 CHAPTER 1 Who was she? It would be difficult to say just why they had selected number six to explore on that particular afternoon. Here Chance had a large element in it. So had the fact that it was the only pool within many miles of their vicinity with which they had not already become intimately acquainted. Lastly it was the farthest removed. They had to travel twelve miles in the little ford to get to it. Bernice lay contentedly at the edge of a sand embankment, white as driven snow, her chin cupped in her hands, watching half a dozen or more mullets, drift and swing in the limpid clear water below. Sydney roamed along the sides of the pool, a hunting rifle under his arm, also speculatively watching a brace of larger fish farther away. There is nothing more utterly fascinating than an abandoned South Florida phosphate mine pool, nor is there anything farther removed in appearance from the same mine in full operation. A phosphate mine in full swing is a busy, impressive and unbeautiful thing. From the great shallow crater, many hundred feet in diameter, clouds of steam arise, making it not unlike a real volcano in effect. Freight cars and locomotives grind back and forth on the sidings, carrying away the mined material. Huge hydraulic pipes are woven across the mine space and at one side an immense washer, resembling nothing so much as the structure of a scenic railway in an amusement park, blots out the skyline. But the active usefulness of any one phosphate mine is short-lived. When its capacity for yielding the valuable commodity is reached, and phosphate is not generally found more than fifty feet below the surface, the mine is promptly abandoned. All the paraphernalia of mining is moved to another region and the gaping hole is left, a horrid blot on the beautiful Florida landscape. But nature seems to love that sunny land, and in a singularly short time she provides a wonderful remedy for the desecration. In a few weeks the great cavity has become filled with crystal clear water. Vegetation creeps rapidly over the ravaged environs, and strangest of all, fish in shoals outnumbered find their way mysteriously into the new pool, doubtless through subterranean channels, making it a paradise for the angler. And so the unlovely mine has become a little gem of a lake. The longer the scene has been deserted, the more attractive and alive with fish. Sydney, called Bernice presently to her cousin, now standing some fifty feet away, I never saw anything to equal the fish in this pool. There are more of them in bigger than in any of the other pools you've shown me. That's because this is an old pool, the boy replied. I think they say it's the oldest mine-pool anywhere in this region. Has it been worked for twelve or fifteen years? Look at that bouncer over there. I'm going to get him. He pointed to a large pike, lazily floating by, about fifteen feet out from where he stood. But, Sid, you didn't bring your rod, retorted the girl. How do you expect to get him without a line? I told you I was going to show you something new when we came out to-day. I am. Just you watch. He waited till the pike was well opposite where he stood on the bank. Then he raised his rifle to his shoulder, aimed at a point just underneath the fish and fired. When the explosion and the resultant splash were over, the fish was seen floating on its back. It happened that the bank at this point shelved rather gradually out into the water. Sidney sprang in, waited almost to the top of his hip-boots, and caught the slippery body just as it had suddenly revived and was about to dive away. He bore it, still frantically flopping to the shore, and deposited it in his basket. Sidney! gasped Bernice. Where did you ever learn that? A man that had hunted in Canada told me about it. It's a great trick. You only stun the fish, but if you don't get him double-quick, he revives and gets away. Sometimes I bring a fishing-spear along to get them out that way. Hi! There's another, right close by. He was off again in a twinkling, eager for another catch, and Bernice sat up to watch him with keen interest. But this time he was not so successful. He overshot his mark and his prize when the water settled was nowhere to be seen. After that he stood in tent for a long time, waiting with a sportsman's patience for another chance, and Bernice settled down again watching him idly. Every little while she drew a long breath of content and snuggled down closer into the hot white sand. On the opposite side of the pool was an ancient orange grove, and the scent of orange blossoms was wafted to her with every puff of wind. Oh! I'm glad I've come to live in Florida, she sighed aloud. Then she continued to meditate on the very opportune opening that had come to her father, who was not very well, to settle in Florida near his brother in the phosphate region, and give his engineering knowledge to the mining interests. Her cousin Sydney had lived in Florida for several years, but she was having her first taste of it in the last glorious month. Every afternoon she and her cousin had spent in a little ford, exploring the country far and wide. While she watched now, Sydney raised his rifle for another shot, and again missed. Fired too low, he called back in an explanation and roamed on. Neither of them noticed a lith little figure gliding behind them from bush to bush, keeping always in the shadow of some protecting shelter, and watching them with alert and mystified interest. It would have been a cause of considerable astonishment to them to know they were so closely observed. They did not suppose there was any one within miles of their vicinity. Presently Bernice scrambled up and announced that she was going to explore the other side of the pool, where the orange grove was, and sauntered off around the edge on her quest. The figure behind the bushes followed noiselessly, keeping always unseen among the scrub palmettole-gross. And Bernice, totally unaware of being followed or spied upon, rambled happily along. In the grove she found three oranges hanging within reach, although the new blossoms were on the same trees, a combination that never failed to astonish her, and resting under one of the trees she ate, too, saving the biggest for Sydney when he should arrive at that point. Then she roamed again. Oh, Sydney! she called back, suddenly and excitedly. Do you know there's an old farmhouse here? I didn't suppose there was a house within miles of this place. I know, it's an old deserted one, he called back. Has it been inhabited for years? I've seen it once or twice when I've been here before. But it's inhabited now, insisted Bernice. There's smoke coming out of the chimney and some plants growing in pales and boxes on the porch. That's queer, he replied. The place hasn't been lived in for ages. It's all tumbled down. Wait till I get around there and see it with you. The quiet figure behind the palmettole-scrubs seemed more on the alert than ever, and sat motionless, watching with half anxious, half-wondering eyes. Sydney lingered several moments to obtain a shot at another tempting fish, and this time waited out his prize in his grasp. But as his foot touched the bank, Bernice heard him give an astonished shout, and looked up to see him struggling desperately with something that was slashing and beating itself about in a furious encounter with him. Without an instant delay she rushed around the edge of the pool to his assistance. Don't come near, he called to her, thumping and laying about him with the butt of his rifle. It's a horrible snake. He stopped talking for lack of wind and because every energy was needed to ward off his assailant. It was indeed a snake, as Bernice could plainly see for herself, neither a rattler nor a moccasin, but a hideous creature that was growing steadily bigger and longer and more venomous and horrible in appearance as she watched. It was like nothing she had ever dreamed of or heard of before, an awful nightmare, to see the reptile grow visibly before her very eyes. Run, Sydney! Run! she implored. Don't try to fight it. Just get out of its reach. I can't, he panted. The horrid thing comes after me whenever I try. I've got to kill it. He lunged at it again with the butt of his gun and gave a groan of pain dropping his rifle from the hand that the snake had injured. In the same instant the reptile itself, as if satisfied with the damage it had done, slid noiselessly away into the long grass by the pool's edge. Oh, Sydney! cried Bernice in an agony of apprehension. What shall we do? The creature has stung you. We're miles from home. Is it as poisonous as a rattler or a moccasin, do you think? I don't know, muttered the boy, staring down almost stupidly at his wounded wrist. In reality he was a little stunned and stupefied at the suddenness of the attack and the wound he had received. It hurts a good deal and his growing numb. We'd better get right home. I don't believe I can drive the car. Can you manage it? I'll do the best I can, she said. You know I've only driven a little since you began to teach me. Come. Let's get to where we left the car quickly. She seized his unwounded arm and began to hurry him toward the car, standing far around on the other side of the pool. But the shock and the injury were too much for Sydney. He turned suddenly dizzy and sat down on a sand hammock, sinking his head upon his knees. And Bernice, sure now that he was dying, sank down beside him in despair and began to sob softly. Please, if you will let me, I think I can help. Bernice looked up in astonishment. She had had no idea there was anyone around. She had not given the subject a thought. And she gassed in further wonder at the figure she saw standing before her. It was a girl, presumably about her own age, fifteen. She was small in frame, lithe and dark, barefoot and rather unkempt in dress, a ragged blue skirt and soiled white midi blouse being mainly in evidence. The tangled mat of hair was very dark, almost black and unconfined in any way. Her complexion was tanned to a golden-brown hue, evidently through long exposure to the sun. But her features were very pleasing and regular, and her eyes were wonderful, great iris-blue pupils surrounded by lashes long and dark, and curling enough to have satisfied a society beauty. It was the eyes chiefly that arrested Bernice. Who—who are you? She could only stammer. I live in the house over there. The girl indicated the old farm house in the orange grove. I—I saw what happened. I think I know what to do if you'll let me. Oh, thank you so much! Do anything—anything! We'll be so grateful!" cried the distracted Bernice. Without another word the girl bent down and raised the boy's wounded wrist that he had left hanging limply down. She turned back the cuff of his shirt, which, originally rolled to the elbow, had now fallen over the wrist, scanned the wound critically, and then turned to Bernice. Has he a handkerchief? Bernice extracted one from his pocket. Sidney, all the while, inert in the stupor that seemed to possess him. The girl quickly tore it into strips, and with them bound his arm tightly just above the elbow. To make the bandage tighter she inserted a small stick and twisted it until Bernice almost winced, so white and bloodless did the lower arm suddenly become. Next she laid her lips to the wound and drew out any poisonous matter there might be. Bernice looked on, wide-eyed and apprehensive. Sidney, meanwhile, revived enough to realize what was going on. I got awfully dizzy, he said apologetically, and then for the first time realizing that there was a stranger on the scene and that this same stranger had been rendering him more than medical service. He braced himself up with an astonished, Oh, thanks, awfully! You're very good to have done so much. I got stung by something, I guess. Hope it wasn't a rattler. He'd know. It wasn't a rattler. You'd be in terrible shape by now if it had been, replied the girl. It wasn't even a moccasin. A hug-nose snake, that's what it was. They're not often seen. They're harmless, but they have a terrible way. I should say it did, cried the boy. The little wretch was only about a foot and a half long when I first saw it lying there. I made a strike at it and it suddenly began to swell up and get longer and longer, and its eyes were like red sparks of fire and it felt like a perfect demon. I've never come across its likes since I've been in Florida. But thank you so much for what you've done. I think you've saved me from having a bad arm, at least. It was nothing, she said, and suddenly overcome by an unconquerable shyness, now that the crisis was over, she turned on her heel and walked rapidly away, increasing her pace to an actual run when she was sufficiently far away. Wait! Wait! cried both the young people. We want—but she was out of sight in another moment, and later, as they stared after her, they caught a brief glimpse as she flashed into the old farmhouse and disappeared from view. That's mighty queer, commented Bernice. She might have waited a little longer till we could thank her properly and find out who she was. But come along now. You must get straight home and have a doctor tend to your arm. She has probably saved you from any immediate bad effects, but you ought to have it cauterized or something. I'll drive and you can help me out if I get in trouble. Luckily it's not your right arm. As they drove away, in one last glance back at the old farmhouse, they saw the strange girl peeping out at them from the doorway. End of Chapter 1. VILLAGE GOSSOP Bernice drove back to town and straight to the doctor's office. Sidney, meanwhile, had so far recovered that he declared that there was really no need of a doctor's attention for him. And the physician himself verified this after he had examined the wound. "'Simply grazed your arm with his head,' he laughed. "'Not a particle of venom in those hog-nose rascals. In fact, they haven't any fangs. But they certainly do look formidable, the big ones. Gave you a scare, I reckon. But whoever fixed you up did it quite scientifically. If it had been a rattler, you would have run a fair chance of getting over it with that torn-a-cane.'" Know anything about those folks out at Old Number 6, inquired Sidney casually? That's where we were fishing this afternoon. Don't know much about this region. Only came here lately from Jacksonville to help with the mine men, a word Dr. Bennett. Never been out to Number 6 or even heard of it. One of those worked out mines, isn't it? "'It hasn't been worked for 15 years or so,' replied Sidney. "'Well, I don't get round much to such out-of-the-way places, even to fish. The active mines keep me so busy I can hardly sleep. This blasting plays the mischief all the time. Men get so careless with the dynamite. Only yesterday a dozen of them didn't get out of range fast enough up to Number 10. And they got caught in the blast, and every one of them knocked galley-west. I had a pretty time of it with them. Managed to keep them all out of Kingdom Cum, but they needed some patching up. I haven't timed a Mosier out fishing, and that sort of thing. No help there, he met Sidney when they got outside. Thought surely he'd know a thing or two about Number 6, being a doctor and going around so much. But we'll get it at some hour. There must be someone in this town that knows it. There wise about everything else there is to know of the life history of the inhabitants for miles around. "'Suppose we try Caswell's General Store,' suggested Bernice. Mr. Caswell knows the whole neighborhood too, and everyone goes there for supplies. He ought to be over to tell us something. "'Let's go in and get some packages of chocolate. I can't think of anything else to ask for, and I'm crazy to find out who that queer girl can be.' She sort of fascinated me. There was something very curious about her looks and manner. They drew the Ford up in front of the Big General Store, or Commissariat, and entered, hopefully. Bernice purchased half a dozen packages of chocolate, and while they were being wrapped, Sidney engaged the stout, inert, and good-natured Mr. Caswell in conversation. "'Been up to old number six fishing lately,' he inquired nonchalantly. I had pretty good luck there today. Never saw a hole so chock-full of fish. No, I ain't been up there in the dog's age too far to go, and my little tin-liz is out of commission lately anyhow. Caught a good mess over at number three yesterday. Do you know who's living in the old farmhouse out at six, went on Sidney? Seems to be inhabited now, though I never saw anyone in it before.' "'Well, you don't tell. Sure enough, I've not heard till there was anyone in there either. That place belongs to old Doc Halsey over to Bartow. He's that mean he never would do any repairs on it, and so he ain't had anyone to live in it these five years past. Told me a year ago he was going to pull the old thing down and sell the lumber.' "'Well, well, so he's got a tenant, has he? Can't be a very particular one to live there. At least we found out one thing quite bearish when they were out of the store. We know who owns the old place, and of course he'll know who his tenant is. Let's go over to Bartow tomorrow and find out.' But Sidney drew the line at this. "'How in the world do you expect to tackle him? Anyway, here I get indignantly. What excuse would you have for running over there and taking up his time, asking such a fool question? It's none of our business if you come to that. It certainly is our business if we want to find out who the girl is that was so kind, contradicted beneath. We ought to do something for her anyway to show our gratitude. It would be rather awkward if we don't even know who she is, wouldn't it?' But Sidney was not to be so easily convinced. He was adamant on the subject of visiting Doc Halsey and questioning him about his new tenants. The cousins however were speed the necessity by something that happened that very evening. They had gone together to the early moving picture show, and when it was over Sidney suggested that they repair to the Orange Blossom Cafe and have some soda. Now the Orange Blossom Cafe was a town institution. It was the one establishment in the village where ice cream and soda water were dispensed, where candy and cigars could be bought, where one could obtain something approaching a restaurant meal. They would approach this no closer than fried ham and eggs and bacon and ham sandwiches and coffee. Usually the only commodities on the bill are fare, but it was the great gathering place of the town, and around its four or five little tables or over its soft drink counter were retailed all the news and gossip within a radius of 30 miles of the centre. Bernese and Sidney seated themselves at one of the little tables and gave their orders to the worried looking white apron boy who attended through such matters. But before it had even been delivered Sidney, who had been gazing purposefully around at the occupants of the place, held someone sitting over in a far corner in a chair tilted against the wall. That's like Massey he whispered to Bernese. I'd be willing to wager he can tell a few things about number six, he knows everything. Oh white come over here and have some ice cream with us won't you? Nothing Loth, I got up and slouched over to the table with a pleased grin. He was a village character, red-haired, good natured, always wearing a cheerful grin, boastful and lazy, and of no particular occupation that anyone had ever heard of. His chief interest in life was fishing and hunting, and he had whipped every pool and river in that part of Florida times without number. He made an ideal companion for a day sport, but was of no other earthly use except as a purveyor of village gossip, of which he had always an inexhaustible supply. Been fishing anywhere lately, Ike began Sidney, opening up at once the subject he knew was nearest to Ike's heart. Well I've been over to the peace river for the last day or two, acknowledged Ike, kinder tired of these pools and wanted a different kind of sport. Good catching over there, reckon I landed 30 or 40 in one morning, sold them in Fort Mead and got myself a new rod and reel. I was over at old number six this afternoon, Sidney contributed, shot him up a bit the way I showed you last week. Good going too. But by the way Ike, did you know there's someone living at the old farm house there? Quite surprised me to see someone in it. Ike massaged looked at him thoughtfully before replying and took a large mouthful of cream. No who it is, he queried between spoonfuls. No I didn't see anyone but a girl about Bernice's age, I should think. Queer little specimen. Ike continued to imbibe ice cream for an appreciable interval. Finally he spoke. I was over to number six myself, about a week ago, not much luck, weather too cool and fish weren't biting. He paused in his literally way and surrounded another huge spoonful of ice cream. These intervals were maddening to his two interlocutors but they knew there was no way to make him come to the point other than simply to wait. Seen someone in the old house myself he went on at last. Couldn't quite make things out at first. He scraped the last drops of cream from the bottom of his dish and then sat back staring silently and somewhat mournfully at the empty plate. Have another plate of cream Ike, urged Sydney warmly and purposefully. It's a hot night and these dishes don't amount to anything at all. I'm going to have another myself. All right thank you don't mind if I do. And Sydney gave the order, trusting that a fresh supply would bring forth fresh information. Ike began on his new plate with unabated vigor and was in no condition to talk for a moment or two. Well as I was saying the fishing up to number six was pretty poor last week. I don't know what got into him. I don't reckon I bought home four for the whole day at it. That's so. You say you saw someone in the old house, questioned Sydney, patiently herding him round to the subject again. I certainly seen signs that was inhabited. Ferns on the porch and all that. And finally as my water bowl was palm empty I reckoned I'd go and ask for a fresh supply. Did you get it? demanded Sydney with more anxiety than the subject called for apparently. I guide him with some curiosity. Sure I got it. It'd be queer sort of folk that refuse a fellow a drink of water. Fat cracker woman came to the door when I knocked. I was sure I'd seen her somewhere else before. While I was pumping I asked her didn't she come from down Fort Myers Way and she said yes. I asked her what she was doing so far from home and she laughed and said she's married now and come up here to live. Well I sort of gave her all the good wishes of the season and says might I make so bold as to ask who she married. And she said she married that Everglades guide that used to be so well known a while back. Jerry Sawgrass. I says this is a long way from the Glades for Jerry to live and she says yes. And then looks kind of embarrassed like and says he ate so well now and the Glades don't agree with him no more so he settled here. And all the time keeping one eye indoors kind of anxiously as if she didn't want someone in there to hear or something like that. All of a sudden that their young kid comes running around the corner of the house and the cracker woman when she sees her she hollers for to go fetch some firewood and so the kid disappears again. And I says to her that's your gal and she says no she's a sort of niece of Jerry's or something like that. Anyhow I was filled up by that time and wanted to get back to fish. So I says good day and that's all I know about him except when I was over the Peace River the other day. I met up with a fella that had known Jerry in the Glades and he says he don't believe that kid's any niece of his. That Jerry is a half-breed Indian anyhow and he thinks the kid ain't. And no one knows where she really come from and when Jerry. At this juncture I expired a crony just entering the cafe and shouted across the play. Hey Doug want to see you a minute about that gunman was going to swap. And to the cousins thank you all for your company and the ice cream. Might be good of you. Got to see that fella right off before he gets away. He's trying to duck me if he can so long. He left them precipitately and two minutes later was out of the cafe. Pity he didn't finish that last remark exclaimed Sidney. But anyway we got about what we wanted. What do you think of it Bernice? Bernice sat staring wide-eyed and unseemly before her for the space of several moments. Finally she spoke. What did I tell you Sid? There's something queer about that girl. I knew at the first minute I laid eyes on her. There's a mystery somewhere. Oh when can we go out there again? I can't go out there for a couple of days replied her cousin. So you'll just have to possess your soul in patience till then. End of chapter two. Chapter three at mystery at number six. This is a Librebox recording. All Librebox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit Librebox.org. The mystery at number six by Augusta Hulke Seaman. Chapter three. Jerry Saw Gras Entertains. Bernice spent the next two days in excited speculation. Decided Zest was added to a wonderful new life in Florida by the introduction of so pecan a matter as they had accidentally stumbled across. When her cousin was at length free to take an afternoon off again she straight away proposed that they visit number six and try to see the curious new inhabitants of the old farmhouse. Yes and I want to thank that girl too for what she did. Agreed Sidney. What do you think would be nice for us to take her? Something she wouldn't be likely to have. How would a book do? Or some candy? Don't take a book. Laugh Bernice. She probably can't even read if she's come from such an uncivilised place as the Everglades. Let's get a big box of the nicest bonbons we can find. I want that will be something she's never had before. Accordingly armed with a five pound box of chocolates they drove to number six in the fort the next afternoon intent on the payment of their debt of gratitude. As the road around to the grove was very rough and cut by old railroad tracks they decided to leave the car where it had stood on their first visit and proceed on foot. Much to their surprise sounds of shouting and laughter and splashing came to them as they drew near the pool and curious to learn the cause of it they crept noiselessly to the edge. The sight that met their gaze took their breath away and almost bowled them over. Seated on the edge of a high bank above the pool was the girl attired in a tattered bathing suit with a long pole she was prodding at something down below something that floundered and splashed and lashed about the shallow water protesting her. Bernice uttered a frightened little cry and clung to Sydney's arm in a panic. Do you see what she's doing? She choked. Look at that awful ah but good gracious let's run this is frightfully dangerous. Sydney laughed. It isn't a bit dangerous but I confess I never saw a girl with quite nerve enough for that but Sydney an alligator a huge alligator and in a pool like this. Why these pools are full of them in the season Sydney reassured her they begin to come out of the mud at the bottom about now for the summer season. They're harmless and they're scared to death of humans and are always trying to get away from them. People bathed and swim in these pools with half a dozen of them peacefully occupying the other side. Bernice however continued to shiver and shudder and quake. Just then the girl on the opposite bank stood up took a flying leap and dove straight into the pool not 20 feet from where the alligator was trying clumsily to burrow into the mud and sand at the water's edge. With a great shouting and splashing she drove him back on shore again and then clambered out herself to scramble up the steep bank and continue her teasing and prodding from above but when she reached the top she caught sight of two visitors on the opposite bank and hesitated for a visible moment. In this moment the old gator clumsily waddled down to the water and was lost to sight in an unbelievably short space of time but the girl after another glance across the pool turned and fled hastily through the grove and into the farmhouse and was lost to view. Let's go back home Sydney shuddered Bernice. I'm scared to death to stay around here with that awful creature so near it can't be safe. Nonsense it's as safe as a church this is just your first experience you'll get so used to seeing him you won't even give him a second glance after a while. We'll walk around to the house slowly giving her time to dress and then make our party call. I'm crazy to see old Jerry. He's been a famous guide in his day knows the Everglades like a book they tell me. Protesting still Bernice allowed herself to be reluctantly led along and presently they stood before the tumble down veranda on which were now blooming ferns of wonderful luxurious in old soap boxes and leaky pails. Sydney advanced boldly up the rickety steps and knocked at the half opened door. A fat unkept and more than middle age woman answered his knock. Her hair had obviously not been combed that day. She held in one hand a corn cob pipe and there were unmistakable signs that she was addicted to snuff. To Sydney's polite good afternoon she responded hey which appeared to be the typical cracker greeting of that neighborhood is is the young girl who lives here at home today he stammered scarcely knowing what to inquire. She stared at him installed wonder but her only reply was to hold the door wider and say come in and sit won't you. They both entered somewhat timidly to behold a man seated by the empty old chimney place rocking silently in a decrepit rocker smoking as silently a blackened pipe which he removed only long enough to nod to both and resumed without uttering a word. If this was the famous jury saw grass thought Sydney his appearance was a decided disappointment his faded cotton shirt dirty kake trousers and heavy boots suggested nothing of his romantic calling his heavy bearded face with the long moustache ends falling down to mingle with the unkept beard was more like the ancient buccaneers of history to Sydney's mind than in keeping with the half-breed Indian guide however here he was but there was still no sign of the youngest member of the trio in utter silence the four sat for several awful moments and then Sydney plucked up courage to ask for the unseen girl and tell briefly the reason for their visit the only response to the tale was that the woman lifted up her voice and called loudly dow dow come out I reckon you'll want it after another long interval a door to an inner room opened and the girl stepped out clothed as she had been at their first encounter a half frightened half inquiring expression in her big eyes Sydney rose courteously explained again their visit and presented the box of candy laying it in her reluctant hands an embarrassed pause ensued while she stood there staring down at it plainly at a utter loss how to proceed with the amenities it was the noose who came to her rescue may I open it for you she asked and took the package from the girl's unresisting hands removing the wrapper she had a sudden inspiration took off the cover popped one of the candies into the girl's open mouth place one in her own and passed the box around the room to all the others it was decidedly not according to Hoyle but it worked miraculously the ice was broken a delighted smile overspread the faces of the girl and the woman even old gerry relaxed into what passed for a pleased grin my eight-themed good things commented the woman and veneese promptly passed her another in a moment they were all munching contentedly and the woman was telling how she hadn't had no candy since she left her home two months ago Sidney then thought he'd try his hand at drawing out jury and begun on a series of animated questions about the Everglades the jury was either no conversationalist or he did not feel communicated that day for not a word could the boy draw from him nods and grunts affirmative or negative he granted but not another expression issued from behind his solemn beard at last the boy gave it up in despair and the two visitors rose and took their departure no one asked them to come again except the woman who was plainly trying to make up for the deficiency in a favorability of her lord and master he's got the misery in his fact today she explained he's often took that way that's why he can't live in them swamps no more the girl seemed to have faded imperceptibly into the background and was nowhere to be seen when they left but down by the edge of the pool and well out of sight of the house they were suddenly arrested by her figure rising up unexpectedly from a big scrub palmetto clump wait she said don't talk too loud please and she glanced over her shoulder back at the cottage I I want to to thank you again for the candy oh the thanks are all on my side exclaimed Sid gallantly if it hadn't been for you I might have been in pretty bad shape the doctor said you made a splendid job of it left very little for him to do I'm glad she said simply then hurried on but I want to say something else I don't want them to know they might not like it but I I wish you would come often both of you I I'm lonesome she stopped abruptly as if frightened at having said so much why of course we'll come declared Bernice impulsively we'll come every time we can manage it and we'll take you out in the car for rides sometimes if you care to go oh no no the girl protested in quite inexplicable panic I can't do that they they wouldn't like it but why not demanded Bernice indignantly it's perfectly safe Sydney is a splendid driver it isn't that they they don't care for me to see many people Bernice stared at her in amazed incredulity but pardon me may I ask why what possible harm can there be in it the girl became very much embarrassed it is is hard to explain I know I just can't explain it I'm afraid but if they think I am seeing any any outside as much they will move away again to some place that is farther off from people I can't understand it cried Bernice but Sydney interposed well never mind if you can't that's not our affair but we'll come whenever we can anyway how shall we manage it though if we're not to let uh Mr Sawgrass and his wife know of our visits he turned questioningly to the girl if you leave the car a good ways off in the brush and never come over this side of the pool it'll be all right don't try to call me or signal to me in any way I'll be over there a part of every day I'll always see you but won't they the I mean your father and his wife ever come over on this side question Sydney an indignant flush spread under the girl's dark skin he he isn't that is I call him Uncle Jerry she retorted no they will not go over that side the truth is he has some kind of disease I don't know what it is the hookworm perhaps though he sees an old doctor up this way sometimes and he says it isn't the hookworm anyhow he can't live in the Everglades anymore and he can't get around much and she an expression of faint contempt appeared in her face for an instant she takes snuff and is very lazy she never goes out at the house or beyond the yard and garden if she can help it she won't go around the pool she walked along with them to the other side of the pool and they came to where the cars stood Bernice's mind was fairly sizzling with a host of questions that she longed to ask yet something in the strange girl's restraint prevented her from uttering name you've been very very good to me the girl said wispily as they clambered in to bring me all that candy I never had anything like it before tell me ask Bernice for this she felt would be a quite legitimate question have you lived in the Everglades or your life before this yes either in them or right on the edge this is the first time I've ever been so far from them as they started the car and prepared to drive away Bernice suddenly leaned out will come again very soon but I most forgot we haven't even told you our names I'm Bernice Conant and this is my cousin Sydney Conant we're living at Jasper the phosphate town about 12 miles from here and shall we call you Del again the annoyed flush crept up under the girl's dark skin they call me that but my real name is Delight and she turned and disappeared into the underbrush end of chapter three chapter four of mystery at number six this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the mystery at number six by Augusta Huell Seaman chapter four many speculations and one certainty in the sweet senate darkness of the hotel porch that evening Bernice and Sydney discussed and rediscussed the strange happenings of the afternoon Bernice and her parents were staying at the little hotel temporarily while a bungalow was being found for their occupation near that of Sydney's parents a south florida phosphate town is a curious mushroom growth designed only for those engaged in the working of the phosphate mine or factory and the most recent comers must always put up with the accommodations of the little hotel till their own bungalows are either constructed or vacated by departing occupants the two young people were much divided in their opinions in regard to their new acquaintance but you can't deny that she's certainly very unlike those other two that she lives with asserted Bernice for the half-dozen time yes she's different I admit replied the more cautious Sydney at least she's very different from the cracker woman how different she is from Jerry I can't tell as he had so little to say they tell me he's very intelligent though but what's the meaning of her being so mysterious and wanting us not to let them know when we come I warrant they're not kind to her and she wants to get away from them somehow Bernice was a little irritated at Sydney's inability to see the thing from her point of view if she wanted very much to get away all she'd have to do would be to run off and give herself into the hands of the authorities if she could prove that they will use her or anything like that no one would make her go back to them no if she wanted that she'd have had plenty of opportunity replied Sydney skeptically but perhaps she doesn't know enough especially if she's lived in the Everglades all her life did you notice what good English she used hardly a single grammatical mistake where did she ever learn it that I can't figure out unless Jerry is some sort of scholar which isn't likely I know there are no schools in that wilderness and not a soul lives there except the Seminole Indians and they're an ignorant lot they are the only really wild Indians left in the United States once in a while they come into Miami or Fort Lauderdale or even Kissimmee to trade but most of them can hardly speak a word of English no that is a puzzle Sydney had to admit well it isn't the only one by any means insisted Bernice how do you account for the way she acted when you spoke of Jerry as her father she was positively indignant though she admitted that she called him uncle calling people uncle doesn't mean a thing down south here every other old darkie is uncle or aunt something or other but anyhow he's told people she was his niece and it may be really true I don't believe it cried Bernice she's no half-breed she has dark hair and a dark sunburned complexion but her eyes are the bluest things I ever saw perfectly beautiful I'll never believe she has a drop of Indian blood in her then will you tell me how she came to be in the Everglades at all demanded Sydney rather exasperated that Bernice should try to make a mystery out of what he thought could be easily explained her blue eyes came from her white ancestry that doesn't prove anything and no one but an Indian or part Indian like Jerry could possibly have lived in the Everglades all their lives so there but Bernice chose to ignore this retort what do you suppose was the reason that they don't like her to have much to do with strangers she mused she even said they might move away if they thought she was trying to that looks to me as if something was well queer about it don't you think so it may or it may not be acknowledged Sydney how do you know that the girl isn't kind of queer herself and has sometimes made trouble for them by thinking she isn't treated just right and complaining of it to outsiders I wouldn't blame them for putting some pressure on her in that case Bernice however would have none of this argument you may be three years older than I am said and pride yourself on your common sense and superior judgment but if you can't see that there is something strange in that whole situation and that that poor little thing isn't a mischief maker or an an idiot or anything like that why I give you up and she marched away in a huff but she came back in a minute or so to add and she said her name was Delight do you suppose a half-breed Indian ever gave her that name I noticed they didn't call her that anyway Sydney since he did cheer up old girl I didn't mean to discourage you really but you mustn't get a lot of romantic notions about an ignorant little ever-grade cracker or Indian whatever she is tell you what though I'm willing to place Sherlock Holmes with you as often as you fancy if you think it worthwhile to run the truth to earth we'll go over there to number six anytime you say and work it out after the most approved Sherlockian methods only don't go and ask me to beer Jerry Sawgrass in his lair enforceably demand that he present me with explanation I draw the line at that I fancy he could be rather formidable if he had provocation oh Sid will you there's nothing I won't have so much hunting down this mystery I mean it is just taken hold of me somehow and I can't get that poor little thing out of my mind there was something so pathetic about her when shall we go there again well not too soon conceded Sydney if we've got to use all these precautions against being seen I'd rather hate to be found spying in there in case everything didn't go right and Jerry got to prowling around or anything like that I don't like that aspect of it any too much it'd be right awkward let's wait a few days Bernice and her impatience found it very hard to wait and chafed at any delay but the matter was decided for them or rather they decided it themselves sooner than they had expected on the following Saturday about noon Bernice rushed over to her cousin's bungalow and found him raking the live oak leaves into neat piles in the sandy enclosure around his house a mockingbird was lilting entrancingly nearby and the warm air was drenched with a scent of orange blossoms it was a heavenly day but Bernice noticed none of these things oh Sid she panted guess what I heard and saw I happen to be in the general store getting something from other just now and who should drive up in the funniest old wagon drawn by a little tired out mule but Jerry saw grass in his wife she paused to see the effect on her cousin well what of it he demanded unmoved I suppose they have to come to town sometimes to get supplies was the kid with them no she wasn't went on Bernice breathlessly Jerry got out and came in the store and stood right next to me at the counter he didn't seem to recognize me at all and so I didn't say anything he's so queer that I didn't like to you anyhow I heard him tell Mr. Caswell that they'd come in town for the day he wanted to get supplies and the missus wanted to go to the moving picture show in the afternoon they probably won't get back till six or seven o'clock in the evening especially with that pokey little mule here's our chance Sid let's start right out in the car after the noon dinner and drive like mad over to number six we can have the whole afternoon there without worrying about them don't you see all right agreed Sidney there's no earthly reason why we shouldn't go to that old mine pool whenever we like it isn't their property I'll take my rod and lines to fish and you can chum around with the kid as much as you like as you say it's perhaps the best opportunity that afternoon therefore found them bowling along the asphalt road in the direction of number six eager for their quest and all oblivious of the perfect Florida weather and surroundings in the back of the car Sidney had a rod or two and his fishing basket and Bernice a number of trifles that she thought would please the strange and lonely dweller at the deserted farm the way had never seemed so long and when they turned off the asphalt road of traffic and into the ready rough trail through the woods to the old mine pool it irked them sorely to have to slow down to ten or twelve miles an hour it was two miles through the pine and scrub Palmetto and young live oaks before they came inside of the turquoise blue water of the pool hardly had they stopped the car when a little figure sprang out of the bushes oh I thought you'd come I knew you'd come she cried delightedly I was sure you'd see them in town and know that I was here alone her simple faith in them was so touching that Bernice almost had a moment of panic in imagining what the girl would have felt if they had disappointed her I've been here watching for you forever so long delight went on it was curious to observe the difference in her manner the lack of restraint of the previous visits the simple pleasure in their mere presence with her I'm going to fish declared Sidney with true tact you girls can amuse yourselves for a while can't you they joyfully agreed and he strolled off to whip the blue placid water with his long line in real with more or less success the girls meanwhile left alone made rapid strides in getting better acquainted tell me demanded Bernice almost at once how dare you tease that old alligator the way you did the other day weren't you afraid of him you frightened me to death but by the way he isn't anywhere around now is he and she glanced apprehensively at the pool my no he's down in the mud smiled the girl I tried to pull him out all this morning he wouldn't come you needn't be afraid of him with the eyes thus broken Bernice drew from her amazing accounts of her encounters with rattlers alligators and other dangerous denizens of the wilds all of which she recounted as if they were the most ordinary affairs after that she led Bernice off to a dense thicket where she said she had something to show her and to Bernice's horror exhibited a huge diamond back rattlesnake coiled as if asleep to her further horror she bent down and stroked it with the utmost sang foie and then laughed appeal of Mary amusement it's nothing see only the skin the rattler left it there some time ago Bernice sat down and gasped weak with relief and astonishment you are a wonder she cried is there anything you don't know about the wilds of Florida it's easy when you've grown up in them answered her companion but her manner grew a trifle more evasive at this point Bernice but thought herself of the things she had brought in the back of the car and went to get them I had some things at home I thought you might like she said half apologetically and she presented her new friend first with a copy of one of her own favorite books this was a wily move on her part carefully thought out beforehand for she wanted to discover without direct question if possible whether the girl could read and where she had learned delights eyes fairly sparkle when she saw the book and she seized upon it eagerly and opening it at the first page she read the title aloud oh you are good she exclaimed I don't even own a book of my own I haven't read anything since she stopped abruptly as if reflecting on the advisability of disclosing something then one on boldly not since I I went to school at Fort Lauderdale she seemed to think this a very damaging disclosure for she halted again as if in suspense oh I thought you lived in the Everglades all your life commented Bernice quietly trying not to exhibit a sign of the excitement she felt at this revelation I have wondered how you managed to to go to school Fort Lauderdale isn't far from the edge of the Glades explained to light that year it was three years ago Uncle Jerry was taking parties through the Glades regularly and our camp was on the new river about five miles in from Fort Lauderdale he was away so much and I I wanted so to go to school there was a little school near the edge of the town I begged one etka to let me go and finally she said yes I paddled there every day five miles in the canoe I learned very quickly to read that's what I wanted to do most the teacher was good to me and gave me extra time I could not go very regularly for Uncle Jerry would come back and then I dared not he he didn't wish me to learn he can't read himself he thinks it is a waste of time for me not necessary one etka did not tell on me he never knew but at last the season for the tourists was over and we went back to our old camp way in the middle of the Glades I never got another chance to go to school and I've never seen a book since may I ask who was one etka asked Bernice her curiosity at last getting the better of her caution she oh she was Uncle Jerry's Indian wife she died two years after we were at Fort Lauderdale she was very good to me I I loved her a shade of sadness crept into her tones at the mention of this incident Bernice longed madly to ask her whether the Indian woman was a relative whether Jerry Sawgrass was a relative and what the strange connection was but she dared venture no further along that line just then she was too cautious to frighten the girl by asking more confidences than delight might choose to bestow accordingly she turned the conversation by presenting her other offerings a box of homemade fudge and one of the latest magazines profusely illustrated and filled with interesting short stories the gifts were received with a very passion of gratitude apparent enough though delight was not unduly demonstrative in her expression of it while she was pouring over the pictures Bernice sat longing to ask some of the score or more of questions surging through her brain yet still scarcely daring but before she had a chance Sydney came hurrying over to them I just want to tell you that the uh that Jerry and his wife are driving back I went toward the road away and just happened to see them coming slowly way in the distance but I'm sure it's they I don't know why they're coming now it's quite early yet instant consternation fell upon the two girls Bernice wanted to fly and hide somewhere and delight got to her feet swiftly gathering her new possessions in her arms I'll go away she said a little breathlessly stay here both of you just act please as if I hadn't been here as if you hadn't seen me there's no harm in your being at this place if I'm not with you and besides I want to to hide these things in a place I have for my own things I don't want them to be seen over there she nodded her head in the direction of the house delight said Bernice suddenly and impulsively to you are you afraid of of your uncle is he well unkind to you the girl opened her beautiful eyes wide with unfaigned astonishment unkind to me oh I just reckon not I why I am very fond of him she motioned them a hurried goodbye and slipped away into the undergrowth with the smooth and silent dexterity of which she seemed a perfect mistress and when she was gone Bernice and Sydney simply stared at each other with dropped jaws and blank expressions well can you beat that last exploded Sydney at length end of chapter four chapter five of mystery at number six this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Emily Whitworth the mystery at number six by Augusta Huell Seaman chapter five a quest in the night as things turned out they did not even have to encounter the returning pair who are so long and arriving that Sydney finally remarked well I don't know what's keeping the mule express but I don't see any object and are hanging around here any longer let's get in the car and drive out to the main road through that other trail that leads in here it isn't quite as good but we can manage it and there's no sense in just waiting to be discovered here this route they accordingly took but so great was their curiosity as to the cause of the delay that Sydney got out when they were a safe distance away and went back to the main trail to rake in order he came back in a few moments to say that apparently the cart had broken down about half a mile from the pool and that when he had peeped through the bushes he saw the cracker woman and delight both trying to patch it up and Jerry sitting perfectly motionless and silent in the wagon evidently from the little conversation he heard the man had begun to feel ill while in town and they had decided to come home without staying as long as they had planned Sydney said he would have liked to go out and offer them some assistance but concluded that the girl would only have been worried and embarrassed by it and accordingly he slipped away without being seen so that's that he finished and Bernice occupied the journey home retailing to him her half enlightening and half baffling conversation with delight at the pool it's curious commented Sydney when she had finished the more you learn about that situation the more tangled up it becomes I thought it was pretty simple at first and that you were entirely mistaken in your guesses but now I agree with you it's certainly as a puddle it drove the rest of the way home in silence except when Bernice once exclaimed hi why if she's so fond of her uncle Jerry she's so afraid of him or them I can't understand it but Sydney did not attempt to elucidate what was just as much of a mystery to him one idea only occurred to him I believe I'll hunt a bike Massey again he suddenly exclaimed do you remember that night when we got to talk to him in the orange blossom cafe he broke off just before he had finished my voice had a notion that he knows something more than he's told us already I'm gonna look him up in the cafe again tonight that evening Sydney was as good as his word but he came back very soon to find Bernice on the hotel veranda and tell her that he had not been successful in locating Ike at the cafe but had learned that he was supposed to be fishing that evening at number three as it would later be a bright moonlight night he announced that he intended to take the Ford and hunt up Ike as much for the fun of the thing as anything else oh Sid cried Bernice do take me with you I know mother won't mind I'll go and ask her right now I do so love a drive at night here and we do it so seldom all right go and ask her and first I'll take you to see that new mine number 18 at work you've never seen one of the mines at night and it's something of a sight 10 minutes later they were bowling over the asphalt roads in a sweet scented Florida night the moon had not yet risen but there was a faint glow in the east indicating that it was near the horizon their way lay across a flat marsh waste with here and there a tall lovely pine heavily draped with Spanish moss strange sounding frogs croaked in the marshes croaked with such a different sound from the frogs of the north that Bernice could never really believe there were frogs at all at intervals the mockingbird somewhere across the marshes wilted and trancingly and a whipper will mourn in another quarter suddenly unrounding a sharp turn in the road Bernice looked ahead and caught her breath oh Sid what is that it was indeed a peculiar sight looming up in the midst of this deserted wilderness a great edifice brilliantly lighted with electric lights stood out against the dark sky it resembled amazingly a scenic railway in an amusement park no one almost expected to hear a brass band accompanied by the shouts of pleasure seekers alongside of this edifice was a site equally amazing from an immense hole in the earth like a volcanic crater their roles swirling clouds of steam weirdly illuminated by a number of strong search lights playing on it from different points of the excavation it made the resemblance to an active volcanic crater even more startling there's number eighteen replied to me that brilliantly lighted affair is the washer it used to wash the sand out of the phosphate or the phosphate out of the sand the other thing's the mine we'll go over and look at her working he ran the car off the road and across the stubbly field till they came to the outskirts of the works here they left the car and walked to the edge of the great pit never dreamed such a sight side bernice gazing over the rim those men look like demons crawling around in there in an awful muddle of steam and mud and confusion and see those walls of the mine breaking down where that great pipe of water is trained on them that's the water drill commented sydney they get at the material that way and what's that huge hill of sand off to the side question brings that's what they call the overburden the phosphate doesn't lie right at the surface it begins about 10 or 15 feet further down and all the top layer has to be removed first so they shovel it off and leave it there at the side but come bernice you can't stay here all night i want to get over to number three it's about a mile from here i don't want to miss ike just to think murmured bernice as they scrambled back to the car that beautiful quiet deserted number six was just such a sight as this once i can hardly believe it it is some contrast acknowledged sydney and it's just as hard to believe that someday in the not so distant future this will look just about like number six also can you believe that as they resumed the road and drove on to number three the moon rose a great circle red as a conflagration immense in size and when they at last approached number three a pool very close to the roadside the night had become an almost as brilliant as day on the opposite bank backed by a grove of moss draped live oaks they beheld a dark still figure patiently sitting on the bank beside a stationary fishing rod or two there's ike whispered sydney how the problem is how to get over there close to him without having him think we've deliberately hunted him up if once he gets a notion we're after him for any special reason and particularly if he thinks we're too much interested in number six i'm afraid he'll begin to be troublesome hadn't we better just sit here a while and act as if we were looking at the moonlight in the pool then later you can appear to recognize him and call over to him good idea exclaimed sydney you have him sometimes we'll do just that thing they sat for 10 minutes in his quiet spell of the moonlight several times a big fish jumped clear out of the water and fell back into the pool creating a thousand silver ripples the odor of jasmine mingled keenly with many other scents wafted to them across the pool so poignant was the witchery of the night that they hated to mar it by so much as a whisper but at last it was ike himself who wrote the spell hey there he called across to them got such a thing as a sharp knife with you i dropped mine in the pool a while back the interruption was fortunate and sydney shouted back lustily hello but you like sure i have a knife we'll come around there to you for i know you don't want to leave your lines and when they had picked their way around to where he sat i would have thought coming across you here had any luck we were out for a drive and stopped to watch the fish jumping in this pool they don't jump nowhere is near me grumbled like no bite either for that matter i've dried every side that's a matter i said me seems just the right sort of night for him don't know maybe that's the matter the night pointed to a curious dark object much resembling a long floating log to one side of the pool then he took up an old bicycle lantern that he carried with him and pointed it directly at the log stand right behind me he commanded for niece and look over my shoulder she did as he baited her and presently beheld two blazing points of light steadily approaching the bank on which they stood oh what is it she whispered breathlessly just old master gator laughed like brunese gave a little scream of terror and the points of light disappeared he couldn't have hurt you banks 15 feet steep just here besides that i'd have shot him first if he tried to get up i think that rascal's been laying for the fish all evening that's why they don't bite if i had a mind to shoot him i might be get a dollar for as hard he's a big feller he's too much trouble to skin him oh let's get away from here said whispered brunese still shuddering she could not yet understand their callousness to the danger of this to her terrible monster but sydney only laughed and said to ike she's scared to death of him today we saw that kid over at old number six having a regular romp with one and i thought brunese would go into a convulsion he seemed to be over to number six quite a bit commented ike making a fresh cast with one of his rods this was precisely what sydney wanted yeah we've been over there several times lately he replied fishing's generally good there and brunese here likes to see the girl they sort of chum together while i fish very little kid she is ike made no response to this but dug into an old tin can for another worm sydney tried not to appear desires ever apply and whittled a stick nonchalantly presently ike dating to speak you've managed to make any of that outfit talk you've done more than i can since the day i first saw that there crack a woman i've never managed to get hardly so much of the time of day from the lot i seen jerry one morning prowling around catching some for breakfast i suppose and i thought i'd have a chat and find out a few things about the glades from him but bless you he just nodded and wouldn't talk no more in an oyster i tell you there's something queer about that outfit take from me jerry's got something up his sleeve my name ain't ike massy he's hiding that's what he is but he suppose he's hiding for demanded a sydney inwardly delighted at the sudden outburst of ikes a sly look visible even in the moonlight came over the man's face he's got a reason don't you worry do you suppose that kid is they have tagging around with him i don't know do you demanded sydney it's just better than he had even dared to hope and even bernice forgot the alligator for a moment and pricked up her ears you suppose that kid belongs to him his ike his face close to sydney i hadn't thought much about it why shouldn't she sydney let him on she ain't no more like either of them than a mullet is like a shark that's why i've been studying the situation a bit i'm blind that's my firm belief that jerry stole that gal sometime rather and it's just hiding away here until everything's safe and then he's going to get a ransom for you see if i ain't right that's nonsense that sydney but at the same time he pinched bernice's arm until she almost cried aloud no take nonsense either ain't that it's something just as bad he commenced to reel up his lines of determination but i ain't gonna waste any more time here tonight was odd all last night anyway and i need some sleep you ain't going back to town so i thank you for a lift sure thing come right along cried sydney we all have to have been back sometime ago ike gathered up his belongings and they all moved around the pool to the road where the car stood bernice casting many a backward look at the log-like forms still floating in the moonlight the ride home was uneventful as ike on the back seat was both sleepy and uncommunicative but he thanked them warmly for the ride when they had entered the village and they left him at the door of his own tumbledown shack well what do you think of it wasn't it worthwhile demanded sydney excitedly as they reached the hotel porch i don't know what to think how about you sid well i'll admit that same idea has occurred to me more than once but it seemed too extravagant somehow i just can't seem to credit those two with any such scheme as that about the kid and yet it certainly is one explanation there's what big objection to it the very thing she told us this afternoon declared bernice if such a thing were the case she'd be likely to be so fond of that gerry as she says she is no sydney had to admit i'll have to acknowledge doesn't seem likely end of chapter five chapter six of mystery at number six this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the mystery at number six by Augusta Huell Seaman chapter six a new factor it is a very usual but always surprising experience that when one has once become interested in a new topic or event dozens of fresh incidents and connection with that are always cropping up to confront one so the two cannot cousins found it three days later bernice had a rather peculiar experience she was standing in the little post office waiting for the mail to be sorted and the window to open ordinarily she would have unlocked the family box taken the contents and gone away as quickly as possible for she hated to linger about the rather dirty and stuffy little place but as she had forgotten the key and did not want to return home for it she leaned impatiently against the one riding slab and listened in board curiosity to the scraps of conversation going on around her the office was crowded for it was the regulation hour for the distribution of the morning mail the great event of the day to the more idle population of the town and indeed to many of the inhabitants for miles around who drove in especially for the occasion village and local gossip was here related and ideas on every possible subject exchanged in the soft southern drawl that bernice always found fascinating she found herself standing beside two typical cracker farmers whose conversation presently drifted to her and at a familiar name she suddenly pricked up her ears and listened with absorbed interest but a thing happened in town last saturday remarked one you had tail of it the other responded with a grunted uh-huh which in florida vernacular generally indicates no well i saw it the first went on that their half indian fellow was in town the one they do say is out told number six living there now he had his misses with him the one that come down from okichobi way they was just hitting up to have a grand time buying their tickets to go into the movies i was right behind him the line was clear out into the street all on a sudden i saw that fella they do say his name is jerry something or other staring across the street and give a queer grunt i looked to see what he was looking at and there was a gray-headed fella in a palm beach suit a regular yanky swell a gazing at jerry as if he just caught sight of someone that owed him twenty dollars the fella started to come across the street but just then a lot of cars came through and blocked things up a bit and when he got over and come up to the movie place blessed if that jerry hadn't been a beat it just as slick him and his misses both and nobody seemed to know where they'd gone the other fella looked around so today's like as if he'd made a mistake and then he went off to i seen him since he's staying down to the hotel they do say he's got something to do with the mines at this point the window opened and there was a rush to obtain the mail the two gossipers drifted away but bernice stood stock still where she was rooted to the spot with astonishment at the new phase of things that had suddenly opened up to her when the crowd had sufficiently thinned out she obtained her own mail and hurried back to the hotel it seemed an age before noon time the first opportunity she would have to see her cousin for he was helping his father with office work in the phosphate factory nearly every morning till he could go away to college in the autumn but at last the noon hour came and bernice on the watch from the hotel veranda signaled sydney's car as it passed by on the way to his bungalow he got out leaving his father to drive home and joined her in a sunny deserted corner what's the matter he demanded you look as if you'd been seeing things no but I've been hearing things she retorted excitedly and retailed her experience at the post office but that isn't all she added do you know that man is staying right here at the hotel there he is over there reading the paper his name is mr. treadwell I've tried to find out all I can about him this morning in a quiet way he's down here transacting some law business for the minds they say came down from new york last week nothing apparently to do with jerry at all now what do you make of it you can search me responded sydney looking thoroughly puzzled looks as if jerry was afraid of him all right but for what reason goodness only knows it may not have anything to do with the kid but it certainly explains why they came back so soon last saturday and you say you heard the woman say he was ill and of course it wasn't so they just didn't want delight to know the real reason can't you see that sydney had to acknowledge that it looked that way but was still doubtful that it might be for any reason that would affect her the man may know jerry may have had some dealings with him perhaps he may have hired jerry as a guide in the everglades at some time or other and jerry may have proved dishonest or got away with something that didn't belong to him some of those guides and trappers are notoriously untrustworthy and this mister treadwell seeing him and perhaps recognizing him again thought he'd just come over and have an interview it would be a very simple explanation it would be simple but it just doesn't seem to me to fit declared bernice if that had been all i believe jerry would have bluffed it out somehow i'm sure it would take a good deal more to make him so anxious to elude the man as he was very evident now i propose that we go to see delight again this afternoon manage to see her alone somehow and just stop beating about the bush any longer but find out what is the matter there and how we could help her i don't see why you constantly take it for granted that she needs any help protested sydney she's an interesting little thing and i admit that there are some puzzling sides to her but it's none of our affair after all and i don't see why we should meddle in it sydney was planning a career as a lawyer and certainly he was gifted with the judicial mind infuriatingly so at times in bernice's opinion however i'll take you out this afternoon if you want to go and despite all he said bernice shrewdly suspected that his own curiosity played not a little part in his acquiescence after all though admitted bernice when they were on their way that afternoon i don't know how we actually can open the subject with her do you she's awfully difficult to approach about anything concerning herself and those people if you take my advice you'll let her alone on it perhaps something may come up that'll open the subject without any trouble it's always better if it comes that way i don't believe enforcing anything myself having delivered himself of this sage advice sydney drove gravely on keeping a weather eye always out for the stray cows and pigs that make life a burden to the florida motorist but the problem was again solved for them by what they encountered as they drew near the vicinity of the trail where they usually turned off the main road to their immense surprise they beheld walking ahead of them and in an opposite direction from the one which they had come the unmistakable figure of their new friend delight with his foot well down on the accelerator sydney speedily overtook her hello may we give you a lift we were coming over to see you this afternoon the girl gave them a startled look followed at once by a joyful greeting i have to walk to a little store about five miles from here she told them we're all out of tea and flour and uncle jerry is too poorly to go they didn't get all they wanted in town the other day and it's too far to go there we they sometimes get things at that little store well this is luck get right in cried sydney and we'll drive you there it's a shame for you to walk on this warm day anyhow he got out and helped her into the rear seat where she settled down rather timidly beside bernice i've i've never ridden in one before she acknowledged and fairly lost her breath at the speed which sydney promptly put on bernice observed that her dress was considerably tidier than when they had seen her before a clean midi blouse and her skirt mended and brushed her dark hair too was smooth and orderly it all created a subtle change in her appearance transforming her from the wild little half indian that she had first appeared into a civilized and even well groomed person how nice you look was bernice's involuntary comment i i want to look nice always declare delight and timid appreciation of the compliment but it's so hard in in the wilds there especially when no one else tries those books you brought me made me want to all the more that and seeing and being with you i've made it my mind that i'll keep trying but somehow uncle doesn't seem to like it he he doesn't understand this ladder in an unusual burst of confidence i i think it is because he doesn't read here was the very opening bernice looked for and she took advantage of it boldly how is it delight that you wanted to read when no one else around you did wanted it so much that you were willing to go all that way to school to learn it has always surprised me immediately delight went into her shell again and bernice felt that for once she had made a dreadful mistake but a moment later the girl turned to her with the mysterious air i've made up my mind to tell you something bernice you're the first friend i've ever had the only one will you promise to keep it a secret man i even tell sydney whispered bernice breathlessly he's so interested in you and i know he will never tell well yes but not now later no one else positively the most important reason that i wanted to learn was because i had found a strange thing long ago that i wanted to find out how to read i felt sure it would tell me something about myself about who i am end of chapter six chapter seven of mystery at number six this is a libra vox recording all libra vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libra vox dot org the mystery at number six by auguster hugh seaman chapter seven revelation after it was all over bernice thought at the strangest afternoon she had ever spent but at the time her mind was so much occupied with other things that she never realized how the hours went sydney drove them to the little roadside store five miles away a wee little place where the cheap commodity for sale seemed to be ginger ale and other liquid refreshments of a like nature as in a dream she watched delight make her simple purchases and then they started to drive back but if i get back and go home so soon commented delight they'll wonder how it has happened it takes a long time to walk that 10 miles they will not like it if they know i have ridden with you with anyone oh that's simple sydney larked if that's the case we'll take a good long drive and land you back home about the time you'd naturally arrive there so much the better you just drive ahead then and don't pay any attention to us we're talking commanded bernice in a significant tone and sydney quick to take the hint devoted himself exclusively to the wheel while the two girls snuggled down in the backseat remained absolutely oblivious of all outward affairs it was a long story that delight told partly in the cracker patoy that she naturally used partly in the simple but laboured good english that she sometimes tried to affect the substance of it as bernice afterward retailed to sydney was as follows she had always lived in the everglades as far as she knew or could remember in the very depths of them for the greater part of her life whether she was born there or not she did not know she had always been with jerry and his indian wife wonica wonica had been very good to her very kind and loving in fact both of them were the first camp or home she remembered was on a hammock or wooded knoll in the glades near the region of fort myers but even that town was many miles away across the big cypress swamp jerry used to go to supplies occasionally in his canoe he got wonica anything she wanted he even brought her at one time a little hand sewing machine and the indian woman made many pretty things with it for her to wear the girl declared that she was very happy at this period she loved the walls and knew no other kind of life later jerry decided to go to another region and they moved the camp to the north side of the glades there were many other moves sometimes near the miami region sometimes on the west side always they kept well within the glades in the main it was always jerry who went out to the towns though occasionally wonica went jerry often acted as guide to some tourists who wanted to make a trip into the glades sometimes it would be just the hunting or trapping sometimes a man would take an exploring expedition through them jerry knew them as no one but the indians knew them at this point bernice had inquired not without some trepidation whether jerry himself was partly indian as it had been rumored delight replied that he had once said he thought he was part indian but neither his father nor mother was an indian they were both native floridaeans from somewhere near fort mias his real name was not saugrass but simpson the former had been given him as a joke by the first person he ever guided through the glades these wilds are overgrown with the terrible tall grass with edges as sharp as a knife or saw called saugrass it was almost impossible to cut one's way through it jerry was so expert at overcoming this difficulty that the man had nicknamed him jerry saugrass and he had kept the name to this day but he had once been told that one of his grandparents was a seminole indian and he thought it was his indian inheritance that made him love the glades so much he preferred to live in them and was very fond of his indian wife she was a real seminole it was a long time before delight ever thought of asking any questions about herself she never dreamed there was anything to ask jerry and wanaker were as her father and mother to her she had never known any other and as she almost never saw anyone else there were no questions in her mind she was happy that was enough but when she was about 11 or 12 years old a strange thing happened they had just come to live near fort lauderdale and were camped on the new river several miles inland from the town she had gone out one morning to roam in the woods that came back after a while and lay down in the sun close to the back of the hut she had almost fallen asleep when she heard the two talking inside the hut they evidently thought she was still away for as she listened because she had nothing else to do and could not very well avoid it she heard wanaker asked jerry if she might take the light into town with her the next day he replied a trifle angrily no no no now don't begin that you know what the understanding was she's not to go near people it'll be the beginning of trouble she's getting older now and i'll begin to understand and ask questions it won't do i tell you he gave strict orders and won't have him disobeyed instant wonders sprung up in the mind of the light what was it all about she could not think she had never dreamed there was any mystery about her who was it that did not wish her to see people and why she lay very still and listened longer hoping she might hear something else they were quiet a long time jerry was mending a fishing rod and wanaker was putting things away in the hut she liked to keep it tidy they had not been there very long and things were not in their right places yet presently she heard wanaker ask jerry where shall i put this here give it to me it's time that thing was destroyed she might get hold of it sometime she can't read but it might make her curious i'll burn it she heard him answer and then there was a sound of tearing as if the book had been ripped to pieces nothing else happened and after a while they both went out to fish in the river farther upstream neither one had seen her it was then that she stole into the hut and looked in the fireplace the fire had gone out there was a considerable pile of ashes and the stiff covers of a book that had charred but not burned up on one of the covers was the word or two in printing she did not know what it was she had never seen any books and very few printed words only those on the canned goods and things that jerry brought home from the towns but something in her mind told her it meant something and she saved it then she poked around in the ashes and presently found in the heap several pieces of paper that had not all been burned but only charred around the edges and on these were strange marks not much like the printing on the book cover and yet not entirely unlike them she did not then know it was handwriting but the same feeling made her sure that this too was something which if she could find out what it meant would help her to make something out of this strange new puzzle she took the papers all that had enough left on them to be worth saving and hid them away in a safe dry place far off from the hut she never mentioned to the others what she had discovered and they never knew but from that moment she felt that she could not rest till she had learned how to read how to puzzle out all that was on those papers she thought and thought of how it could be done jerry would not allow her to go into town and go to school she knew that without even asking neither he nor monica knew how to read how was she to begin in looking about the house she saw however that many things there had labels with marks and guessing that those marks or words told what they were she decided to begin right there she took the cans of things whose contents she knew and tried to remember the marks that evidently meant those words very soon she knew the combination of marks that meant tea sugar flour and the words of that sort many times she met with words she could not connect with anything at all and often made mistakes and got them connected with the wrong things but she learned a little in that way then one time when jerry and monica had both gone into town they came back with a magazine that monica had bought because she liked to look at the pretty pictures and monica had insisted on getting for her a little child's book full of bright colored pictures that she thought the girl would like to see neither of them realized it because they could not read and did not even want to but this little book was a child's easy primer full of pictures that illustrated the simple words of sentences so that one could not help learning something from it especially if one was interested and trying hard as she was after a while she had learned all she could from the primer and she had saved the magazine that monica had thrown away when she was tired of it she knew now a fair number of words whenever she saw them but she never found anything like what was on the cover of the burned book nor in the least like the marks on the paper or leaves she was not satisfied and was really quite unhappy because she could not make any more progress ben gerry agreed to go with a man who was anxious to spend a while in the glades exploring or doing scientific work and wanted a guide and companion they were to be gone five or six months and he left monica and herself to remain where they were till he got back after he had gone she paddled the canoe down toward the town one day and discovered on the bank of the river before one gets into fort lauderdale a little house where there seemed to be a number of children sitting in rows and learning what she almost jumped out of her skin to find with some of the very words she knew she realized then that this was a school she had sometimes heard jerry speak of it near the town a pretty young woman was sitting on a raised platform and telling the children the words delight never knew how she came to do it but she got out at the canoe walked right into the room and up to the young woman and asked if she could go to school there the woman looked rather surprised but said of course dear sit down over there and I'll find out presently what you know she found out later that the girl knew very little except the words she had taught herself but she was so desirous to learn that she seemed to pick knowledge up very quickly the teacher did not ask her too many questions because she thought the child was one of the indians who often came down the river to the town some of them would occasionally ask to be allowed to go to school for a while and the white people were always very willing to have them and never asked them many questions for fear they might become frightened or embarrassed and might never come back anymore delight went back to wanica that day and told her what she had done and wanica was very angry about it at first but the girl begged hard and said she wanted to learn to read so that she could amuse herself and promised to read interesting stories to wanica when she could do so so that finally the indian woman gave way said she might go and promised not to tell jerry who would punish her severely if he knew she made her promise faithfully however that she would not have anything to do with the other children and would come straight back every day when school was over and that she would not tell the teacher anything about themselves or their lives she went to school for more than five months and in that time learned to read and write not very well but to some extent and a little of other subjects the teacher said she picked things up with amazing quickness but this was because she was determined to learn all she could in the short time she had the teacher used to teach her in extra times like recesses when she saw she did not play with the others out of doors sometimes she stayed after school was over and gave her extra help and frequently lent her books to read at home she was very very kind and the light became quite fond of her only once did she ask anything about the girl herself she put her arms about the light one day and asked how it was that her eyes were so blue that she did not seem like an Indian the light could not answer her and as she saw that the girl was embarrassed she did not insist on an answer and never asked her anything at that kind again Jerry came back at the time he had said he would and she did not go to school anymore she was very sorry but at least she had done what she wished she had learned to read and write she was content they only stayed at that place a short time afterward for one day Jerry came back from the town upset about something though he did not say what had disturbed him they never knew but in a day or two they had packed all their things up again and were off for another move they went far into the glades this time and stayed there longer than they had ever stayed so far in before it seemed almost as if Jerry was afraid to come out for some reason at last as their supplies had given out and they needed to move nearer to a town they went up to the northern part near Okeechobee it was here that Wanaka became very ill they never could tell what it was but thought she had eaten something poisonous without knowing it they could do nothing for her and could not get a doctor though Jerry tried but could find none who would come she died the day he returned and they buried her there near the lake it was plainly an effort for Delight to go over this part of her history and she stopped for a few moments to wink away the tears but presently she went on we felt very bad and very lonely after that Uncle Jerry and I he has never seen the same since he never talked very much but since then he has been so silent he scarcely ever speaks at all only when he's spoken to or asked a question and must answer Uncle Jerry and I went to stay with Wanaka's people the Seminole Indians for a while I did not know their language and couldn't talk to them much but they were good to us and very kind to me so the time passed till a few months ago Uncle Jerry began to be ill in some way and he thought that the Glades did not agree with him anymore that he would not be well again while he lived in them he left me with the Seminole and he went and saw some of his own people that he had not seen for years he went several times but he did not take me with him at last one day he came back and told me he had married again a cracker woman he had met while he was visiting his people he said she would be good to me and help take care of me and that we were going to go further north away from the Glades altogether to live he thought it would be better for his health so we came up here it is a great change and I miss the Glades very much Uncle Jerry found he could rent that old house way off from everything and it just suited him he thought no one would know him around here but I think he is mistaken about that he has been recognised several times it has upset him but his new wife is kind enough to me but somehow I can't like her very much she's very careless not tidy about things like Monica was and she takes snuff and it makes her lazy she never wants to move about much she's not unkind to me but but I think she does not care very much about me and I can't seem to care for her they still don't wish me to see anyone or or go anywhere today is very unusual that I should have been allowed to go for these things it is only because Uncle Jerry couldn't go and she wouldn't that is all she ended the tale so suddenly that Bernice was startled but delight she exclaimed you have not told me what you found out about those papers you were so anxious to read did they tell you anything what was it they told me something but they are very hard to read I don't understand them the girl answered they only made the mystery greater here they are I always carry them about with me hidden you can look at them for yourself she took a small packet from inside her blouse and thrust it into her companion's hands end of chapter seven