The Mystery at Mead's Mountain

exposed area open to erosion. Look how some of the trees are already starting to lean over the roadway.”
    “Let’s put that into our notes for Mr. Wheeler,” Brian said.
    After Miss Trask had to slow down to negotiate another hairpin corner, she commented, “This road would be a lot safer if it were straightened out—” Before she could finish, a loud s-s-n-nap filled the air. While the others peered out their windows to locate the source of the sound, Miss Trask stepped on the gas, and the van lurched forward. Suddenly something brushed against the back of the van, and they looked back in time to witness a large tree crashing directly behind them, its outer branches actually touching the van.
    As the others gasped in horror, Miss Trask slammed on the brakes and pulled the van over to the side of the road. “Thank heavens for quick reflexes,” she said, trying to sound matter-of-fact. “I could tell that was coming, but I wasn’t sure I’d be able to react in time.”
    “You’re certainly more alert than any of us,” Honey breathed gratefully.
    “Come on, Brian,” said Jim. “Let’s get that thing off the road so cars can get through tomorrow.”
    Trixie, more wide-awake than she’d been for hours, grabbed a flashlight out of the glove compartment and got out of the van to take a look around. A gust of wind hit her in the face as she joined Jim and Brian near the fallen tree.
    “This is way too big for us to pull off the road,” Brian decided, taking the flashlight and running it down the length of the tree. “Pat’s going to have to get a chain saw down here. Wait till Mr. Wheeler hears about how far the erosion has gone.”
    “Just a minute,” Trixie whispered hoarsely. “Look at this.” She pointed to the trunk end of the tree.
    “It’s been sawed!” Jim exclaimed.
    Trixie shivered. “The note—the note said my life was in danger! Let me have that flashlight a minute.” She explored the area around the trunk and discovered a mass of footprints there in the snow.
    Miss Trask’s voice came to them through the blowing snow. “Do you need more help back there?”
    “We’ll be right there,” Jim called back.
    “Here’s a whole perfect footprint, and another,” Trixie said tensely. “They go off in this direction. Let’s follow them!”
    Miss Trask called again. “We must get back to the lodge before the storm gets worse.”
    “Whoever it was is long gone by now, Trixie,” Jim said. “Come on, we’re not doing any good standing around in the storm all night. Let’s not mention this -to Miss Trask for now. We don’t want to alarm her.” It was a silent group that traveled the rest of the way to the lodge. Trixie, deep in thought, again seemed to hear the wind singing its song.
    “I’m going to report the tree to Pat and Katie,” said
    Miss Trask as they got out of the van. “I’d advise the rest of you to skip your midnight swim and go right to bed.”
    Mart was the first to enter their suite Just inside the door, he stooped to pick up something from the floor, nearly causing Trixie to tumble directly over his back. “What are you doing, Mart?” she complained. “Trying to' make me break my leg?”
    Mart turned and gave her a peculiar look. “We’d all be a lot safer if you did,” he said.
    “What in the world are you talking about?”
    “Would you like to tell us what you and Brian and Jim found in the woods?” Mart countered.
    “That falling tree was no accident,” admitted Jim. “It had been sawed through and pushed over as we went by.”
    “That’s about what I expected,” said Mart grimly. He held out a folded piece of white paper. “It’s got your name on it, Trixie.”
    Trixie took the note and read the by now familiar red block letters:

    NEXT TIME I WON'T MISS
    T.L.M.

    “Oh, no,” Honey gulped. She jumped up and hugged Trixie. “What are we going to do?”
    Mart shook his head. “If Miss Trask knew about this, she’d have us packed up and on the next flight out of here.”
    “I’ve been thinking about that,” Brian spoke up. “If Trixie really is in danger, Miss Trask should know.
    Especially since we don’t have any idea who T.L.M. might be.”
    “Brian, I am not in any real danger,” said Trixie stubbornly. “Someone is just trying to distract us from the moonshining or whatever is going on here. And don’t you dare mention that to Miss Trask. You’ll worry her to death, and we’ll never get to the bottom of this.