years of age, and there’s no one to look after her.”
“Where shall I find her?” Nancy asked quickly.
“She lives over on the West Lake Road,” Grace responded. “It’s a good many miles from here. You could make inquiry at some of the farmhouses along the road.”
“I won’t have time to go there today, but I’ll surely call upon her as soon as I can. And now I must be going or it will be dark long before I get back to River Heights.”
Nancy said goodbye hastily. The Horner girls accompanied her to the roadster and watched her drive away. As she looked back from the corner, they waved their handkerchiefs.
“Plucky girls!” Nancy thought. “Until today I didn’t realize how terribly they need help. I simply must find a way to help them!”
She drove along the River Road, heading in the direction of Masonville. Although it was growing late, Nancy was determined to visit the Mathews brothers, and, if possible, Matilda and Edna Turner.
After she had gone perhaps five miles, she began to watch the mailboxes, and presently noticed one which bore the name “Mathews.” The farmhouse was set back a short distance from the road, and Nancy drove the roadster down a narrow lane which led to it.
As she stopped the car, a man came out of the house and regarded her questioningly. Learning that the farmer was William Mathews, Nancy quickly explained her mission. At first the man was inclined to distrust her, but after he had made certain that she was not a friend of the Richard Topham family, he talked frankly of Josiah Crowley and told all that he knew concerning the will.