Aunt Jane's Nieces on the Ranch by Edith Van Dyne

Author:Edith Van Dyne
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781634215015
Publisher: Duke Classics

Chapter XII - Another Disappearance

*

For a time the three stood regarding one another with startled eyes. Then Arthur gasped: "Great heaven! what fools we've been."

"Come!" cried Patsy. "The nursery."

They rushed down the corridors to the staircase and thence into the court. The door of the nursery stood ajar and Arthur first entered and lighted a lamp.

The light fell full upon the face of a man seated in a low rocking chair and holding a half smoked cigarette in his mouth. He was fast asleep. It was old Miguel, the ranchero.

Arthur shook his shoulder, savagely, and the man wakened and rubbed his eyes. Then, seeing who had disturbed him, he quickly rose and made his characteristic low, sweeping bow.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Weldon, angry and suspicious.

"I am look for Mees Jane," returned the old man calmly.

"In your sleep? Come, get out of here."

"Wait a minute, Arthur," said Beth, reading Miguel's face. "He knows something."

Arthur looked at the man critically, reflecting that there must be a reason for his presence in the nursery. Miguel had been fond of baby Jane. Was he merely disconsolate over her loss, or—did he really "know something"?

"Miguel once told me," said Patsy, speaking slowly, "that he used to live in this house, in Cristoval's time, and knows it thoroughly."

The old man bowed.

"I theenk," said he, "perhaps we find Mees Jane here—not somewhere else."

"Why do you think that, Miguel?"

It was Patsy who questioned him. He mused a bit before replying.

"The old señor—the father of my Señor Cristoval—was strange mans," said he. "He make thees house a funny way. Come; I show you."

He led the way to the little room adjoining, the one Inez had occupied. In one corner of the floor was a square hole, with steps leading down to a sort of blind pocket. Holding a lamp in one hand Miguel descended the steps and pushed against a block of adobe that formed part of the outer wall. It swung inward, disclosing a cavity about four feet in width and fully six feet high. The interior could be plainly seen from the room, by stooping close to the floor. There were shelves in the cavity and upon one of them stood a jar of milk.

"Oh," cried Patsy, clasping her hands together. "I told you the wall was hollow!"

Arthur followed Miguel down the steps. He took the lamp and examined the little room. All the walls that formed it seemed solid.

Miguel was holding the block that served as a door. He released his hold, when Arthur had again ascended, and the block swung back into place.

As they returned to the nursery, Weldon asked:

"Do you know of any other rooms in the wall, Miguel?"

The man shook his head, uncertainly.

"I know there be other rooms in thees wall," said he, "for Señor Cristoval have told me so. Hees father make the places to keep things safe from robbers—perhaps to hide from others, too. But where such places are ees the secret of the Cristovals. The room I show you ees all I know about.

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