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Main > Fairy tale > All authors > Frank Baum > Fairy tale "Aunt Jane's Nieces at Millville"

Aunt Jane's Nieces at Millville

"Suppose the robbery and

murder had nothing to do with the old crime at all, but that the

murderer knew this to be a deserted place where he could make a good

haul without being discovered. The two old men sat in the right wing,

quite unsuspicious, when----"

"When in walks Mr. Murderer, chokes the captain, knocks his friend on

the brain-box, and makes off with the money!" continued Patsy,

gleefully. "Oh, girls, I'm sure we've got it right this time."

Louise reflected a moment.

"This country is almost a wilderness," she mused, aloud, "and few

strangers ever come here. Besides, a stranger would not know positively

that these two men had money. If we abandon the idea of an avenger, and

follow Beth's clue, then the murderer is still right here in Millville,

and unsuspected by any of his neighbors."

"Oh, Louise!" with startled glances over their shoulders.

"Let us be sensible, reasoning girls; not silly things trying to figure

out possible romances," continued Louise, with a pretty and impressive

assumption of dignity. "Do you know, I feel that some angel of

retribution has guided us to this lonely farmhouse and put the idea into

my head to discover and expose a dreadful crime."

"Succotash!" cried Patsy, irrelevantly. "You're romancing this minute,

Louise. The way you figure things out I wouldn't be surprised if you

accused me, or Uncle John, any time during the next half hour. Adopting

your last supposition, for the sake of argument, I'm interested to know

what inhabitant of sleepy old Millville you suspect."

"Don't get flighty, Patricia," admonished Beth. "This is a serious

matter, and Louise is in earnest. If we're going to help her we mustn't

talk rubbish. Now, it isn't a bad suggestion that we ought to look

nearer home for the key to this mystery. There's old Hucks."

"Hucks!"

"To be sure. No one knew so well as he the money affairs of the two men

who were robbed."

"I'm ashamed of you," said Patsy.

"And the man's smile is a mask!" exclaimed Louise.

"Oh, no!

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