Keene, Carolyn – Nancy Drew 006 – The Secret of Red Gate Farm

nificance.”

“That’s what I’d like to know,” Nancy said

quietly. “And that’s what we must find out!”

“Not tonight!” Joanne said firmly. “Grand-

mother 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 look-

ing 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 com-

pletely baffled over the many mysterious happen-

ings.

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 after-

noon 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, look-

ing 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, hurry-

ing 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 exam-

ined the injured ankle. It was swelling rapidly,

but all the bones seemed to be in place.

“See if you can stand,” she advised.

With Nancy’s help the woman managed to get

to her feet, but winced as she tried to take her

first step.

“It isn’t broken,” Nancy said gently, “but you

have a bad sprain.”

“Oh, what’ll I do now?” the woman moaned.

“Do you live far from here?” Nancy asked.

The stranger looked at her rather queerly and

did not answer at once. Nancy thought she had

not understood, so repeated the question.

“About a quarter of a mile up the river,” was

the mumbled response. “I’ll get there all right.”

“You’re scarcely able to walk a step,” Nancy

said with a troubled frown. “Please let me run

back to the farm and bring help.”

“No, no,” the woman protested, clutching

Nancy fearfully by the arm. “I don’t want to be a

bother to anyone!”

“Nonsense! You shouldn’t be walking at all.

It won’t take me a minute to get someone to help

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