“It’s just a washout like I said!” Hamish stated gloomily. He glared at Eve and me, he seemed to hold us responsible.
I had picked up the key and was examining it. “I suppose,” I said, “it’s the key to something.”
“That’s right,” chimed in Hattie May with a fresh accession of hope. “Nobody would take the trouble to bury a key unless it was to something pretty important. Maybe to the box that holds the treasure or—or to a locked room—or something. I’ll bet that’s it—the treasure’s hidden in the house!”
“I don’t think there are any locked rooms in the house,” remarked Eve. “Sandy and I went over it pretty thoroughly that first day and we didn’t find any.”
“But there must be something!” Hattie May turned and strode toward the back door.
“Well I’ve got to be getting on,” Michael said. “I wish you luck with your blue emerald!”
“Michael Gilpatrick,” Hattie May turned about and faced him, “I don’t believe you’d take the trouble to pick up that treasure if it was right before your eyes! All you care about is cows and—and crops and plowing and grubby things like that!”
Michael’s ringing laugh answered her as he strode away. “You can’t really blame him,” said Eve, “for not being so awfully keen about this when he’s got that other thing hanging over him! I’d be worried too.”
Hattie May and Hamish had disappeared inside the house but they were back in five minutes. “Every door in the place is wide open,” Hattie May declared in disgust, “and the key doesn’t fit a single lock.”
“Well I think the best thing for us to do now is to go home,” I said. Somewhat to my surprise Hamish agreed with my suggestion at once. I had not expected him to give up the search so easily.