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