Read Online (#15) The Haunted Bridge by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carolyn Keene
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“Oh!” Bess squealed, clutching George’s arm.
Nancy warned her to be quiet, and for several minutes the girls stood perfectly still, waiting for the sound to be repeated. There was only a rustle of leaves in the breeze.
“I believe the noise came from somewhere right around here,” said Nancy. “Let’s investigate. Maybe we’ll find someone’s in hiding, playing a joke.”
The girls searched through the brush and trees near both ends of the bridge, but found no one. Then they explored the trail they had seen on their previous visit which led along the ravine. Footprints were clearly visible. Had someone used the path within the past twenty-four hours?
A moment later a shrill scream broke the stillness. This time Nancy was certain that the cry had come from some distance up the ravine.
“Let’s go!” she urged excitedly. “We’ll solve the mystery of these strange sounds yet!”
She darted forward along the path, oblivious to the thorny bushes that tore at her hair and clothing. Suddenly Nancy halted and stared. In a small clearing ahead was a log cabin. Smoke was curling lazily from the chimney.
“I didn’t know anyone lived here in the woods,” Bess gasped in surprise.
Nancy was debating what to do, when the cabin door opened and a man carrying a rifle emerged.
“He’s the same one who was working near the Judson property,” Nancy whispered. “I’ll bet he’s the gardener. Let’s see what he’s up to with that rifle,” she added.
The man shouldered his gun and struck off in the general direction of the Judson property.
“I’m sure he’s only going hunting,” George declared.
Cautiously the girls followed him. Suddenly Bess tripped over a mossy log. As she fell headlong on the trail, she gave a faint outcry. The man immediately paused and glanced back. The trio crouched low.
Apparently satisfied that the sound he had heard was made by some wild animal, the hunter slowly walked on again. Moments later the girls heard a loud explosion and saw a sudden flash of fire. They gasped in horror as the man uttered a sharp moan of pain.
“He’s hurt!” Nancy cried and darted forward.
The victim was lying still on the ground when the girls reached his side. Nancy bent anxiously over him and was relieved to find him breathing. A slight trickle of blood oozed from a wound in his forehead.
The young detective glanced at the man’s rifle which lay on the ground a short distance away.
“His gun must have gone off accidentally,” Nancy surmised, then added, “We’d better not move him. Let’s get a doctor at once.”
“I’ll run back to the hotel,” George offered.
“You’re not afraid to cross the haunted bridge alone?” Bess asked quietly.
George shook her head. “Of course not.”
As she hurried out of sight, Nancy studied the darkening sky. “I hope the rain holds off, at least until the doctor gets here,” she said.
But within a few minutes it began to rain. Nancy and Bess carried the wounded man to his three-room cabin and laid him gently on a bed in the rear room. Bess looked for a clean towel and put a cold compress on his head.
Puddles of water were forming on the floor beneath the open windows. Nancy hurriedly closed them. One of the sashes in the bedroom was stuck fast and she looked about the kitchen for a tool to loosen it.
When she opened a drawer of the high cupboard, Nancy came upon an assortment of papers. Thinking she might find a letter to identify the unconscious man, Nancy swiftly examined them. Suddenly her hand encountered a faded photograph between two sheets of stiff cardboard.
The picture was of a beautiful young girl. Across the bottom in a bold scrawl were the words:
To my faithful friend
Joe Haley
Margaret Judson
Nancy thought of the man who lay motionless on the bed. Was he Joe Haley and was Joe Haley the Judson gardener?
“The girl in the photograph is the one I met in the powder room at Hemlock Hall!” she told herself. “I
“Oh!” Bess squealed, clutching George’s arm.
Nancy warned her to be quiet, and for several minutes the girls stood perfectly still, waiting for the sound to be repeated. There was only a rustle of leaves in the breeze.
“I believe the noise came from somewhere right around here,” said Nancy. “Let’s investigate. Maybe we’ll find someone’s in hiding, playing a joke.”
The girls searched through the brush and trees near both ends of the bridge, but found no one. Then they explored the trail they had seen on their previous visit which led along the ravine. Footprints were clearly visible. Had someone used the path within the past twenty-four hours?
A moment later a shrill scream broke the stillness. This time Nancy was certain that the cry had come from some distance up the ravine.
“Let’s go!” she urged excitedly. “We’ll solve the mystery of these strange sounds yet!”
She darted forward along the path, oblivious to the thorny bushes that tore at her hair and clothing. Suddenly Nancy halted and stared. In a small clearing ahead was a log cabin. Smoke was curling lazily from the chimney.
“I didn’t know anyone lived here in the woods,” Bess gasped in surprise.
Nancy was debating what to do, when the cabin door opened and a man carrying a rifle emerged.
“He’s the same one who was working near the Judson property,” Nancy whispered. “I’ll bet he’s the gardener. Let’s see what he’s up to with that rifle,” she added.
The man shouldered his gun and struck off in the general direction of the Judson property.
“I’m sure he’s only going hunting,” George declared.
Cautiously the girls followed him. Suddenly Bess tripped over a mossy log. As she fell headlong on the trail, she gave a faint outcry. The man immediately paused and glanced back. The trio crouched low.
Apparently satisfied that the sound he had heard was made by some wild animal, the hunter slowly walked on again. Moments later the girls heard a loud explosion and saw a sudden flash of fire. They gasped in horror as the man uttered a sharp moan of pain.
“He’s hurt!” Nancy cried and darted forward.
The victim was lying still on the ground when the girls reached his side. Nancy bent anxiously over him and was relieved to find him breathing. A slight trickle of blood oozed from a wound in his forehead.
The young detective glanced at the man’s rifle which lay on the ground a short distance away.
“His gun must have gone off accidentally,” Nancy surmised, then added, “We’d better not move him. Let’s get a doctor at once.”
“I’ll run back to the hotel,” George offered.
“You’re not afraid to cross the haunted bridge alone?” Bess asked quietly.
George shook her head. “Of course not.”
As she hurried out of sight, Nancy studied the darkening sky. “I hope the rain holds off, at least until the doctor gets here,” she said.
But within a few minutes it began to rain. Nancy and Bess carried the wounded man to his three-room cabin and laid him gently on a bed in the rear room. Bess looked for a clean towel and put a cold compress on his head.
Puddles of water were forming on the floor beneath the open windows. Nancy hurriedly closed them. One of the sashes in the bedroom was stuck fast and she looked about the kitchen for a tool to loosen it.
When she opened a drawer of the high cupboard, Nancy came upon an assortment of papers. Thinking she might find a letter to identify the unconscious man, Nancy swiftly examined them. Suddenly her hand encountered a faded photograph between two sheets of stiff cardboard.
The picture was of a beautiful young girl. Across the bottom in a bold scrawl were the words:
To my faithful friend
Joe Haley
Margaret Judson
Nancy thought of the man who lay motionless on the bed. Was he Joe Haley and was Joe Haley the Judson gardener?
“The girl in the photograph is the one I met in the powder room at Hemlock Hall!” she told herself. “I
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