The Wishing Well Part 10

Seating herself on the large smooth rock, she gingerly examined a bruised place on her elbow. Louise stood beside her, plucking burs from her chum's sweater.

"I'm all right now," Penny said a moment later, getting up. "Why, Lou! Do you see what I've been sitting on?"

"A rock, my pet."

"A stone that looks exactly like the one at the museum!" Penny cried excitedly.

"All rocks are pretty much alike, aren't they?"

"Certainly not," Penny corrected. "There are any number of varieties.

This one is quartz unless I'm mistaken and it _does_ resemble the one at the museum."

"Maybe you can find some writing on it," Louise teased. "The rock only weighs two or three hundred pounds. Shall I lift it for you so you can see the under side?"

"Don't bother," Penny retorted, eagerly examining the stone. "I've already found it."

"Found what?"

"The writing! I _knew_ this stone looked like the one at the museum!"

Louise was certain that her chum merely pretended to have made such an important discovery. However, as Penny continued to examine the rock in an intent, absorbed way, she decided to see for herself.

"Why, it's true!" she exclaimed incredulously. "There _is_ writing on the stone!"

Carved letters, so dimmed by age and weathering processes that they scarcely remained legible, had been cut unevenly in the hard surface.

"'Went hence vnto heaven 1599,'" Louise deciphered slowly. "Why, 1599 would date this stone almost before there were known settlers in the country!"

"Almost--but not quite," replied Penny. "Historians believe there were other settlements before that date. Obviously, this is a burial stone similar to the one found on the Gleason farm."

"If it's such an old rock why was it never discovered before?"

"The stone may be a fake, but that's not for us to try to figure out.

We've made an important discovery and the museum is sure to be interested!"

"Don't forget that this is on Mrs. Marborough's property," Louise reminded her chum. "We'll have to tell her about it."

Retracing their way to Rose Acres, the girls knocked on the door. Mrs.

Marborough soon appeared, looking none too pleased by their unexpected return.

"What is it?" she asked, blocking the doorway so that the girls could not see beyond her into the living room.

Breathlessly, Penny told of finding the dated stone on the hillside.

"Did you know such a rock was there?" she asked eagerly.

"I've never seen any stone with writing on it," Mrs. Marborough replied.

"Goodness knows there are plenty of boulders on my property though."

"Another stone similar to it was found yesterday on the Gleason farm,"

Louise revealed. "Do come and see it, Mrs. Marborough."

Before the widow could reply, the three were startled by heavy footsteps on the veranda. Turning, the girls saw that Jay Franklin had approached without being observed. Politely, he doffed his hat.

"Excuse me, I couldn't help overhearing your conversation," he said, bowing again to Mrs. Marborough. "You were saying something about a rock which bears writing?"

"We found it on the hillside near here," Penny explained. "It has a date--1599."

"Then it must be a mate to the stone discovered by Mr. Gleason!"

"I'm sure it is."

"Will you take me to the spot where you found it?" Mr. Franklin requested. "I am tremendously interested."

"Of course," Penny agreed, but her voice lacked enthusiasm.

She glanced toward Louise, noticing that her chum did not look particularly elated either. Neither could have explained the feeling, but Jay Franklin's arrival detracted from the pleasure of their discovery.

Although ashamed of their suspicions, they were afraid that the man might try to take credit for finding the stone.

CHAPTER 8 _A MOVING LIGHT_

As if to confirm the thought of the two girls, Jay Franklin remarked that should the newly discovered stone prove similar to the one found at the Gleason farm, he would immediately have it hauled to the Riverview museum.

"Isn't that for Mrs. Marborough to decide?" Penny asked dryly. "The rock is on her land, you know."

"To be sure, to be sure," Mr. Franklin nodded, brus.h.i.+ng aside the matter of owners.h.i.+p as if it were of slight consequence.

Mrs. Marborough had gone into the house for a coat. Reappearing, she followed Mr. Franklin and the two girls down the trail where the huge stone lay.

"Did you ever notice this rock?" Penny questioned the mistress of Rose Acres.

"Never," she replied, "but then I doubt that I ever walked in this particular locality before."

Jay Franklin stooped to examine the carving, excitedly declaring that it was similar to the marking of the Gleason stone.

"And here are other characters!" he exclaimed, fingering well-weathered grooves which had escaped Penny's attention. "Indian picture writing!"

"How do you account for two types of carving on the same stone?" Louise inquired skeptically.

"The Indian characters may have been added at a later date," Mr. Franklin answered. "For all we know, this rock may be one of the most valuable relics ever found in our state! From the historical standpoint, of course. The stone has no commercial value."

"I imagine the museum will want it," Penny said thoughtfully.

"Exactly what I was thinking." Mr. Franklin turned toward Mrs. Marborough to ask: "You would not object to the museum having this stone?"