The Mystery of the Emeralds

ever heard that name, and I know almost everyone around here.”
    “Well, it’s a strange coincidence”—Jim took up the story—“but this boy, who apparently is working at Rosewood Hall—well, he’s the same one Trixie and Honey met when they were talking with Miss Julie Sunderland in Croton.”
    “It doesn’t sound like a coincidence to me,” Mr. Carver replied. “Don’t you think he might be down here for the same reason you are?”
    “That’s what I think,” Trixie said, “but we can’t be sure, even though it looks awfully suspicious.”
    “Trixie thinks we should sort of watch and wait before we accuse him of having any ulterior motives,” Mart said.
    “That’s probably wise,” Mr. Carver agreed, “but if he’s connected with Jenkins in any way, I’d be on my guard. Now, let’s take a look at this paper. I can see that Trixie, at the moment, is more interested in it than she is in Jenkins.”
    “Does my curiosity show that plainly?” Trixie asked.
    “I’m afraid it does, my dear,” he replied with a warm smile, “so you read it right now and see if it’s what you’ve been looking for so diligently.”
    He handed the heart back to Trixie, who carefully removed the little square of paper from under the glass of the locket. There wasn’t a sound in the library as she unfolded it and read aloud. “‘Look in the secret passage between the Twin Houses, behind a brick marked with an X. May the charm of the necklace bring only good luck.’ ”
    All eyes turned to Mr. Carver, who sat as though stunned. Finally, looking up, he said, “Oh, Trixie, I hate to tell you this, but I’ve never heard of any secret passage between Rosewood Hall and Green Trees!”

A Bad Blow • 11

    THE COLOR drained out of Trixie’s face, and the only sound was the sharp intake of her breath and a low “Oh, no I” She walked slowly over to the sofa and sat down between Jim and Honey.
    Edgar Carver, perceiving how crushed she was, rolled his chair over to her as her brothers and Di gathered close around the divan.
    “Take heart, Trixie,” Mr. Carver said. “The fact that I am ignorant of any such passage doesn’t mean there isn’t one.”
    “But certainly you would have heard about it, wouldn’t you?” Trixie asked despairingly.
    “Not necessarily,” he answered. “You see, after the untimely death of my mother and father, I was raised by a succession of nurses and governesses who were hired by the executors of my father’s estate. The chances are that they would not have known anything about any such secret passage. And I was much too young to remember anything about it, even if I had been told by my father.”
    “And you haven’t any idea where it might be?” Trixie asked, grasping at straws.
    “I’m sorry, I don’t, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find it.” Mr. Carver was obviously trying to encourage her. “With all the Bob-Whites to help you,” he went on, almost tenderly, “and with your own talent for solving knotty problems, I’m sure you can work this one out, too.”
    The others tried to be just as reassuring, and it wasn’t long before Trixie, taking a deep breath, stood up and said in a confident voice, “All right. I’ll try, but we’ve just got to find something specific to work on.”
    “Such as?” Mart asked earnestly.
    “That’s a good question,” Trixie said ruefully. She thought a long minute and then went on. “Maybe if we go over all the facts we already have, something will occur to us. First, we have to assume there is a passage between the two houses, and, since it’s nowhere above the ground, it must be a tunnel. Right?”
    “Right!” Honey echoed. “And it must start on the side of Green Trees nearest Rosewood Hall. That would be this side of the house, and it would end up over there on the left, where Rosewood stood.”
    “Elementary, my dear Watson,” Jim chuckled. “And the chances are, its being a tunnel, that it is reached via the cellar, wouldn’t you say?”
    “Another brilliant deduction, Jim.” Brian applauded weakly.
    “Well, Green Trees has a cellar, all right,” Mr. Carver contributed, “but, you know, I’ve never in my whole life been in it. Perhaps you should have a look, although I know that when the house was being restored, the cellar was gone over very carefully. They wanted to be sure there weren’t any weak places in the foundations.”
    “They might have overlooked the entrance to the passage if it were