Read Online The Clue in the Old Stagecoach by Carolyn G. Keene - Free Book Online Page B

all right, so I guess you can. But it’s rough going. The house is about half a mile in.”
    The girls started off again and presently found the trail. Nancy turned in and drove slowly, mostly through woods, until she came to the Zucker property. It was evident that the original house had been a one-room structure to which an addition had been built fairly recently.
    The callers noticed a baby’s net-covered play pen in the dooryard. In it was an infant asleep.
    A young couple came from the house and smiled at the girls, who stepped out of the car. “Are you looking for us—the Zuckers?” the man asked.
    Nancy revealed why they had come and asked if he could give her any information about the old stagecoach which Abner Langstreet had driven.
    “I’m afraid not,” the young man replied, introducing himself as Morton and his wife as Marjory. Nancy introduced herself and the other two girls.
    Marjory spoke up, “When we moved here, this place had been thoroughly cleaned out. Oh, there was plenty of dirt, but not even a bottle or a piece of firewood or anything.”
    “And former owners never mentioned anything about Abner Langstreet living here or owning a stagecoach?” Nancy asked.
    The Zuckers shook their heads, then Morton said, “But if you think you can find anything, you’re more than welcome to look around.”
    “Thank you,” said Nancy. “Actually, I was hoping there might be a bill of sale of the old stagecoach hidden away, perhaps behind some secret panel.”
    Intrigued, the Zuckers said they would like to join in a search. First an ancient barn was thoroughly searched. Nothing came to light.
    “What was that old shed used for?” Nancy asked.
    “I believe it was the blacksmith shop,” Morton answered. “A hundred years ago life on a farm was very different from today. A man was his own blacksmith and builder as well as farmer. Besides growing all his own grain, fruits, and vegetables, and raising chickens, colts, calves, and pigs, he built houses and barns, with some help from his neighbors.”
    “Amazing,” Bess murmured.
    “The farmer also forged and hammered his own iron hardware for nails, latches, andirons, and lamp bases,” Morton went on. “He often made wrought-iron boxes and tools,” the young man ended, as they entered the shed.
    Marjory smiled. “I guess that’s how the saying started, ‘A man works from sun to sun.”’
    No clues were found in the shed, so Morton said, “Let’s try the house.”
    On the way there, Morton added suddenly, “I just thought of something. When I bought this farm I had the title thoroughly searched. Abner Langstreet was never an owner, so if he lived here he must have rented the place.”
    “I’m sure that’s true,” said Nancy. “If the property were registered at the courthouse, Abner Langstreet could have been found.”
    “Maybe this isn’t the right place,” said Bess.
    Nancy reminded her that Mrs. Strook had given the directions, and if the Zuckers were willing, she thought they should go on with the search, Morton insisted that they do so.
    “I’m highly interested in this thing myself now,” he said. “A missing stagecoach!” He looked quizzically at Nancy. “You didn’t say so, but I figure there must be something valuable hidden inside it.”
    “We suspect there may be,” Nancy confessed, but did not explain further.
    Work began in the four-room farmhouse. It was decided to confine the search to the original building. Walls were carefully tapped, and the stones of the fireplace inspected for any which might pull out. The hunt proved futile.
    “Do you mind if I peek under your rugs, Marjory?” Nancy asked, “to see if there might be an old trap door or loose board?”
    “Go ahead,” the farmer’s wife said. “And I wish you luck!”
    Nancy looked under each of the small hooked rugs which lay on the wide-board floor. She was about to give up and admit defeat, when one of the boards seemed unsteady as she trod back and