Part 31 (2/2)
CHAPTER XXV
JUST IN TIME
It seee of the Gandy house and premises, such a caretaker would have appeared before this to de folks from Roselahat they wanted As Jessie Noralked up the lane, with little Henrietta by the hand and followed by Darrington Drew, she saw no person at anyor door
The tower ht have been abandoned years before, as far as appearance went But Mark Stratford's discovery seemed to make it plain that the toas sometimes in use
Jessie noted that the tower stood on a knoll behind the house froht be seen With good field glasses one ht stand in the second story of the tower and see the horses running on the track Then, if there was a sending radio set in the tower, the reports of races could be broadcasted in secret code to sets tuned to the one in the tower
Of course, if the radio instrually used, it was only so used while the races were being held at the Harri aerials were raised and made use of The cry for help that had been broadcasted and which Jessie and Aht have been sent out froht when Martha Poole or her friends had neglected to shut off the aerial by dropping it flat upon the roof of the tower
The question noas, had Bertha stolen her way into the tower at that time, or was she held prisoner there? Evidently Martha Poole and Sadie Bothere deterirl until after the court had settled in their favor the Ellison will case
Jessie and those with her came to the foot of the tower All the los were boarded up and the door was tightly closed There were shades at the upper s, and they fitted tightly
”You call Bertha, honey,” said Jessie ”Tell her we've come to let her out Did you try that door, Darry?”
”Not lary”
”Shout for Bertha, Henrietta,” coirl set up a yell that, as Burd declared, could have scarcely been equaled by a steam calliope
”Bertha! Bertha Haney! Come out and see hted A to each other while they laughed Little Henrietta's face got rosy red while she shouted, and she was very much in earnest
”Bertha! Bertha Haney! Don't you hear ot a new dress! And we've come to take you home Bertha!”
Suddenly the lower door of the tower opened a crack An old, old wo woman, appeared at the crack
”What you want?” she demanded ”Go 'way! Martha Poole didn't send you here”
Jessie spoke up briskly ”We've come to see Bertha This is her little cousin You won't refuse to let her see Bertha, will you?”
”There ain't nobody here but a sick girl She ain't to be let out She ain't right in her head”
”I guess that is what is the matter with you,” said Darry Drew, sternly He had come nearer, and now, before the woman could shut the door, he thrust his foot between it and the ja to see Bertha Blair Out of the way!”
He thrust back the door and the old wo frouardian of the tower and darted upstairs
”Bertha! Bertha! I'o up and see what's doing, Jess,” said Darry ”I'll hold this woh it was from nervousness