The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-09-23
MYSTERY of CRESSTE FARM

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additional hallway, they decided to
crawl on. They went for quite q
piece, when Jimmie whispered to
Virginia:
"Say, Virginia, / believe this is
an underground tunnel. Let's keep
on following it, and perhaps 1t will
lead us outdoors again. Then we
could go for help"
"Good idea." agreed Virginia, and
so they resumed their crawling.
The tunnel was pitch dark and they
dared not use their light. Finally
they felt themselves crawling up.
hill. This continued for about q
fourth Of a mile and then suddenly
something big and black looking
blocked their way ahead of them.
ooh, Jimmie" sobbed Virginia,
clutching his arm, there's a big
bear ahead of us"
Bear, nothing!" said Jimmie,
but his voice betrayed his conf
dence.
ooh, don't light the flashlight,"
pleaded Virginia.
THAT'S the only thing to do"
said Jimmie. 1.-THE bright light
shining in his eyes will make him
get out. I'll wait until we get
closer to him, though"
When they were very near the
big, black object, Jimmie flashed
his light straight ahead of him and
the big, black object became a
thick clump of bushes! Virginia
gave weak little laugh, very much
ashamed of her fright, while all
that Jimmie said was, "Holy
Smokes!" Parting the bushes, jim
ME and Virginia crawled through
them, and once more stood out in
the open air. They were halfway
up the hill that led to Cresste
farm!
Lets sit down here and rest for
a few minutes" Jimmie proposed,
"and then go for help"
They rested for a few minutes,
and then got up to go on down into
the valley and up home.
Jimmie" said Virginia suddenly,
"look down there. See all of those
lights? They're moving, and-oh,
they're coming this way!"
eyes, they're heading this way"
replied Jimmie. Virginia, see! it's
not one person-there are a whole
lot l know! It's the searching
party! Helen has sent them. I'm
going to signal them with my light
They may see 1t, and yet they
might not. 1t won't hurt to try, at
least"
wait" said Virginia, "let me do
that. If Dad is in the bunch. and
he probably is, can flash him a
signal something like the smoke
signal, which means. I am lost!
Help!' He taught me how and so
will understand"
Jimmie surrendered the flash
light and she flashed q signal In the
air to the men below. Instantly all
Of the lights except one were low
cred to the mems sides. The other
light was raised in mid-air and the
answer Were coming. Where are
your" was flashed back. Virginia
flashed back a direction and then
at intervals showed her light SO
that the men would not miss their
way.
Gee, that's great" commented
Jimmie, much pleased and secretly
proud of Virginia's work. you
must teach me that when we get
this monkey-business over with"
The men soon reached them and
Virginia simply chung to her
neck, so glad was she that
he had come. Briefly Jimmie told
all that they had discovered SO far
and explained the situation.
There were twenty-five men in
the crowd, while there seemed to
be only few in the Cresste house
Jimmie said that they had better
send few men up into the attic,
for he was sure he had seen a man
in the room of light, and let the
rest of the men go through the cave.
This plan was agreed upon, and
seven well-armed men were sent on
up the hill to enter the house the
way Jimmie and Virginia had gone
in the first place The rest of the
men followed Jimmie as he led the
way through the bushes into the
cave, and Virginia and her father
brought up the rear. AS far back
rs they were, they could hear
voices that seemed to grow louder