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  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 beexact, a stranger in Claymore, Michigan, might have been startled tobehold two figures, grotesque in long white sheets which draped them fromhead to foot, scurrying along an alley leading to Summit Street. It wasan appropriate night for ghosts to be abroad. The moon was in the darkand the wind whistled weirdly through the trees.

  The two figures moved stealthily along the boxwood hedge which borderedthe rear of the George Brady property. Presently, coming to an openingbarely large enough to squeeze through, they paused, glancing hastily inall directions.

  "The coast is clear!" one murmured in a low tone.

  "Surely you don't expect me to crawl through that tiny hole!" came theindignant protest. "I'm not the bean-pole you are, Jane Allen. What's thesense 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 theuse of having a secret society if it isn't secret?"

  The second "ghost" silently acknowledged the weight of this argument andpermitted herself to be pushed toward the opening in the hedge. Half waythrough, 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 whichmight await her friend. "We mustn't be late for the initiation."

  They moved swiftly across the lawn, noting that the large white house wasentirely 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 wedon't want her until we're all ready for the initiation. Aunt Maude andUncle George went to a bridge party tonight so we have the house toourselves."

  She led them through darkened halls to an attic "clubroom" where an oillamp 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 asMadge Sterling, president of the Skull and Crossbones, a most exclusivesecret society. She was an attractive girl, vivacious and distinctly aleader. Her laughter was infectious; without half trying she had a way ofdrawing friends to her. Older people said she had "tact" but girls herown age liked her because she was known as a good sport. Madge's motherwas dead, and since the disappearance of her father, she had made herhome with her aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Brady.

  The two newcomers were Jane Allen and Edna Raynard. Jane was homely andvery outspoken; she made enemies easily yet was a loyal friend. She didnot mind her straight black hair or somewhat muddy complexion. Herslender figure was often ridiculed, but she took it all in good fun. Ednawas quite the opposite. She was pretty as a picture, plump, and had aninclination toward taking life exactly as she found it.

  The other girl, Enid Burnett, was Madge's special chum. Largely throughMadge's influence, she had been induced to come from another state toattend the Everetts School for Girls at Claymore. Her mother also wasdead, and her father, a well-to-do collector and sportsman, permitted heran unusual amount of freedom. Notwithstanding, she was a quiet, unspoiledgirl 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 letAunt Maude know what we were about for fear she'd put a stop to it. Waituntil Cara steps into the tub of water! We bought a nice big piece ofquivery liver too that--"

  She broke off as three loud knocks sounded from below, and made a divefor her sheet. The others scrambled into their costumes, preparing tofollow her downstairs.

  "Remember, girls, don't speak a word until Cara is brought up here," shewarned in a whisper. "This initiation must be a very solemn affair."

  "Have you thought up the main stunt?" Edna asked anxiously. "I tried tothink 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 sideof the door and then Madge opened it to confront a very frightened littlegirl who awaited admittance in fear and trembling. She giggled nervouslyas Madge beckoned her to follow.

  Cara Wayne was conducted by a devious route through the dark house to thebasement stairs. Madge signified that she was to go down alone. Carahesitated, sensing that some unpleasant ordeal awaited her below, butthere was no escape. She went boldly down. Suddenly, the girls heard alittle squeal of fright.

  "She must have touched the liver," Enid whispered. "I hung it where shecouldn'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 splashand a howl of anguish. Since the water ordeal exhausted the possibilitiesof the basement, Enid was sent down to bring up the unhappy victim. Carawas drenched to the knees but she displayed a studied cheerfulness. Theyled her to the attic clubroom, seating themselves in a semi-circle abouther.

  "Cara Wayne, do you promise never to reveal anything which transpireshere 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 anyillustrious member of Skull and Crossbones?"

  "I will," Cara promised, visions of many detested tasks passing beforeher eyes.

  "And now, one last test of your courage remains to be made," Madgecontinued impressively. "It lacks tw
enty minutes of midnight. Exactlyupon the hour you must go to the old boarded-up Swenster mansion,bringing back some token to prove that you have accomplished yourmission."

  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 wasseveral doors away, adjoining a grove of pine trees which at night wasnot the most pleasant place to pass. The Swenster grounds were surroundedby 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 andspeaking 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 herdismissal from the organization to which she aspired. Reluctantly, shemade her way down the dark stairs. The outside door closed behind her.

  "That was an inspiration!" Enid praised after Cara had gone. "Madge, youhave 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 Swenstermansion myself at this time of night."

  "You couldn't hire me to go near there," Edna added feelingly. "I canjust see poor Cara shaking in her boots. I wonder if she'll be able toget into the grounds."

  "The gate at the rear is ajar," Madge returned. "I tested it thisafternoon to find out."

  For some minutes the girls laughed over the evening's fun. Shortly aftermidnight they began to expect Cara.

  "I wish she'd hurry," Madge said. "Aunt Maude and Uncle George will becoming home soon and that will put an end to the initiation. She's hadplenty of time to get back."

  At fifteen minutes past midnight, the girls were a little alarmed. Theycast off their cumbersome robes and went downstairs to watch for her.

  "What can have happened?" Madge worried. "Perhaps we shouldn't have senther 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 keepingher," Madge returned quietly. "Or if you like, I'll go alone. It was myidea 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 streettoward the house. She hurled herself through the gate and raced acrossthe yard. Before the girls could open the door, she flung herself againstit, crying: "Let me in! Let me in!"

  As they hurriedly admitted her, she stumbled against Madge, gripping herin 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! AndI don't care what you say--I'll not go back! Not even if it means stayingout of the club. Nothing can make me go near that horrible place again!"