The Princess Club / Family Secrets / Mountain Madness by Catherine Marshall Read Free Book Online Page B

it.”
    â€œStart over,” Bessie said, scratching her head. “That’s one ‘thinkin’ too many.”
    â€œWhat Clara means, Bessie,” Ruby Mae said, dropping onto the mossy bank, “is that our gold may really be Mr. Halliday’s gold.”
    â€œIt’s like one of them mystery stories Miz Christy reads us,” Clara explained. “We’ve got us some clues, see. We know Mr. Halliday said he was lookin’ for somethin’ out here. We know he and Clancy were by a creek when Clancy slipped. We know Mr. Halliday’s handkerchief was here. That’s a lot o’ clues, no matter how you look at it.”
    â€œâ€™Ceptin’ for one,” Ruby Mae shot back. “Like I said already—how come he doesn’t just claim the gold then?”
    Clara shook her head. “I don’t know why. I admit it don’t make a whit of sense. But flatlanders ain’t always as sensible as regular people. Them that comes from the city don’t always know which way’s up and which way’s down.”
    â€œMaybe we should say somethin’ to somebody,” Bessie said.
    â€œWhy?” Ruby Mae demanded. “Mr. Halliday had his chance to claim the gold.”
    Bessie shrugged. “I don’t know. It just sort of feels a little like stealin’, Ruby Mae. And the preacher always says, ‘Thou shalt not steal.’”
    â€œHe also says, ‘finders, keepers.’”
    â€œI ain’t never heard him say that,” Clara said.
    â€œWell, if’n we asked him, he would say it,
    I’m pretty sure.” Ruby Mae fingered the handkerchief. She didn’t like this ugly feeling inside her, not one little bit. “Look,” she pleaded, “even if’n it is Mr. Halliday’s gold— and I ain’t sayin’ it is—I got to talkin’ to him this mornin’. He’s
got plenty of cash-money. He told me he’s met real, live princesses his own self. And presidents and rich folks. A few nuggets of gold won’t matter to him one way or the other.” She sighed. “Not the way they can matter to us. With that gold, we can make somethin’ of ourselves.”
    â€œMaybe you’re right,” Bessie said.
    â€œIt’s true he ain’t said the gold’s his,” Clara conceded.
    Ruby Mae slapped her thigh and stood up. “Exactly! Now, no more disagreein’. The Princess Club has got to stick together.”
    Clara held up her hand. “Here’s the spot where we found Prince Egbert.” She opened the box she’d been carrying and gently set it on its side. Prince Egbert hopped out, blinked, and looked up at the girls.
    â€œWithout you, we might never have found the gold,” Clara said. “Thanks, Prince Egbert.”
    Just then, the trees behind them rustled.
    â€œThat ain’t no breeze,” Clara whispered darkly.
    A branch cracked. A bush shook.
    â€œThere’s somebody comin’!” Ruby Mae cried.
    Out of the trees leapt Lundy Taylor. In his hand was a heavy rock.
    â€œWell,” he sneered, “if’n it ain’t The Princess Club. Fancy the luck. Just so happens I’m lookin’ to join up.”

Eleven
    L undy took a step closer.
    Standing higher up on the bank, he seemed to tower over the girls. He lifted the rock over his head. His black eyes gleamed.
    â€œTell me where you found the gold,” he growled. “Right now.”
    Ruby Mae glanced at her friends. Both stood frozen in place. Bessie looked as if she were about to cry. Clara’s eyes were darting here and there, searching for a way to escape. But Ruby Mae knew there was nowhere to run.
    â€œI said, tell me where you found the gold, Ruby Mae!” Lundy shouted.
    Ruby Mae could feel her heart thudding in her chest. She’d known Lundy Taylor her whole life. She’d listened to him sass Miz Christy. She’d watched him beat up