The Secret of
The Sundial
By
Ann Wirt
The Madge Sterling Series
The Missing Formula
The Deserted Yacht
The Secret of the Sundial
THE GOLDSMITH PUBLISHING COMPANY
CHICAGO
Copyright, 1932
The Goldsmith Publishing Company
Made in U. S. A.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I An Initiation 11
II Cara’s Fright 19
III The Swenster Mansion 25
IV The Swenster Pearls 32
V Madge Turns Sleuth 42
VI The Unknown Owner 48
VII The Inside Story 55
VIII A Face Dishonored 62
IX The Mahogany Desk 69
X The Secret Compartment 76
XI The Torn Page 83
XII Uncle Ross’ Hint 91
XIII The Stranger 96
XIV An Unexpected Meeting 101
XV The Secret in Stone 112
THE SECRET OF THE SUNDIAL
CHAPTER I
An Initiation
On a certain evening in early September—Friday the thirteenth—to be
exact, a stranger in Claymore, Michigan, might have been startled to
behold two figures, grotesque in long white sheets which draped them from
head to foot, scurrying along an alley leading to Summit Street. It was
an appropriate night for ghosts to be abroad. The moon was in the dark
and the wind whistled weirdly through the trees.
The two figures moved stealthily along the boxwood hedge which bordered
the rear of the George Brady property. Presently, coming to an opening
barely large enough to squeeze through, they paused, glancing hastily in
all directions.
“The coast is clear!” one murmured in a low tone.
“Surely you don’t expect me to crawl through that tiny hole!” came the
indignant protest. “I’m not the bean-pole you are, Jane Allen. What’s the
sense of all this secrecy anyhow? Why can’t we go in the main entrance?”
“I suppose you want everyone to see you!” the other retorted. “What’s the
use of having a secret society if it isn’t secret?”
The second “ghost” silently acknowledged the weight of this argument and
permitted herself to be pushed toward the opening in the hedge. Half way
through, her sheet caught. In her efforts to free herself, it tore.
“Mother’s best sheet!” she groaned. “Won’t I catch it when I get home!”
“Hurry up!” the other urged with callous indifference to the fate which
might await her friend. “We mustn’t be late for the initiation.”
They moved swiftly across the lawn, noting that the large white house was
entirely dark. They paused at a side door and knocked three times.
Almost instantly the door opened and a third ghost confronted them.
“Everyone is here now except Cara Wayne,” she informed, “and of course we
don’t want her until we’re all ready for the initiation. Aunt Maude and
Uncle George went to a bridge party tonight so we have the house to
ourselves.”
She led them through darkened halls to an attic “clubroom” where an oil
lamp dimly burned.
“We may as well take off these hot sheets until Cara comes,” she invited.
“We can slip them on again when we hear her at the door.”
By way of example, she tossed off her own disguise and stood revealed as
Madge Sterling, president of the Skull and Crossbones, a most exclusive
secret society. She was an attractive girl, vivacious and distinctly a
leader. Her laughter was infectious; without half trying she had a way of
drawing friends to her. Older people said she had “tact” but girls her
own age liked her because she was known as a good sport. Madge’s mother
was dead, and since the disappearance of her father, she had made her
home with her aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Brady.
The two newcomers were Jane Allen and Edna Raynard. Jane was homely and
very outspoken; she made enemies easily yet was a loyal friend. She did
not mind her straight black hair or somewhat muddy complexion. Her
slender figure was often ridiculed, but she took it all in good fun. Edna
was quite the opposite. She was pretty as a picture, plump, and had an
inclination toward taking life exactly as she found it.
The other girl, Enid Burnett, was Madge’s special chum. Largely through
Madge’s influence, she had been induced to come from another state to
attend the Everetts School for Girls at Claymore. Her mother also was
dead, and her father, a well-to-do collector and sportsman, permitted her
an unusual amount of freedom. Notwithstanding, she was a quiet, unspoiled
girl with a genuine liking for school and studies.
“Is everything all set for the initiation, Madge?” Jane inquired.
“Yes, Enid and I fixed up the basement this afternoon. We didn’t dare let
Aunt Maude know what we were about for fear she’d put a stop to it. Wait
until Cara steps into the tub of water! We bought a nice big piece of
quivery liver too that—”
She broke off as three loud knocks sounded from below, and made a dive
for her sheet. The others scrambled into their costumes, preparing to
follow her downstairs.
“Remember, girls, don’t speak a word until Cara is brought up here,” she
warned in a whisper. “This initiation must be a very solemn affair.”
“Have you thought up the main stunt?” Edna asked anxiously. “I tried to
think up something but couldn’t.”
“Don’t worry, I have a hair raiser!” Madge chuckled.
She led the procession down the stairs. The girls lined up on either side
of the door and then Madge opened it to confront a very frightened little
girl who awaited admittance in fear and trembling. She giggled nervously
as Madge beckoned her to follow.
Cara Wayne was conducted by a devious route through the dark house to the
basement stairs. Madge signified that she was to go down alone. Cara
hesitated, sensing that some unpleasant ordeal awaited her below, but
there was no escape. She went boldly down. Suddenly, the girls heard a
little squeal of fright.
“She must have touched the liver,” Enid whispered. “I hung it where she
couldn’t miss it.”
Next there was a loud crash as Cara stepped into an empty packing box.
“I hope she doesn’t miss the tub of water,” Madge murmured anxiously.
Cara did not disappoint them. A minute later they heard a great splash
and a howl of anguish. Since the water ordeal exhausted the possibilities
of the basement, Enid was sent down to bring up the unhappy victim. Cara
was drenched to the knees but she displayed a studied cheerfulness. They
led her to the attic clubroom, seating themselves in a semi-circle about
her.
“Cara Wayne, do you promise never to reveal anything which transpires
here this night?” Madge asked in a deep, sepulchre-like voice.
There was a long silence and then Cara’s quavering: “I do.”
“And will you obey any command given you during the next week by any
illustrious member of Skull and Crossbones?”
“I will,” Cara promised, visions of many detested tasks passing before
her eyes.
“And now, one last test of your courage remains to be made,” Madge
continued impressively. “It lacks twenty minutes of midnight. Exactly
upon the hour you must go to the old boarded-up Swenster mansion,
bringing back some token to prove that you have accomplished your
mission.”
For a minute Cara looked as though she intended to refuse, and in truth,
the others could not have blamed her. The old Swenster mansion was
several doors away, adjoining a grove of pine trees which at night was
not the most pleasant place to pass. The Swenster grounds were surrounded
by a high fence and hedge which hid the house from view of the street.
The place had been closed for years.
“I don’t know how I can get into the grounds,” Cara protested.
“You can go in the back way,” Madge informed, forgetting her pose and
speaking in a natural voice. “It will take you some time to reach there,
so you had better start now.”
Cara looked very unhappy but she knew that to refuse might mean her
dismissal from the organization to which she aspired. Reluctantly, she
made her way down the dark stairs. The outside door closed behind her.
“That was an inspiration!” Enid praised after Cara had gone. “Madge, you
have such clever ideas! I didn’t think she’d do it, did you?”
“Cara’s game,” Madge laughed. “I’d not enjoy going to the Swenster
mansion myself at this time of night.”
“You couldn’t hire me to go near there,” Edna added feelingly. “I can
just see poor Cara shaking in her boots. I wonder if she’ll be able to
get into the grounds.”
“The gate at the rear is ajar,” Madge returned. “I tested it this
afternoon to find out.”
For some minutes the girls laughed over the evening’s fun. Shortly after
midnight they began to expect Cara.
“I wish she’d hurry,” Madge said. “Aunt Maude and Uncle George will be
coming home soon and that will put an end to the initiation. She’s had
plenty of time to get back.”
At fifteen minutes past midnight, the girls were a little alarmed. They
cast off their cumbersome robes and went downstairs to watch for her.
“What can have happened?” Madge worried. “Perhaps we shouldn’t have sent
her alone.”
“She’s probably trying to worry us just to get even,” Jane insisted.
“I think we’d better go to the Swenster mansion and see what is keeping
her,” Madge returned quietly. “Or if you like, I’ll go alone. It was my
idea in the first place—a bum one I’ll admit.”
“Wait!” Enid commanded. “I believe she’s coming now.”
They all turned to look and saw a figure fairly flying down the street
toward the house. She hurled herself through the gate and raced across
the yard. Before the girls could open the door, she flung herself against
it, crying: “Let me in! Let me in!”
As they hurriedly admitted her, she stumbled against Madge, gripping her
in a nervous embrace.
“Did you bring the token?” they asked her.
Cara laughed hysterically.
“No, I didn’t bring it but I went to the Swenster mansion all right! And
I don’t care what you say—I’ll not go back! Not even if it means staying
out of the club. Nothing can make me go near that horrible place again!”