"It's nearly well now," the woman told her, avoiding Nancy's eyes. "They didn't know at the camp that I was going to town. I-I left in a hurry."
Again the stranger cast an anxious glance over her shoulder. "She obviously thinks she's being followed," Nancy thought to herself. "Perhaps she's even running away!"
Nancy wanted to ask her companion a number of questions but the woman's aloofness discouraged her. Deciding on an entirely different course, the young sleuth pretended not to pay particular attention to the woman. For some time they drove along in silence. Nancy could see that her passenger was gradually relaxing and losing her fear.
"Am I going too fast for you?" Nancy inquired, thinking the time was right to launch the conversation.
"Oh, no," the woman returned quickly. "You can't go too fast for me." She hesitated, and then added, "I have an important letter to mail."
"Why don't you drop it in one of the roadside mailboxes?" Nancy suggested casually. "The rural carrier will pick it up and save you a long trip."
"I want to get it off this morning if I possibly can."
I'll be glad to go to the post office and mail it for you," Nancy said, purposely drawing the woman out.
"Thank you, but no," the woman mumbled. "I- I'd feel better if I did it myself." As Nancy did not reply, she said, "I don't mean to be ungrateful for all you've done-really I don't. It's only that I mustn't get you into trouble."
"How could I get into trouble by helping you?" Nancy asked with a smile.
"You don't understand," her companion replied nervously. "There are things I can't explain. The leaders of the colony will be very angry with me if they find I have left even for a few hours, and especially that I've mailed this letter to my sister. The cult forbids communication with the outside world."
"I can't understand why you tolerate such rigid supervision," Nancy said impatiently. "Why, the leader of the cult must treat you as prisoners!"
"You're not far from wrong," the woman confessed.
"Then why don't you run away?"
The question startled the woman. She glanced sharply at Nancy, then as quickly looked away.
"I would if I dared," she said finally.
"Why don't you dare?" Nancy challenged. "I'll help you."
"No, you mustn't get mixed up in this. Perhaps later I can get away."
"I don't see what anyone can do to you if you decide to leave the colony," Nancy went on. "Surely you're a free person."
"Not any more," her companion returned sadly. "I'm in it too deep now. I'll have to go on until Fate helps me."
"I wouldn't wait," Nancy advised bluntly. "Let me help you-right now!"
CHAPTER XIVDisturbing Gossip
The strange woman in Nancy's car seemed to waver for a moment, as if about to accept the girl's offer of help. Then she shook her head.
"No, I won't drag you into it!" she said with finality. "You don't know what you'd be getting into if you helped me. Why, if they even learn that you've aided me in mailing this letter-"
Nancy saw the woman shudder. For one fleeting instant she, too, felt afraid-afraid of something she could not define. The young sleuth realized that the woman was trying to warn her of danger. Nancy knew the wise thing to do was forget all about the nature cult and the strange things which apparently went on in the hillside cave. Yet, she felt that she was on the verge of discovering an important secret.
Nancy's companion was obviously relieved when the car rounded a bend and brought them within sight of town. "If you'll just drop me off at the post office, I'll be most grateful," the woman said.
"May I take you back with me?" Nancy asked. "I'll be returning in less than an hour."
"No, I'll walk back."
Nancy saw that it was useless to protest and let the matter rest. She made no comment. After leaving her passenger in front of the post office. Nancy continued down the main street to the supermarket. Later, while she waited in the check-out line to pay for her groceries, two women took their places behind her. They were talking earnestly together, and did not pay any attention to Nancy. She, in turn, did not notice them until one of the shoppers began to speak on a startling subject.
"It beats me the way those people carry on," she heard one of them say. "You'd think Mrs. Byrd would turn them out!"
Instantly Nancy became alert.
"I suppose she needs the money," the other woman responded, "but someone should speak to her about it. The idea of those folks capering around in bedclothes! They must be crazy!"
"That's just what I think!" the first woman remarked. "If I lived near that farm I wouldn't feel safe! And I don't think it's decent for a law-abiding community like ours to have folks like that around. I'm going to get a big group together and call on Mrs. Byrd to tell her what we think, of her!"
"I'll certainly join you," the woman said.
Nancy felt the situation was becoming serious; that the criticism of Mrs. Byrd would grow even sharper. It the two women carried out their threat, the consequences might be very unpleasant. Prospective Red Gate boarders might change their minds! The colony might take reprisals!
"One thing is certain," Nancy decided. "Our costumes must be ready by tonight in case the colony members have a meeting."
She paid for the groceries and went directly to the material shop, where she bought several yards of white muslin, then started for home. Driving back to Red Gate Farm, Nancy kept a sharp lookout for the woman from the Black Snake Colony, but she was nowhere along the road. "I wish I could have talked to her more. It might have helped in my plan to attend the ceremony."
Joanne, Bess, and George were just returning from the woods with pails brimming over with luscious-looking berries when Nancy drove into the barnyard. As they started to help her carry in the packages, Karl Abbott Jr. rushed gallantly from the house to assist. He glanced curiously at the soft, fat one which Nancy kept tucked under her arm, but she did not give any explanation of its contents. Besides, the elder Mr. Abbott and Mrs. Salisbury were within hearing distance.
Immediately after a late lunch and some pleasant conversation with the guests. Nancy excused herself and summoned the other girls to her room. There she unwrapped the material and brought out scissors, needles, and thread.
"We must work like mad," she said, "in case there's a meeting tonight."
With great excitement and anticipation she cut out the first costume which was to serve as an entering wedge to the nature-cult ceremonial. As Nancy worked, she told the story of her adventure with her passenger and the conversation of the women in the market.
Joanne was alarmed. "Oh, Gram must never hear of this!" she exclaimed. "She'd be heartbroken!"
The others agreed. "We won't tell Mrs. Byrd any more than we have to," George said. "I do hope we can solve the mystery before something ugly happens!"
For the next few hours their needles flew furiously. At last the costumes were finished. The four friends could not control their laughter as they tried them on.
"You certainly look as if you're ready for Halloween!" George told Nancy. Do you think I'll pass?"
"In the moonlight they won't be able to tell you from a full-fledged member of the cult," Bess declared. "Let's see you go through the mystic rites."
To the delight of her chums. Nancy danced around the room, waving her arms wildly and making weird moans.
"Jo!" a voice called. "Dinner's ready!"
Startled, the girls scrambled out of the white robes and hastily hid them. They tried to compose their faces as they hurried downstairs, but merely succeeded in looking guilty.
"Seems to me you girls spent a long time locked up in your rooms." Mrs. Salisbury sniffed suspiciously.
"Planning some kind of mischief, no doubt." Mr. Abbott wagged his finger playfully at the four girls.
George had a hard time keeping a straight face, and hastily took a sip of milk. Bess could not restrain a giggle, whereupon Mrs. Salisbury gave her a sharp look.