Free The Mandie Collection by Lois Gladys Leppard Page B

attic, you just disappeared,” Polly added.
    â€œOh, the attic—why, I just came on back downstairs.”
    â€œBut we didn’t see you leave,” Mandie insisted.
    â€œNo, because some of that old furniture is taller than you two, I suppose.” He smiled at the girls. “Did you get scared because I left you alone up there?”
    â€œOh, no, Mr. Jason. We were just trying to find you. We thought maybe you had found the secret panel,” Mandie told him.
    â€œThe secret panel? Oh, the panel to the tunnel. No, I don’t suppose there’s an opening into the attic after all,” Mr. Bond said.
    The two girls looked at him and then at each other and didn’t say anything else, but they went on inside the house and up to their room on the third floor.
    â€œI don’t believe him!” Mandie was emphatic about it.
    â€œNeither do I!” Polly flopped down beside Mandie on the big bed.
    â€œBut why would he lie to us, Polly?”
    â€œMust have a good reason.”
    â€œWell, after all, this is my uncle’s house and Mr. Jason shouldn’t keep secrets from me,” Mandie moped.
    â€œNope.”
    â€œWell, don’t you have any ideas?”
    â€œI just can’t figure this one out, Mandie. Everybody seems to be trying to hide something from everybody else.”
    â€œI know. Guess it’s the money my uncle has. Money makes people fight sometimes, my father always told me. He always said it was better to be poor. Then you would know who your friends really are.”
    â€œOh, Mandie, I don’t agree with that at all. I’d just die if we were poor.” Then Polly realized what she was saying. “Sorry, I forgot. I mean, I know you told me how poor your family is. But, anyway, don’t you think it’s better now, with all those new dresses and so much to eat, and servants to do all the work?”
    â€œWell, I suppose. But look at the difference in things since Bayne Locke and that Mrs. Snow and her terrible Ruby came here. They’re all after my uncle’s money!”
    â€œSo what are we going to do about Mr. Jason now?”
    â€œI suppose we’ll have to watch him now, along with the others.”

CHAPTER EIGHT
    JOE COMES TO VISIT
    The people who sat around the dining table at mealtime after that acted like enemies. There was very little conversation between any of the occupants of John Shaw’s house.
    Mr. Bond tried his best to carry on a conversation at the table one day at dinnertime, but Bayne Locke and Mrs. Snow and her daughter completely ignored him. The girls did not talk either, but continued to listen and watch everyone else. Mr. Bond only got curt answers to any questions he asked in an attempt to draw the girls out.
    â€œWell, if this ain’t the quietest bunch I ever seed in all my born days,” Liza remarked as she brought in the dessert. “What’s the matter—cat got all your tongues?”
    Mandie laughed. “No, Liza, we just can’t do two things at one time. If we’re going to eat, we have to eat, and if we’re going to talk, we just can’t eat.”
    â€œOh, I sees,” Liza smiled at her. “Everybody must be starved to death.” She twirled on out of the dining room with her arms full of dishes. “Most nonsense I ever heard of!”
    â€œWell, guess she’s right,” Mr. Bond remarked, looking straight at the two girls. “But if everyone’s starved to death, why is everyone leaving so much food on their plates?”
    â€œDon’t include me in that. I eat whatever I’m served,” Mrs. Snow haughtily informed him.
    â€œSo do I,” her daughter piped in.
    â€œI’m always hungry. I always eat anything I can get my hands on,” Bayne Locke said. “Food’s too good to waste.”
    â€œThat leaves me to answer, I suppose,” Mandie volunteered. “My stomach doesn’t feel too well