he’ll see that he has missed us and come back. We’ll meet him head-on!”
“I know,” Nancy replied. “We must look for another branching trail.”
Presently she spotted a side path among the boulders and the girls guided their horses onto it. The way downward was narrow and rough, but the two riders were sheltered first by rocks, then tall fir and tamarack trees. They reached the valley a mile from where the other trail came down.
“We made it safely!” Alice cried in relief. “Oh, Nancy, how can I ever thank you?”
Her companion smiled. “Don’t think I wasn’t scared myself!”
It was noon when the girls dismounted at the stable. They hurried to the living room where they found the Rawleys chatting with Bess and George.
While Alice excitedly reported all that had happened to them, Nancy telephoned the sheriff. She told him her suspicions of the man calling himself Bursey, and also the possibility that Ross Regor, Alice’s father, was being held prisoner on the mountain by the same gang responsible for the phantom-horse trick.
Sheriff Curtis said, “I’ll go up to the cabin at once with two men and arrest this hombre Bursey and his confederates.”
Nancy hastened back to the living room and reported the conversation.
“That’s great!” exclaimed George. “If the sheriff catches the bank robbers, it will mean the end of the damage on the ranch.”
“But they must have another hideout, where they keep Uncle Ross,” Bess objected, “and we don’t know where that is. Besides, the sheriff may find only Bursey.”
“But if he talks, we’ll get to the bottom of the mystery,” Nancy reminded her.
Suddenly the door to the portico burst open and Dave came in. “Mr. Rawley, we found the missing horses!”
Amid the girls’ exclamation of joy, the rancher beamed and asked. “Where are they?”
“Tex, Bud, and I put them in the meadow. We found them up on Shadow Mountain, grazing by a creek.” Dave hesitated. “The only thing is, they’re hurt.”
Mr. Rawley’s jaw tightened. “Bad?”
“Three of ’em are wire-cut and the mare is limping. We’d better call the vet.”
The rancher agreed and Dave hurried to the telephone. “Could be worse,” Uncle Ed said. “Maybe everything will be all right—provided there’s no more damage.”
Aunt Bet smiled cheerfully. “Nothing more is likely to happen. After all, the sheriff is on his way to round up the gang—thanks to Nancy.”
In a happy frame of mind, the girls hurried away to dress in their squaw outfits before lunch. While she showered, Nancy’s thoughts were on the treasure. Where could the outlaw have hidden it? Still puzzling, Nancy slipped into her blue costume. She brushed her titian hair until it gleamed, then put on a pair of small silver earrings and added a touch of lipstick.
The other girls were not ready yet, so Nancy went into the living room to wait for them. As she seated herself in one of the rockers, her glance fell on the fireplace. Once again, the Indian grinding stone caught her attention. She recalled what Aunt Bet had told her about it and about the other stones. Suddenly her eyes lit up with an idea and she jumped forward in excitement.
“Bess! George! Alice!” she called, running to the door.
“What is it?” asked George as the three girls came hurrying down the hall.
Nancy’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “I think I know where the treasure is!”
CHAPTER XVI
The Sheriff’s Quarry
A burst of excited questions met Nancy’s announcement. She chuckled and George said, “Quiet, everybody. Now tell us where the treasure is.”
Nancy led her friends into the living room, shut the door, and announced, “In the cliff houses down the valley.”
“They’re certainly the oldest dwellings around here,” said George. “But they are not on the ranch.”
“They were when Valentine wrote his letter.”
“Nancy, how do you know?” Alice asked.
“Because Aunt Bet told us that every stone in
“I know,” Nancy replied. “We must look for another branching trail.”
Presently she spotted a side path among the boulders and the girls guided their horses onto it. The way downward was narrow and rough, but the two riders were sheltered first by rocks, then tall fir and tamarack trees. They reached the valley a mile from where the other trail came down.
“We made it safely!” Alice cried in relief. “Oh, Nancy, how can I ever thank you?”
Her companion smiled. “Don’t think I wasn’t scared myself!”
It was noon when the girls dismounted at the stable. They hurried to the living room where they found the Rawleys chatting with Bess and George.
While Alice excitedly reported all that had happened to them, Nancy telephoned the sheriff. She told him her suspicions of the man calling himself Bursey, and also the possibility that Ross Regor, Alice’s father, was being held prisoner on the mountain by the same gang responsible for the phantom-horse trick.
Sheriff Curtis said, “I’ll go up to the cabin at once with two men and arrest this hombre Bursey and his confederates.”
Nancy hastened back to the living room and reported the conversation.
“That’s great!” exclaimed George. “If the sheriff catches the bank robbers, it will mean the end of the damage on the ranch.”
“But they must have another hideout, where they keep Uncle Ross,” Bess objected, “and we don’t know where that is. Besides, the sheriff may find only Bursey.”
“But if he talks, we’ll get to the bottom of the mystery,” Nancy reminded her.
Suddenly the door to the portico burst open and Dave came in. “Mr. Rawley, we found the missing horses!”
Amid the girls’ exclamation of joy, the rancher beamed and asked. “Where are they?”
“Tex, Bud, and I put them in the meadow. We found them up on Shadow Mountain, grazing by a creek.” Dave hesitated. “The only thing is, they’re hurt.”
Mr. Rawley’s jaw tightened. “Bad?”
“Three of ’em are wire-cut and the mare is limping. We’d better call the vet.”
The rancher agreed and Dave hurried to the telephone. “Could be worse,” Uncle Ed said. “Maybe everything will be all right—provided there’s no more damage.”
Aunt Bet smiled cheerfully. “Nothing more is likely to happen. After all, the sheriff is on his way to round up the gang—thanks to Nancy.”
In a happy frame of mind, the girls hurried away to dress in their squaw outfits before lunch. While she showered, Nancy’s thoughts were on the treasure. Where could the outlaw have hidden it? Still puzzling, Nancy slipped into her blue costume. She brushed her titian hair until it gleamed, then put on a pair of small silver earrings and added a touch of lipstick.
The other girls were not ready yet, so Nancy went into the living room to wait for them. As she seated herself in one of the rockers, her glance fell on the fireplace. Once again, the Indian grinding stone caught her attention. She recalled what Aunt Bet had told her about it and about the other stones. Suddenly her eyes lit up with an idea and she jumped forward in excitement.
“Bess! George! Alice!” she called, running to the door.
“What is it?” asked George as the three girls came hurrying down the hall.
Nancy’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “I think I know where the treasure is!”
CHAPTER XVI
The Sheriff’s Quarry
A burst of excited questions met Nancy’s announcement. She chuckled and George said, “Quiet, everybody. Now tell us where the treasure is.”
Nancy led her friends into the living room, shut the door, and announced, “In the cliff houses down the valley.”
“They’re certainly the oldest dwellings around here,” said George. “But they are not on the ranch.”
“They were when Valentine wrote his letter.”
“Nancy, how do you know?” Alice asked.
“Because Aunt Bet told us that every stone in
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