Entering the grounds, the girls saw that very little had been done to the property since their last visit. A half-hearted attempt had been made to rake one side of the lawn and an overgrown lilac bush had been mercilessly mutilated. Shutters on the house remained closed and the entire place had a gloomy, deserted appearance.

Penny rapped on the door. Evidently Mrs. Marborough had noted the approach of the two girls for she responded to their knock immediately.

"Good afternoon," Penny began, "we were driving by and thought we would drop in to see you again."

"How nice of you," Mrs. Marborough smiled. "Look over the garden as much as you please."

"The garden--" Louise faltered, gazing quickly at Penny.

"Or make wishes at the well," Mrs. Marborough went on hastily. "Go anywhere you like, and I'll join you as soon as I get a wrap."

The door closed gently in their faces.

"Who wants to see a tangle of weeds?" Louise demanded in a whisper. "Why didn't Mrs. Marborough invite us into the house?"

"Why indeed?" echoed Penny, frowning thoughtfully. "There can be but one reason! She has a dark secret which she is trying to hide from the world!"

CHAPTER 7 _PENNY'S DISCOVERY_

"Hiding a secret, my eye!" laughed Louise. "Penny Parker, sometimes I think that every person in Riverview suggests mystery and intrigue to you!"

"Then you explain why Mrs. Marborough doesn't invite us into her house!"

Penny challenged her chum. "And why did she turn the members of the Pilgrimage Committee away?"

"Oh, probably the place isn't fixed up the way she wants it yet."

"That's no reason. No, she has a different one than that, Lou, and I'm curious to learn what it is."

"You're always curious," Louise teased, taking Penny by the arm. "Come along. Let's get a drink at the well."

While the girls were lowering the bucket into the bricked cavern, Mrs.

Marborough joined them, a woolen shawl thrown over her head and shoulders.

"I've not had time to get much work done yet," she apologized. "I really must hire a man to clean up the grounds."

"Then you have decided to make your home here?" Louise inquired eagerly.

"For the present, I may. Much depends upon how a certain project turns out."

Penny and Louise waited hopefully, but Mrs. Marborough said no more.

Changing the subject, she inquired about Rhoda Wiegand and the other members of the Palette Club.

"I like young people," she declared brightly. "Do tell your friends to come to Rose Acres whenever they wish."

"A rather strange thing occurred yesterday," Penny said suddenly. "Rhoda made a wish here at the well, and it came true."

"What was the wish?" the old lady inquired with curiosity.

"That the people with whom she lives might have more food. Two baskets were left at the trailer camp. Louise and I were responsible for one of them, but we can't account for the other."

"Very interesting," Mrs. Marborough commented. "In years past, a great many wishes which were made here, apparently came true. So I can't say that I am surprised."

"To what do you attribute it?" Louise asked quickly.

"Chance perhaps," Mrs. Marborough smiled. "One cannot explain such things."

A chill, penetrating wind blew from the direction of the river.

Shivering, Louise drew her jacket collar closer about her neck, remarking rather pointedly that the weather was turning colder. Even then, Mrs.

Marborough did not suggest that the girls enter the house. A moment later, however, she excused herself and went inside, leaving them alone in the garden.

"It does seem odd that she acts so secretive," Louise commented. "I'm inclined to agree with members of the Pilgrimage Committee that her manners aren't the best."

"Perhaps you'll finally decide that I am right!" Penny said triumphantly.

"Take my word for it, there's something inside the house she doesn't want anyone to see!"

Louise started slowly toward the road, only to pause as her chum proposed that they walk to the river and call upon Truman Crocker, the stonecutter.

"You intend to tell him who stole his chicken?" Louise asked in surprise.

Penny shook her head. "No, I'll let him discover it for himself. I want to talk to him about that big rock he hauled to the museum."

Louise could not imagine what useful information her chum might expect to gain, but she obediently trailed Penny through the rear yard of Rose Acres, down a sloping path which led to the river.

"I hope you know the way," she remarked dubiously as the going became more difficult, and they were forced to move slowly.

"Oh, we can't miss the cabin. Crocker's place is the only one near here,"

Penny responded.

The trail was a narrow one, so infrequently used that bushes and vines had overgrown it in many places. Finally emerging on an open hillside, the girls were able to gaze down upon the winding river. Recent rains had swollen it to the very edges of the banks, and from a distance Truman Crocker's shack appeared to be situated dangerously close to the water.

"Wouldn't you think he would soon be flooded out?" Louise commented, pausing to catch her breath. "I shouldn't care to live so near the river."

"Oh, the water never comes much higher," Penny rejoined. "A few years ago the city built some sort of river control system which takes care of the spill should there be any. Anyway, Crocker's place wouldn't represent much of a loss if it did wash away."

The girls regained their breath, and then started down the slope. Penny, who was leading the way, did not pay particular attention to the rutty path. Suddenly catching her shoe in a small hole, she tripped and fell sideways.

"Ooh, my arm!" she squealed. "I struck it on a big rock!"

Louise helped Penny to her feet, brushing dirt from the girl's skirt.

"You've ripped your stocking," she said sympathetically.

"I guess I'm lucky it wasn't my head," Penny returned gazing ruefully at the tear. "Let's sit down and rest a minute."