Part 18 (1/2)

George shook her head. ”But see what I found,” she said, pointing to the twisted old cherry tree. ”Doesn't it look like a witch tree?”

”It sure does,” Nancy said, and ran over to inspect it. She searched the crotches of the low branches, but found nothing unusual on or near the tree.

”If it's tied up with the witch tree symbol and Hoelt,” she said thoughtfully, ”it could be a landmark for directions to the schnitz. I'm going to investigate the attic for any dues to the ident.i.ty of the person who was up there, or to the witch tree symbol.”

Once more the girls returned to the house. Again Bess bent over so that Nancy might pull herself up through the trap-door opening.

”Here, take my pocket flashlight,” George offered as Nancy peered into the dark opening.

”Thanks.”

Nimbly, the slim girl hoisted herself into the small attic. Beaming the flashlight about, for a moment Nancy saw nothing. Then her alert eyes picked out a dust-covered object shoved far back under the eaves. She crawled over to it.

Nancy brushed off a layer of dirt from the article and discovered that it was an old German Bible about ten by twelve inches in size. Its cover was brittle and frayed.

Picking it up gently, Nancy returned to the trap door. ”Bess, will you please take this?” she requested. ”And be careful with it.”

Getting on her knees, Nancy held on to the edge of the opening with one hand, and with the other she pa.s.sed the Bible to Bess. Then she lightly swung herself downward and jumped to the floor.

The girls hastened to examine the old book. The flyleaf was speckled with brown from age. Nancy, noticing some faded writing in ink, shone her light on the page, and read aloud, ”'Given to Rachel Hoelt by her parents at the time of her marriage.' ”

”Hypers!” George exclaimed. ”Do you suppose this house is still owned by the Hoelt family?”

”If it were,” Nancy said, ”I think the police would have looked here for Roger Hoelt.”

Bess thought the crook might have known the house was empty and used it as a hiding place, but Nancy pointed out it contained none of the stolen furniture that was missing from the carriage she and Ned had recovered.

”Also,” she reasoned, ”Roger Hoelt uses both an automobile and a horse and buggy. He couldn't drive either of them in here. Besides, this house shows no signs of recent occupancy.”

”I agree,” said George, ”but the witch tree could be a signpost. We'll keep on looking.”

Nancy agreed and also felt they should take the old Bible with them and leave it at the Glicks' for safekeeping. Later, she would search for law-abiding members of the Hoelt family who might be interested in preserving this valuable find.

”I think Roger Hoelt probably was the person we surprised in the attic,” Bess now declared. ”Maybe he was looking for this book and we interrupted his search.”

They wrapped the Bible carefully in some of the old newspapers and carried it to the car.

”I have a hunch that we may be narrowing our search for Roger Hoelt and MandaKreutz,” she announced as they drove away.

”By now, Manda may be back home,” George mused, thinking that the Amish girl might have found out the Hoelts' true aims and character.

”Perhaps,” said Nancy doubtfully. ”But I think we would have heard of it through the grapevine if she had returned to her family. Later we can stop at the Kreutz farm and see.”

By the time they got back to the Glick home, Mrs. Glick had returned from the quilting party. She was bustling about, preparing dinner.

”Something smells mighty good!” George smiled.

Mrs. Glick wiped her hands on her ap.r.o.n. ”We are having 'old shoes' and milichflitche. 'Old shoes' are mashed potatoes inside of a dumpling. The milichflitche is pie,” she went on, ”made of flour, cream, sugar, and cinnamon.”