CONCLUSION
THE next morning after breakfast, the girls, bundled in furs, left the
house for their ride to Treasureholme. Mr. Stuart had done what he could
by telephone, but had not yet gone downtown, for there was nothing
further to be accomplished until the opening of the market. Just before
he helped the girls into the car he thrust a finger into his vest pocket
and said:
"I almost forgot. The men at the garage found this in the bottom of the
car. I think it's your lost memorandum, Barbara."
"Oh, thank you! I'm so glad!" cried Bab.
"Ruth," said Barbara, after the girls had reached the outskirts of the
city, "do you think there really is a hidden treasure and if we could
find it your father----"
"I haven't much faith in the treasure, and if one should come to light,
it would be Mr. Presby's and not father's."
"Mr. Presby would use it to help himself, and that would draw your
father out, too."
"Bab, you ought to be on the Exchange; you'd make a good trader,"
laughed Ruth. Then she went on: "No, Bab, I'm afraid we'll lose all we
have. I don't care for myself. I can be poor, just as daddy and my
mother were once. But I grieve for father."
"Ruth, darling," whispered Bab.
On their arrival at Treasureholme the girls found that Mr. Stuart had
telephoned to Miss Sallie about what Bab had tried to do for her two
hosts. The girls tried to make a heroine of her, but she steadfastly
refused to think she had done anything extraordinary.
When Barbara was finally alone in her room she drew out of her pocket
the slip of yellow paper, spread it on her lap and regarded it intently.
"'The span of a minute is sixty seconds,'" she read. "What can that
mean?"
She got up and paced the floor thinking deeply, trying to solve the
meaning. She at last went to a window and spread the paper on the pane
for the purpose of getting a better light on it. Her gaze, at first
careless, suddenly became keen. All at once she whirled about and dashed
from the room.
"Girls, I have it!" she screamed, bursting in on the others, who were in
Ruth's room. "I've solved the mystery! I've found the key! We must get
Mr. Stevens! We mustn't lose a minute! Everything's at stake!"
"What is it, Bab? Are you certain?" demanded Grace, springing to her
feet.
"Oh, I can't tell you now! Let's get Mr. Stevens, can't we?"
"Mr. A. Bubble!" cried Ruth, and flew from the room.
The girls rushed pell-mell for the car, dragging Miss Stuart with them,
none knowing what Bab had in mind, but all eager and excited. Ruth drove
at top speed, and the girls burst in on Bob Stevens whom they found in
his shop.
"See this!" cried Bab, holding the bit of paper out to the young man.
"Put it against the window." He did so wonderingly, then turned and
looked at the girls. "What did you see?" demanded Bab impatiently.
Bob had seen a line drawn from the top of a toadstool extending to the
right. At the end of the line was the sign "60".
"What do those little marks after the sixty mean?" demanded Bab.
"On building plans they would mean inches. Expressing time, they would
indicate seconds."
"You have it! If we face the woods and start to measure from the top of
the 'toadstool,' that undoubtedly represents the mound under which lies
the big chief, and measure off 'sixty seconds' which means sixty inches,
or five feet, we'll find the treasure."
No one stopped to question the probability of Barbara's deductions. Bob
summoned a man who worked for him, sent a boy to get two more from
Treasureholme, and, taking picks, shovels, and a coil of rope, drove off
with the girls in Mr. A. Bubble as fast as they could go to the Indian
burying ground. It was nearly dark when they reached there and sprang
from the car, neither Bab nor Bob waiting for it to come to a full stop.
"William, bring me something I can drive in here for a marker," Bob
called to his man who was hurrying toward them from the direction of the
woods.
"There's a fellow over there in the woods," announced William. "He was
kind of hiding."
"Never mind that. Let's get to work here."
The two hands from Treasureholme arrived, and, the measurements having
been taken, the men set to digging. Lanterns had been brought and when
dark fell these were lighted and held by the girls.
In an hour's time the men had opened a hole six feet deep, as broad at
the top, narrowing toward the bottom.
"It begins to look dubious," said Bob. "Say, Barbara, we'll try another
way!"
Following Bob's directions, Bab placed one end of the steel tape in the
middle of the big mound and again the exact distance was measured. Bob
took the stake that William had brought up to measure with and drove it
with the back of his shovel little by little down in the exact center of
the hole he had dug. He had forced the stake down about three feet when
he uttered an exclamation.
"What is it?" cried the girls in chorus.
"Maybe a stone. I hardly think it is," and he began to dig frantically.
In a few moments came the shout: "I've struck metal! There is something
here!"
The girls danced with impatience, but a half hour went by before the men
unearthed an iron box with bands of the same material about it and the
cover soldered to the box to make it air tight.
Bab put her arms about Ruth and whispered:
"It will be all right now, Ruth. Oh, I'm so glad!" while the other girls
laughed and shouted in their excitement.
It was the work of another half hour before the four men got a rope
around the heavy box and, by the aid of the automobile, drew it out of
the deep hole, after which, with great labor, it was got into the car.
Once at the house, it was left to Mrs. Presby, as the representative of
the family, to say what should be done with the chest.
"Open it," was the command.
This was not easily done, but when the work was finally accomplished,
what a sight met their eyes!
There was at least a bushel of gold coins. There was valuable family
plate. In a sealed receptacle they found a quantity of jewels and a
bundle of papers. The papers Mrs. Presby put away until her husband
should have an opportunity to go over them.
"There's a fortune here. I think Treasureholme need not be lost now,"
said Stevens.
"It comes too late," said Mrs. Presby bitterly. "Mr. Presby telephoned
me after the close of the market that to-morrow would end all, as he and
Robert could not meet their obligations when it opened in the morning."
"To-morrow morning!" exclaimed Bab. "Then we must get this treasure to
them to-night! We must do it some way!"
"Impossible," said Olive.
"No, it's not!" declared Ruth. "I'll take the chest to Chicago in the
car."
"But it's nearly midnight, Ruth. You can't do it," protested Mrs.
Presby.
There was little time for discussion and objection, and in the end the
chest was again loaded into the car and the four "Automobile Girls" and
Bob Stevens set off for Chicago, Miss Sallie promising to telephone to
Mr. Stuart that the girls were on their way.
It was a wild midnight ride into Chicago. The girls became convinced
that they were being followed, but by turning off her lights and driving
into a private lane until the following car had flashed by and then
taking a longer but little-used road into the city, Ruth evaded the
pursuers, if such they were. Nor did they see the car again until they
drew up in front of the Stuart house in the brilliantly light street and
with a policeman in plain sight.
Mr. Stuart and Mr. Presby spent the night in making an inventory and the
morning before the opening of the market in calling up their bankers and
lawyers. They were tired and worn when the opening hour came, but the
day was saved, and while neither made the fortune he had anticipated,
each had added materially to his wealth. For this they gave credit to
Barbara Thurston, but she steadfastly refused the reward they offered
her. The money reward she refused, but she could not refuse the
admiration and love they gave her.
They learned later that Nathan Bonner had had a private detective on the
grounds of Treasureholme, and it was he who had followed Mr. A. Bubble
into the city. Bonner lost heavily in the crash, but still retained
enough of his fortune to be a financial power.
A week of pleasure followed the finding of the treasure. On the evening
before the departure of Bab and Mollie and Grace for Kingsbridge, Ruth
gave a large reception in honor of her guests.
On the evening of the affair the four girls, when they repaired to their
rooms in the Stuart home to dress for the reception, found four
exquisite frocks, the gifts of Mr. Stuart and Mr. Presby, who would not
be denied this method of showing their appreciation. The gowns were
white filmy chiffon over soft white silk. White shoes, white silk
chiffon hose, everything needed to complete their toilet that night lay
ready at hand. None of the three girls from Kingsbridge had dreamed that
they would ever possess such beautiful and exquisitely designed dresses.
But this was not their only surprise. A great box of roses was delivered
to the house while the girls were dressing. It was addressed to Miss
Barbara Thurston. With it there was a note reading:
"I always did love a fighter. What a trader you
would make! It was a fair fight, and you won.
NATHAN BONNER."
"No, it wasn't a fair fight. It was distinctly an unfair one," declared
Barbara. "I think I shall send these flowers back."
"I don't believe I would do that," advised Miss Sallie. "The flowers are
plainly intended as a tribute to you as a fighter, Bab, and the
acceptance of flowers is unlike the acceptance of any other gift."
So Barbara kept the roses.
The next day the "Automobile Girls'" party was broken up. The time for
Grace, Bab, and Mollie to return to Kingsbridge had arrived, to the keen
regret of both the young people and their elders. Mr. Stuart, with a
twinkle in his eyes, kept talking vaguely about "Easter," but what his
plans were, he would not say.
The wonderful Easter vacation that these plans developed into may be
read about in a following volume entitled, "THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS AT PALM
BEACH; or, Proving Their Mettle Under Southern Skies," a vacation never
to be forgotten by the "Automobile Girls."
THE END
_And There Are Others!_
You will find other books listed on the three
following pages that will prove just as
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procured at the same store where you got this
book.
THE ANNAPOLIS SERIES
By H. IRVING HANCOCK
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[Illustration]
Dave Darrin and Dan Dalzell proved their mettle at the U. S. Naval
Academy and gave promise of what might be expected of them in the great
war that was even at that moment hovering over the world.
=1. DAVE DARRIN'S FIRST YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS; or, Two
Plebe Midshipmen at the U. S. Naval Academy.=
=2. DAVE DARRIN'S SECOND YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS; or,
Two Midshipmen as Naval Academy "Youngsters."=
=3. DAVE DARRIN'S THIRD YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS; or,
Leaders of the Second Class Midshipmen.=
=4. DAVE DARRIN'S FOURTH YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS; or,
Headed for Graduation and the Big Cruise.=
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Dick Prescott and Greg Holmes are not human wonders, but a pair of
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=1. DICK PRESCOTT'S FIRST YEAR AT WEST POINT; or,
Two Chums in the Cadet Gray.=
=2. DICK PRESCOTT'S SECOND YEAR AT WEST POINT; or,
Finding the Glory of the Soldier's Life.=
=3. DICK PRESCOTT'S THIRD YEAR AT WEST POINT; or,
Standing Firm for Flag and Honor.=
=4. DICK PRESCOTT'S FOURTH YEAR AT WEST POINT; or,
Ready to Drop the Gray for Shoulder Straps.=
THE PONY RIDER BOYS SERIES
By FRANK GEE PATCHIN
PRICE, $1.00 EACH
[Illustration]
This unusual and popular series tells vividly the story of four
adventure-loving lads, who, with their guardian, spent their summer
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Long journeys over mountain, through the fastness of primitive forest
and across burning desert, lead them into the wild places of their
native land as well as into many strange and exciting experiences. There
is not a dull moment in the series.
=1. THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN THE ROCKIES; or, The
Secret of the Lost Claim.=
=2. THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN TEXAS; or, The Veiled
Riddle of the Plains.=
=3. THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN MONTANA; or, The
Mystery of the Old Custer Trail.=
=4. THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN THE OZARKS; or, The
Secret of Ruby Mountain.=
=5. THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN THE ALKALI; or, Finding
a Key to the Desert Maze.=
=6. THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN NEW MEXICO; or, The End
of the Silver Trail.=
=7. THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN THE GRAND CANYON; or,
The Mystery of Bright Angel Gulch.=
=8. THE PONY RIDER BOYS WITH THE TEXAS RANGERS;
or, On the Trail of the Border Bandits.=
=9. THE PONY RIDER BOYS ON THE BLUE RIDGE; or, A
Lucky Find in the Carolina Mountains.=
=10. THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN NEW ENGLAND; or, An
Exciting Quest in the Maine Wilderness.=
=11. THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN LOUISIANA; or,
Following the Game Trails in the Canebrake.=
=12. THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN ALASKA; or, The Gold
Diggers of Taku Pass.=
THE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SERIES
By JESSIE GRAHAM FLOWER, A. M.
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[Illustration]
The scenes, episodes, and adventures through which Grace Harlowe and her
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vivacity that at once takes the young feminine captive.
=1. GRACE HARLOWE'S PLEBE YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL; or,
The Merry Doings of the Oakdale Freshmen Girls.=
=2. GRACE HARLOWE'S SOPHOMORE YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL;
or, The Record of the Girl Chums in Work and
Athletics.=
=3. GRACE HARLOWE'S JUNIOR YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL;
or, Fast Friends in the Sororities.=
=4. GRACE HARLOWE'S SENIOR YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL;
or, The Parting of the Ways.=
THE COLLEGE GIRLS SERIES
By JESSIE GRAHAM FLOWER, A. M.
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Every school and college girl will recognize that the account of Grace
Harlowe's experiences at Overton College is true to life.
=1. GRACE HARLOWE'S FIRST YEAR AT OVERTON COLLEGE.=
=2. GRACE HARLOWE'S SECOND YEAR AT OVERTON COLLEGE.=
=3. GRACE HARLOWE'S THIRD YEAR AT OVERTON COLLEGE.=
=4. GRACE HARLOWE'S FOURTH YEAR AT OVERTON COLLEGE.=
=5. GRACE HARLOWE'S RETURN TO OVERTON CAMPUS.=
=6. GRACE HARLOWE'S PROBLEM.=
=7. GRACE HARLOWE'S GOLDEN SUMMER.=
* * * * *
Transcriber's note:
Obvious punctuation errors were corrected.
Page 145, "wierd" changed to "weird" (weird wail rose from)
Page 187, "rasing" changed to "raising" (raising their sweet)