Chapter 5 The Mystery of the Ivory Charm by Carolyn Keene
The Door in the Rock
Steve Roach’s denial of his identity did not mislead Nancy. She was firmly convinced that he was the same man who had called at her home the previous evening.
However, before she could press the matter, Ned and her chums came hurrying up. As Roach recognized the young man, an angry, embarrassed flush stained his face, and his attitude became defiant and surly.
“Well, what do you want?” he questioned sharply.
“I think you know,” Ned returned coolly. “You owe me an explanation for your actions last night——”
“I owe you nothing, you young upstart! Didn’t I pay you ten dollars just for a few scratches to your fender?”
“If you think it was only a few scratches come over and take a look at the car.”
“I’ll not be hounded over such a ridiculous matter,” the man snapped. “And I have more important business just now than to stand here and waste time arguing with you. That’s all I have to say. But if you’re wise you’ll not annoy me again.”
Without giving the youth an opportunity to reply, Roach stepped back into his automobile. In his haste to drive away he barely avoided a group of women who were crossing the road. With frightened screams they leaped aside just in time to keep from being struck.
“That man must be half crazy!” Ned cried furiously. “I have a notion to follow and have him arrested!”
“You’ll never catch him now,” Nancy said. “By the time you get your car he’ll be a mile away.”
“And we’ll miss the ball game,” Bess added. “It’s time for it to start now.”
Ned allowed himself to be persuaded to give up the chase. The four friends entered the grandstand just as the River Heights team took the field and a few minutes later the umpire uttered his command:
“Play ball!”
The game was an exciting one with the two teams tied at 1—1 until the ninth inning. However, at times Nancy found her attention wandering. She kept thinking about Steve Roach, speculating upon why he had denied knowing Anita Allison.
In the ninth inning River Heights broke up the ball game by scoring three straight runs. Nancy, Bess, George and Ned cheered lustily at the result for they were loyal to the town team.
As they were driving toward home a little later, George suggested that it might be fun to have a picnic the following afternoon.
“Why not?” Nancy agreed enthusiastically. “The weatherman promises that it will be another nice day.”
“I’m afraid I’ll not be able to go,” Ned said regretfully. “I don’t expect to be in town.”
“I suppose we could make it a girl-only picnic,” Nancy suggested. “But I think Coya might like to go. He’s had no fun since he came to work for us.”
“We could take him along anyway,” Bess declared. “He would come in handy to lift the heavy hampers.” Bess liked to eat.
“Three girls shouldn’t need such heavy baskets of food,” Ned teased. “Not if they mean to keep their girlish figures.”
After some discussion the picnic definitely was scheduled for the following day. George brought up the question of where it should be held.
“Let Nancy name the place,” Bess suggested. “She always knows of such unusual sites.”
“I don’t know any new place offhand,” Nancy said, “but I’ll try to think of one before tomorrow.”
She really gave the matter no more consideration until later that evening when a chance remark by her father at the dinner table recalled the subject to mind.
“I have a bit of information which may interest you,” Carson Drew commented. “It concerns your new acquaintance—Anita Allison.”
“She came to see you?”
“No, but a real estate dealer dropped into my office today and from him I gleaned a little information regarding the woman’s property. I learned its location. The land is considered valuable.”
“Where is it?”
“You remember the old Dawson farm east of the city?”
“Yes.”
“Well, Miss Allison’s property adjoins it. The land includes several acres of forest, a river, beautiful rolling hills, a ravine, and very nearly everything essential to a good golf course.”
“I believe I remember the place,” Nancy mused. “It would make an ideal spot for our picnic tomorrow.”
“I didn’t know I was supposed to go on a picnic tomorrow,” Carson Drew smiled.
“You’re not. This one is exclusively for George, Bess and myself. And Coya, if you are willing to spare him from his duties.”
“By all means take him along,” her father urged. “The boy deserves an outing.”
The next morning shortly after eleven o’clock, Bess and George, laden with thermos bottles and hampers, arrived at the Drew residence. Nancy and Coya were in the back yard loading the automobile with their own picnic equipment.
“We have enough food for an army,” George laughed. “Ned was right when he warned us that we would lose our girlish figures.”
Soon the little party was on its way. Nancy drove directly east through the city.
“Where are you taking us?” Bess inquired with interest.
“To a new place,” Nancy smiled mysteriously. “I think you’ll like it.”
The success of the outing seemed assured from the start, for little Coya fairly bubbled over with enthusiasm and his gaiety was imparted to the others. He loved the out-of-doors and amazed the girls with his stories of country life in his native land. He asked eager questions regarding the names of unfamiliar trees and birds. Nancy and her chums were slightly embarrassed when they could not always give an answer, and resolved to devote themselves to nature lore with new interest.
“I’m ashamed that I don’t know the names of half the birds I see,” Nancy confessed. “I intend to find a book at the library and study up about it.”
Presently the car passed the Dawson farm. Following the directions given by her father, Nancy turned into a narrow, winding side road which led between tall rows of elm trees and a tangled growth of shrubbery.
“I never dreamed there was such a place as this so near River Heights!” Bess gasped in awe. “Where are you taking us, Nancy?”
“To see Miss Allison’s land. Don’t you think it’s an interesting picnic ground?”
“Ideal,” Bess approved. “And this looks like a good place to stop, too.”
She indicated a wide spot under a huge maple at the side of the road. Nancy parked the car and switched off the ignition.
“Coya will bring food,” the boy announced with a broad smile. “Young ladies walk ahead and find place.”
Nancy and her chums located a small opening in the fence and crawled through. They were delighted with the wild, natural scenery and stood for some minutes admiring the view from a cliff above the river. When Coya came with the first of the hampers, they selected a smooth knoll near by and spread out the luncheon cloth.
Soon the meal was ready, but as the girls prepared to sit down to partake of it Coya moved shyly away.
“He doesn’t understand that we expect him to eat with us,” Nancy commented in an undertone. “Coya!”
The boy’s face lighted up as she beckoned him to join the group. Nancy filled his plate with delicacies. Coya waited until everyone had been served before touching his food; then he watched Nancy’s every movement, imitating exactly the way she handled her knife and fork.
“Coya learns American ways very rapidly,” the girl thought. “His mind is so alert he really deserves a tutor. I must speak to Dad about it tonight. Perhaps he can arrange some studying.”
After lunch the girls sat in the shade while Coya carried the empty hampers back to the car.
“It’s nice having someone do all the work,” Bess sighed blissfully. “If Coya lived at our house I’d be spoiled soon.”
“We’ve grown very fond of him,” Nancy answered. “If Rai should return to claim the boy now it would be disappointing.” She abruptly arose and gazed thoughtfully across the river. “Can you imagine yourself standing here and driving a golf ball across the water?”
“I can’t, because I don’t play the game,” George drawled. “My ball would go plop into the river.”
“This place would have too many natural hazards to suit me,” Bess added. “If I ever use this course I’d want half of the trees cut down.”
“I imagine that old house would be torn down too and replaced by a handsome club building,” Nancy commented, pointing to a large, apparently abandoned homestead, barely visible in the woods some distance away.
Bess and George both turned to stare.
“Why, I never noticed the place!” the latter exclaimed. “Do you suppose it belongs to the Allison property, Nancy?”
“It must. I’d love to explore it but of course we have no right. We’re really trespassing as it is.”
“At least it will do no harm to look at the outside of the building,” Bess proposed. “Let’s walk over.”
“All right,” Nancy agreed, looking toward the car. “I wonder what became of Coya?”
“Oh, he’s around here somewhere,” George answered carelessly.
The girls found a trail leading through the woods. Fortunately it took them directly to the abandoned homestead. Emerging into the tiny clearing, they were amazed to discover the missing Coya. He was standing on the front porch, apparently trying to raise one of the windows.
“Coya!” Nancy called sharply.
The boy wheeled. “Yes, Missee Nancy?”
“What are you doing?”
“No harm. Coya only look at old house.”
“I fancied you were trying to get inside,” Nancy smiled. “You have no right to do that, you know.”
“Coya think nobody care,” the boy replied evenly.
Nancy considered the subject closed and gave the lad no further thought, as she and her friends walked slowly about the house. The windows were all placed high above ground so that it was impossible to gain any impression of the interior.
“It’s just an old, empty house, I guess,” Bess said.
The girls returned to the front of the building. Coya had vanished.
“Now what became of him?” Nancy inquired with a trace of suspicion. “Do you suppose he dared to climb in that porch window?”
“Coya had a mischievous look in his eye when he said he thought no one would care if he investigated,” Bess added.
“He’s probably inside,” Nancy acknowledged. “When he comes out I’ll give him a severe lecture.”
The girls sat down under a tree some distance away but minutes elapsed and Coya did not reappear. At length Nancy grew impatient.
“I’m going in there and drag him out! It’s time we start for home.”
She arose and sauntered over to the porch. Bess and George saw her raise the window and step through.
Five minutes elapsed; then ten.
“What can be keeping Nancy?” George asked in bewilderment. “I think it’s time I go after her. Want to come along?”
“I’ll wait here. Only if there’s anything interesting inside, come back and tell me.”
“I’ll return in three minutes,” George promised.
She, too, vanished through the window. No sooner had she gone than Bess began to regret that she had permitted George to go alone. After ten minutes had elapsed she became convinced that something was wrong.
Hurrying toward the house she called loudly:
“George! Nancy!”
Her cries went unanswered. A sudden fearful conviction came upon Bess that Coya and her friends were being held prisoners inside the old house. If she were to enter she, too, might be captured!
“I’ll go for help!” the girl decided.
Almost overcome with fear and anxiety, Bess raced down the trail toward the parked automobile. Once she stumbled and fell headlong, tearing her stocking. She scrambled to her feet and ran on again.
Reaching the car, she was relieved to find that Nancy had left her keys in the ignition lock. Yet when Bess tried to start the motor she had no success. Twice it caught, only to die.
She was about to give up in despair, when at last her efforts were rewarded. Recalling that she had noticed a farmhouse at the end of a nearby lane, she determined to go there for aid.
She stepped hard on the gas pedal and the car leaped ahead with a jerk which flung her against the wheel. The thoroughfare twisted and turned in bewildering fashion and seemed to lead into the wildest sort of country. To the right, a short distance from the road, a high cliff loomed up.
For an instant Bess’s attention wandered to the unusual formation. Then she stiffened, uttering a sharp, terrified scream.
Her imagination had not tricked her into believing that a portion of the boulder had moved. A man-made door, hewn in the solid rock, was slowly being pushed outward!