Free The Sign of the Twisted Candles by Carolyn Keene Page A

she was that she had rescued it!
    “ ‘I further direct,’ ” the will stated, “that the money realized from these shall be divided into nine equal parts.’ ”
    At this, all the relatives sat up straight, and calculating looks were exchanged among the possible heirs.
    “ ‘One share shall again be divided into seven equal parts,’ ” Mr. Drew continued solemnly, and the now-bewildered relatives sat further forward on their chairs. “ ‘One of these shares, that is, one sixty-third of the entire estate, shall be given to Frank Jemitt and his wife Emma in consideration of those days a few years ago during which they served me honestly and well.’ ”
    For a moment all eyes turned to the couple. So Asa Sidney did suspect them of recent thefts!
    “ ‘One each of the remaining sub-shares, namely one sixty-third of the entire estate, shall be given to each of my relatives, namely Jacob Sidney, Peter Boonton, Anna Marvin, Bess Marvin, Louise Fayne, and George Fayne.
    “ ‘All the rest of the money, to wit, eight-ninths of the cash proceeds of the estate, shall be given to the girl known as Carol Wipple, who shall also inherit the portrait of my wife—’ ”
    A concerted growl of disapproval arose from the disappointed heirs as Nancy cried out in alarm:
    “Carol has fainted!”

CHAPTER XII
    The Mysterious Attic
    “GET a glass of water!” Raymond Hill called to Frank Jemitt, who did not look as angered and disappointed as Asa Sidney’s relatives.
    Jemitt hurried to the kitchen and returned with a tumbler of water. Nancy moistened a handkerchief and laid it on Carol’s forehead. Then she massaged the back of her neck and wrists.
    Carol stirred and sat up. “I—I must have fainted,” she murmured. “Oh, Nancy, there you are. Please don’t go away.”
    No one else offered to help; they sat still and waited. But finally Jacob Sidney exclaimed, “We’ll fight this out in court!”
    “You bet we will,” Peter Boonton seconded. “There isn’t a court in the world that will uphold this will. Asa Sidney couldn’t have been in his right mind when he cheated his own relatives and left most of his estate to a stranger!”
    Mr. Drew made no reply to the threats. Instead, he went on reading.
    “‘I direct my sole executor, Carson Drew, to have the Fernwood Orphanage review Carol Wipple’s case, and if in their judgment they find Frank and Emma Jemitt unfit to continue as her foster parents, that it assign new foster parents to her.’ ”
    “Oh!” Carol cried out. For a second, Nancy thought she was going to faint again.
    “That’s ridiculous!” Frank Jemitt burst out. “We’ve always been kind and gentle to Carol and given her a good home.”
    “We sure have,” his wife added. “Why, Carol, you wouldn’t think of letting anyone take you from us, would you?”
    Nancy was disgusted by this sudden attitude of pretended affection and hoped Carol would not be influenced by it.
    Mr. Drew had not finished. After completing the reading of the will, he said, “Mr. Asa Sidney told me that he had a special reason for remembering Carol in his will. At the time he was too tired to tell me about it but promised to give me the whole story later. Unfortunately he never had a chance.”
    Everyone looked at Carol, and Jacob Sidney shouted, “What did he mean?”
    “I—I don’t know,” Carol faltered. “He was kind to me and I did what I could for him.”
    The relatives arose in a body, ignored the girl, barely nodded to the others in the room and left the old mansion. Nancy was incensed by their attitude and deeply hurt by the actions of Bess and George.
    As soon as they had gone, and Mr. Drew had walked into the hall with Mr. Hill, Nancy said to Carol, “This has been a hard day for you. Why don’t you go up to your room and lie down?”
    “Oh, Nancy, I’d only think more if I did that.”
    “Of course you would,” Mrs. Jemitt spoke up. “What you need is a mother’s tender loving care. Come with