Mandie and the Secret Tunnel (9 page)

“Oh, Joe!” Mandie became shy.

Polly came around the corner of the house suddenly and broke the spell.

“Goodness gracious! Holding hands!” she teased, as she stood in front of them.

Mandie and Joe both blushed then and the boy
nervously watched Polly as she went into the house. Mandie caught the look and sensed some feeling between Joe and her friend, and wise beyond her years, did not give away the fact that she was upset over it. After all, Joe was going to be around until the next week. And after all, she had known Joe all her life and she was sure she came first with him.

Chapter 9 - Uncle Ned’s Message

The messenger Mr. Bond had sent to Lawyer Wilson’s office returned early one morning, tied his horse to the hitching post at the road and came to the door to give his report.

“Morning, Jason,” he said as Mr. Bond opened the door. “I jest got back and came straight hyar.”

“Come in, Daniel,” Mr. Bond greeted the man. “Come on into the kitchen and I’ll see if we can’t rustle up a cup of coffee.”

“That would be nice, Jason,” Daniel said, following him into the kitchen where Jenny, the cook, was washing the breakfast dishes.

“How about some coffee and something to eat with it for my friend here, Jenny? We’ll just sit right here,” Mr. Bond told her as they sat down at the table where the hired help ate their meals.

“Sho, Mr. Jason, comin’ right up,” Jenny said, bustling about.

“Did you have a good trip, Daniel?” Jason asked, as the man eyed the food being placed before him.

“Well, Tiddlywinks throwed a shoe smack-dab in front of old man George’s mansion and that was lucky ’cause his smithy put on a new ’un right then and thar. Otherwise, I tended to my bisness and had to wait fer Lawyer Wilson to come back to town,” Daniel told him. “Then when he did git back, didn’t do no good. He ain’t never heerd of this hyar man, Locke, or that thar woman, Snow. Said they probably thought they could worm their way into some easy money.”

“Well, that’s exactly what I figured. I didn’t believe a word of their stories. Now, what did he say I should do about it?” Jason Bond asked.

“Hyar, he writ you a letter.” Daniel pulled out a folded envelope from his shirt pocket.

Jason took it, withdrew a letter on the lawyer’s stationery, and read parts of it out loud. “ ‘Just leave things alone for the time being and I will begin a thorough investigation in order to get the proof we will need to evict them from John Shaw’s house.’ ”

“Sounds like you gonna hafta put up with ’em a whit longer, eh?” Daniel gulped down the last of the strong coffee.

“I ’spec so. We’ll have to do things legal-like so there won’t be no repercussions,” Jason agreed. “Dad-gum, I was hoping I could put them out in the street when you got back. Well, reckon I’ll have to wait.”

“They been causin’ you any trouble?” Daniel asked.

“Not really. It’s just that I don’t trust them and I can’t keep them in my sight all the time.”

“Does the girl keep a lookout on ’em, too?”

“Yeh, Mandie and Polly follow them around some—that is, when they’re around. I sorta figure Mandie has decided not to trust
me
either. She won’t talk about things anymore. And we’ve got Doc Woodard’s boy staying here for a few days from over in Swain County. The girls are more interested in him right now than in our impostors.”

“Well, I gotta be ramblin’ on home ’fore Sadie hyars I’m done back and ain’t come home yit.” Daniel rose and turned to Jenny. “Thet was right good, Jenny—good food.”

“Yessuh,” Jenny replied, smiling.

“You comin’ back to town on Saturday?” Jason asked as he led the way to the front door.

“Yeh, reckon I’ll have to git some things from the store,” Daniel answered, walking on out to his horse.

“Stop by and I’ll have the money then to pay you for the trip,” Jason told him.

Daniel waved and was off down the road on his horse.

Mandie and Polly came out the front door while Jason still stood there on the porch. Joe was close behind them.

“Well, I see Mr. Daniel got back,” Mandie remarked.

“Yep, and Lawyer Wilson don’t know nothing atall about these people we got staying here,” Mr. Bond told her.

“Does that mean you can make them leave?” Polly asked.

“Nope, he’s got to do some investigatin’ first.”

“Well, I hope it won’t take long,” Mandie said.

Mandie remembered this was the night that Uncle Ned was supposed to return with his information on the Snows and Bayne Locke. She also knew tomorrow was the day that Polly’s mother was supposed to return home, and she was glad because jealousy had sprung up between the two girls over Joe. Not a word had been said, but each one sensed it. Mandie had been subconsciously possessive of Joe from the first day he had smiled at her, and she always felt he had eyes for her only.

Joe was attracted to Polly, but he did his best to remain loyal to Mandie. Polly was attracted to Joe and did nothing to disguise the fact.

“We’re going over to my house, Mr. Jason. Mother is coming home tomorrow and I have to tell the cook,” Polly told him, as the three went on down the front steps.

“Well, be sure you get back in time for supper,” the old man called after them.

Polly bounded along the lane to her house. “Can’t wait to see what Mother brings me.”

“Is this the first time your mother ever went off and left you?” Joe asked.

“She didn’t exactly leave me. I didn’t want to go, so I persuaded her to let me stay with Mandie. I’ve always gone on trips with my mother, but this time I just didn’t want to go. Too many interesting things going on,” Polly told him. She turned to Mandie. “We sure fell down on our job of finding the will, didn’t we?”

“Yeh, but it’s bound to be somewhere. It will eventually be found,” Mandie said.

“If we could only find the way into the tunnel from inside the house!” Polly sighed.

“Let’s try again tonight. Three heads are better than two,” Joe suggested.

“All right, except it’ll have to be real late, because Uncle Ned is coming as soon as it gets dark,” Mandie warned.

“Uncle Ned is coming? How do you know?” Joe asked.

“Because I sent him to Richmond to find out about Bayne Locke and this is the night he said he’d be back. He never fails to keep his word,” Mandie assured him.

“Can I see him, this time? Please?” begged Polly. “You always tell me about him but I’ve never seen him.”

“Oh, he’s just a real old Indian,” Joe told her.

“He’s also kin to me somehow. I told you I’m part Cherokee,” Mandie put in.

“That’s right. I forgot you’re an Indian papoose,” teased Joe.

“That’s not funny, Joe,” Mandie snapped.

“Sorry, Mandie, I didn’t mean any harm. It’s just that I can’t get used to the fact that your father was half Cherokee,” he said, taking her hand in his, causing her heart to flutter.

“Well, you didn’t answer my question. Can I see this kinfolk of yours, Mandie?” Polly tried to break the mood.

“I guess so. But you’ll have to wait until I talk to him and tell him you want to meet him. Otherwise he’ll run away if someone besides me shows up.”

“Well, here we are,” Polly said, as the huge house she lived in came into view behind the trees. “Come on, we’ll beat Cook out of something good to eat.”

Mandie met Uncle Ned that night in the summerhouse after dark, while Joe and Polly waited in the swing on the front porch.

“Uncle Ned, I knew you would come. You always do,” she greeted the old man as he appeared from behind the big walnut trees shadowing the porch. “Sit down, Uncle Ned.”

The Indian sat across from her and smiled. “Papoose have visitor, doctor son?”

“How did you know?” Mandie asked, smiling.

“Cherokee knows all,” the old Indian told her. “Cherokee find people named Locke in big city.”

“In Richmond?”

“In Richmond. People know Bayne Locke. People
not
know if Bayne Locke kin to John Shaw.”

“They don’t?”

“Cherokee stay in Richmond. Find people who know. Then I tell Papoose,” Uncle Ned told her.

“So he did come from Richmond and he has relatives there. Well, at least we know that much,” Mandie said.

“Must go now. Morning Star send love to Papoose,” he said.

“Give her my love, too, Uncle Ned. But, before you go, please, wait a minute.” Mandie grasped his arm as he rose. “My friend, Polly Cornwallis, wants to meet you. She and Joe are on the front porch. Is it all right if I bring them out here to see you?”

“Yes, but hurry,” he grunted.

Going around the corner of the house, she beckoned to the two and they came hurrying toward her.

“Polly, this is Uncle Ned,” Mandie proudly introduced him. “And Uncle Ned, you know Joe already.”

Joe nodded and held out his hand to Uncle Ned. The Indian solemnly shook hands with a grunt.

Polly smiled up at the tall Indian. “How do you do, Uncle Ned? I’ve heard so much about you that I wanted to meet you.”

“Pleased to see Papoose number two,” the old man said.

Everyone laughed at his name for Polly. The sound carried to the house. Jason Bond stuck his head out of the upstairs window directly above.

“What’s going on down there?” he yelled.

“Nothing, we’re just getting some fresh night air,” Mandie quickly replied, looking up at him.

At the sound of the other man’s voice, Uncle Ned darted out of sight, whispering as he went, “Must go. See Papoose next moon.”

Mandie silently waved to him as he disappeared into the shadows.

The three walked back to the front porch and sat down in the swing.

“Say, that was close, Mandie,” Joe sighed.

“Sure was, but somehow I don’t believe Mr. Jason would mind if I had an Indian friend—unlike the Brysons, who were out to kill every Indian they could find.”

There was a slight stirring in the doorway behind them.

“No, I don’t mind, Mandie,” Mr. Bond said. “I see him every time he comes. And I know who he is.”

“Oh, Mr. Jason, you scared me,” was all Mandie could say.

“I’m sorry, didn’t mean to frighten you. Did he get any information for you?”

“Well, how did you know that?” Mandie was surprised.

“I heard you talking to him the night you asked him to find out about these people,” the old man said.

Mandie dropped her voice to a whisper and told him what the Indian had told her.

“That’s good. I’ll let Lawyer Wilson know. Now
are y’all going upstairs? The parties in question are already turned in for the night.”

“Let’s do,” Polly said.

“Sure, Mr. Jason. We haven’t given up. We’re going to look upstairs again for an entrance to the tunnel,” Mandie chirped.

“Well, get to it then. I’m going back to my room. See you tomorrow.” And he disappeared back into the dark hallway.

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Joe laughed.

The three softly crept up the steps to the third floor on their unending mission, being careful not to be heard by their mysterious visitors.

Joe led the way, carrying an oil lamp, Mandie close behind with matches in her pocket in case it went out. Polly brought up the rear as they noiselessly tiptoed on up the steps to the attic. Even the old door cooperated by not creaking this time when Joe pushed it open. They moved very slowly and carefully around, whispering softly to each other as they made an inspection of the attic. Joe, still in the lead, held the lamp at arm’s length, the light picking up the debris, as the girls closely peered at everything in their path.

Joe carefully inspected the walls and the ins and outs of the eaves and the dormer windows.

“It seems to be awfully solid. I don’t see how this wall could open up anywhere and there isn’t room for any steps behind it,” Joe whispered to the girls.

“But, it has to open somewhere,” Mandie insisted.

“Well, look at it. You can see the wall all the way around the house up here, except where it goes into the eaves and the eaves are not high enough to have steps going down,” he insisted.

“All right, maybe that’s the way it looks, but there’s sure an opening somewhere because we found it on the other side in the tunnel,” Polly told him.

“Well, if you want to, we can keep moving and check the wall out all the way around,” Joe said.

The three silently pushed on the wall as they went, reaching high and low, examining every foot of it. They were all tense with the spooky atmosphere when suddenly there was a loud noise on the third floor.

“Sounds like someone is below us!” Mandie whispered.

“Could be that Mr. Locke or Mrs. Snow,” Polly added.

“Come on, let’s slip up on them and see who it is,” Joe suggested, as he moved toward the door to the steps. “Stay close behind me, because I’m going to blow out the light.”

“All right,” Mandie said softly, as she and Polly held hands and Joe put out the lamp.

They felt their way down the dark steps to the door leading into the hall of the third floor. Joe put out his hand to caution them to be quiet as he slowly pushed the door open. It was still dark on the
third floor hallway and there was no sign of a light or anyone around.

Mandie pulled at Joe’s shirt. “Psst! Go left toward Uncle John’s library.”

Joe followed her directions and the three slipped along the passageway to the door of the library Mr. Bond had shown them the other day. As they reached it they heard a slight movement in the room.

“There’s someone in there!” Joe whispered, putting his hand on the doorknob, the girls close behind him.

“Push it open,” Mandie urged him.

With that, the three burst into the room which was in total darkness. A man’s figure outlined by the moonlight from the window moved quickly toward the small door that had been locked the day Mr. Bond was with them, and to which no one had the key. Just as the figure reached the door, the three dived at him, pulling him to the floor.

“All right, we’ve got you!” Joe cried, as he held onto the man’s coattail. The girls were snatching for his sleeves and kicking him in the shins.

“Hey, wait a minute! Let’s get some light in here!” the man said quickly.