Part 15 (2/2)

”If only we can find the rest of them-a whole sack of them!” she whispered excitedly to herself one moment, and the next found herself pacing the floor, murmuring: ”Where can they have gone? Why don't they come back?”

There was no connection between the two emotions which she was experiencing. The first had to do with a letter which had just been brought to her from the little postoffice down the creek; the last with the mysterious disappearance of Florence and Hallie.

The letter was from her friend, the curator at Field Museum. It read:

”Dear Marion:

You have made quite a find. How did you happen upon it? But then, I suppose one may find many rare articles back there in the c.u.mberlands so far from the main channels of commerce and life.

The gold piece you sent me is not properly a coin, but a token minted by a private individual. There are enough such tokens in bronze, but the gold ones are rare. Just why any were made is hard to tell. We know they were made, however. Two kinds are known to exist; one made in Georgia, the other in North Carolina.

You may not know it, but way back in 1830 gold was mined in Lumpkin County, Georgia, and Rutherfordton, North Carolina. Temple Reid, of Georgia, and a Mr. Bechtler of Rutherfordton, made their gold into tokens and the specimen you have found is a true sample of Georgia gold, very rare and quite valuable. Should you care to sell this one, and should you find others, I have no doubt they might be readily disposed of at something like sixty or seventy dollars for each piece.”

”Sixty or seventy dollars!” Marion exclaimed as she read the letter for a third time. ”At that rate a mere handful of them would be worth quite a small fortune, and even the price of one is not to be sneered at. It would help toward repairing the schoolhouse.”

”It wouldn't go far,” smiled Mrs. McAlpin. ”That schoolhouse needs a new roof, a new floor, doors, windows, blackboards and seats. Otherwise it is a very good schoolhouse. But then, what is the use of your dreaming about that? Ransom Turner says the election is lost, and he should know.”

”Yes, he should.” A cloud spread over Marion's face as she sat down. The cloud was replaced by a frown as she sprang to her feet to pace the floor and exclaim for the fourth time:

”Where can they have gone? Why don't they come back?”

”Have no doubt,” said Mrs. McAlpin, ”that they went together to a cabin for supper or to spend the night.”

They-Florence and Hallie-had indeed gone to a cabin to spend the night; but such a cabin, and such a night!

Marion knew that Mrs. McAlpin did not feel half the a.s.surance she tried to express. Little Hallie had disappeared, leaving no trail behind.

Florence had left the whipsawed cabin, saying she was going for a walk but would return for supper. She had not returned. Darkness had come, supper time had pa.s.sed. Their supper stood untouched and cold on the table.

”I still have hopes of finding the rest of that Georgia gold,” said Marion, talking more to herself than to Mrs. McAlpin. ”Perhaps it isn't all Georgia gold. There may be some Confederate gold mixed in with it.

One never can tell. It certainly would be thrilling to discover some real Confederate gold. I'm not at all satisfied with our search of the attic.”

”Was there anything up there beside this one bit of gold?” On Mrs.

McAlpin's face there was such an amused smile as one might expect to find there had a child told her he meant to go in search of the pot of gold at the foot of the rainbow.

”Nothing but a heavy old pounding mill,” replied Marion.

”Why should one wish to store a pounding mill in an attic? They are always used out of doors.”

”I don't know,” said the girl thoughtfully. ”Might be sort of an heirloom.”

”Rather ponderous I should say.”

Marion caught her breath. Uncle Billie had said that old block of a pounding mill was uncommonly heavy. Here was food for thought. The first thing in the morning she would go up there. She would-

At this moment her thoughts were cut short by a sudden burst of thunder that went rolling and reverberating down the mountain.

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