” Mart said, “at last.”
    Trixie sighed. “I wish she’d quit talking about that hidden gold. First thing you know, I’ll believe it myself and probably break my fool neck climbing around that silly place looking for it!” She looked away thoughtfully.
    Honey stared at her. She knew Trixie. “Don’t you dare try it!” she said severely.
    Trixie laughed. “I was talking to myself. Please excuse!”
    “Well, tell yourself something else, dreamer—like Moms is probably fit to be tied right now. I heard her make a date at the beauty parlor for this afternoon at three, and if you don’t get home to take Bobby off her hands, there’s going to be one wrecked beauty parlor in Sleepyside!” Mart pointed an accusing finger at her.
    “Gleeps! Thanks for reminding me!” And she dashed into the stable, dragging patient Susie after her.
     

Complications • 20
     
    GETTING READY for the sale turned out to be a lot more work than any of the Bob-Whites had thought it would be. There were the old trunks to go through, discarded things to dispose of for Miss Rachel, and a great deal of packing. In addition, the furniture that was to be sold had to be polished and gotten into the best condition possible. And the posters had to be finished.
    They had only two or three evenings free to go out there and lend a hand as a group, but Trixie managed to wheedle Brian into taking her almost every evening. Sometimes they picked up Di to go along; sometimes it was Honey who was free. And they all worked hard.
    Finally it was Friday night, and everything seemed ready for the big day to come. They were exhausted. Trixie sat down by the rosewood desk and looked at the dragon box with loving eyes. “Somebody will buy you, my lovely monster,” she said, patting the top dragon fondly. “I hope he likes you as much as I do.”
    “Loopy! That’s what my sister is,” Mart’s voice came from the kitchen doorway. “Talks to dragons. Can’t tell me she isn’t a witch!”
    Trixie made a face at him, lifted the heavy box down to the flat surface of the desk, and started to lower the desk lid. The lid slipped from her fingers and banged down hard on the base. Then she caught her breath. “Mart, come quick! Look!”
    With a slight scraping noise, a small door swung out from the carved side of the desk. Until that moment, the carving had shown no crack, but now a whole section of the pattern came open. “It’s a secret door!” Trixie exclaimed.
    “Concealing diamonds and pearls, I hope!” Di exclaimed as she and the others hurried in to see what had made Trixie call out.
    But when the door was opened to its full width, the only thing visible inside the compartment was a thin packet of letters in yellowed envelopes with strange, foreign stamps on them. Silk cord tied the packet, and an ancient twig of some sort of scented wood was caught in