Carolyn Keene - The Secret of Red Gate Farm

"What will you do?" asked Bess seriously. "Drive over with it?"

"Of course not," growled Mr. Abbott, who had just entered the room. "You keep away from those outrageous people. Take it back to the post office."

Nancy studied the postmark. It was very blurred. Could it be Riverside Heights, or was she mistaken? Her curiosity about the mysterious cult was now even more aroused. Perhaps she could deliver the letter in person! But she got no further in her plan, for just then a neighbor passed on his way to town. Mrs. Byrd handed him the letter to remail.

Nancy felt disappointed, but was determined to find out in some way what was going on "over the hill." "If I can only be alone with Bess and George a little later, maybe we can come up with some plan" she thought.

There had been a letter from Mr. Drew, informing Nancy that he had returned home. "At least Dad's making progress on his case!" she said to herself.

Then Nancy hurried off to the barn where the "city slickers," as Reuben called them, were to have a milking lesson.

"It's no trick at all!" Bess insisted. "Give me that pail and I'll show you just how it's done."

Reuben handed over the bucket, and Bess marched determinedly up to the cow.

"Nice bossy," she murmured, giving the animal a timid pat on the neck.

The cow responded with a suspicious look and flirt of her tail. As Bess set down the milking stool, the cow kicked it over.

Bess sprang back in alarm. "You can't expect me to milk a vicious cow!" she exclaimed.

Joanne and Reuben exploded with laughter. "Primrose is an extremely smart cow," Reuben drawled. "She won't stand being milked except from the side she's used to!"

Reluctantly Bess picked up the overturned stool and went around to the left side. The cow leisurely moved herself sideways. "I give up! Here, you try it, George."

"Oh, no, Bess. I wouldn't spoil your fun for anything!"

After a great deal of maneuvering, Bess succeeded in handling the whole procedure to the satisfaction of Primrose. Nancy came last, and she, too, was a bit awkward. When Reuben finally sat down to do the milking, the girls watched him with admiration. "It just takes practice," he said, smiling.

That evening Mrs. Salisbury and Mr. Abbott had their usual disagreement and both retired early. Mrs. Byrd soon followed, leaving the girls alone on the porch.

"Do you think there will be any activity on the hill tonight?" George asked suddenly.

"I'm not sure," Joanne answered. "But it's a good clear night and the moon is full, so the setting is perfect for it."

"I'm dying to see what those nature enthusiasts look like," added Bess. "Just so they don't come too close!"

It was a lovely evening and Nancy had been only half listening to the chatter. She remained silent and thoughtful. The letter addressed to the Black Snake Colony was still very much on her mind.

"What's up, Nancy?" Bess finally asked, noticing her friend's silence.

"Three guesses," Nancy replied with a laugh. "I'm still curious about that envelope I had in my hands this afternoon. I'm almost certain that blurred postmark read Riverside Heights."

"Even if it did," George remarked, "it could have been written by almost anyone and simply mailed in Riverside Heights."

"I suppose you're right," Nancy agreed. "I guess I'm trying too hard. But let's walk over toward the hill."

The four girls started off. They crossed one field in front of the house and were just climbing a rail fence to the next one when Nancy cried out:

"Am I seeing things? Look! Over there on that hill!"

Following her gaze, the girls were astonished to see shadowy white figures flitting about in the moonlight.

"Ghosts!" Bess exclaimed.

"Ghosts nothing," George retorted. "There's no such animal!"

Don't be alarmed," Joanne said with a smile. "I imagine the members of the nature cult are having one of their festive airings by the light of the moon!"

The girls watched the cult members go through their mystic rites.

"They're not doing much of anything," Nancy observed, "except napping around."

Within ten minutes the ceremony apparently was concluded. The white figures clustered together for a moment, then moved off across the hillside.

"I wonder where they're heading," Nancy mused. "Back to their tents?"

Joanne had been watching intently. Now she shook her head. "I don't think so. I forgot to tell you-the cave has another opening on the slope of the hill, near the river. The colony members are going in that direction."

Immediately Nancy's curiosity was aroused. Did this mean the white-robed group intended to go into the cave itself? If so, why? To continue the ceremony?

"It certainly was a short performance," Bess remarked as the mysterious "dancers" vanished from sight. "I wonder if the ritual has any significance."

"That's what I'd like to know," Nancy said quietly. "And that's what we must find out!"

"Not tonight!" Joanne said firmly. "Grandmother will be very upset if we don't come right back."

Reluctantly Nancy gave up the idea. The girls started for the farmhouse, but Nancy kept looking back over her shoulder, determined not to miss anything. However, the hillside remained uninhabited and still.

As the girls drew near the road, the motor of a car broke the silence and headlights appeared. The automobile slowed down in front of the farmhouse as if about to stop. Then suddenly the car went on. Why? Nancy wondered. Had the driver seen the girls and changed his mind?

CHAPTER IX Black Snake Colony Member

Nancy was too far away from the car to see its driver or license plate. Thoughtfully she went to bed, but lay awake for some time, feeling completely baffled over the many mysterious happenings.

By morning she felt eager for action. Ever since her arrival at Red Gate Farm, Nancy had wanted to visit the cavern on the hillside. The strange moonlight ceremony and the unidentified car which had hesitated in front of the house only intensified her interest in the place.

She broached the subject of a visit there to Mrs. Byrd, but Joanne's grandmother frowned on the idea. "I'll worry if you go," she said. "Those folks are probably harmless, but we don't know much about them. I wish now I had never rented the land. The neighbors are saying I was foolish to do it in the first place."

"And so you were!" Mrs. Salisbury, who had overheard the conversation, chimed in. "You'll ruin the value of your farm. Why, people around are saying dreadful things about the members of that cult. Even Reuben is afraid to go near the place!"

"I'm not," Nancy announced. "I think it would be fun to investigate."

Mrs. Salisbury snorted. "Fun! Girls these days have strange ideas of fun! First thing you know, Mrs. Byrd, she'll be wanting to join the colony!"

"Nonsense." Mrs. Byrd smiled.

In order to avoid further dissension. Nancy dropped the subject of the cave. But that afternoon she set out alone on a hike. Making her way to the woods which skirted the river. Nancy struck a well-worn path and decided to continue along it. She had walked only a short way when the sound of a faint cry came to her. Nancy halted in the path and listened intently. The cry was not repeated.

"Maybe I imagined it," she said to herself. Nevertheless, Nancy quickened her pace, looking about her as she walked. As she rounded a bend a few minutes later, she was startled to see a woman hunched over on the ground, writhing in pain.

"What's the matter?" Nancy cried out, hurrying over to her. Then the girl's eyes widened.

This was the woman she had seen running across a field the night of the storm.

"I tripped on a root in the path," the woman murmured, rocking back and forth in pain. "My ankle-it's broken."

Nancy dropped to one knee and quickly examined the injured ankle. It was swelling rapidly, but all the bones seemed to be in place.