Cherry Ames 21 Island Nurse (20 page)

Rogues’ Cave. Next he discovered that the Old Mine shaft had been repaired. He had gone down one day only to fi nd two men on guard. He had never been able to get near the alcove where he had been found trussed up. In fact, he had no idea that a vein of silver had actually been found.

Of course he had suspected that some valuable mineral might have been discovered. On the other hand, it was equally possible that the Old Mine and Rogues’

Cave were simply being used as a warehouse for smuggling anything of value.

“Why didn’t ye let me know about this?” asked Sir Ian.

“Ah, that I caudna, Ian,” Old Jock said. “I knew what terrible tension ye have been under for so long. And ye were a sick man. I had to try to clear everything up without involving ye in a lot of worry and anxiety.” Finally he had decided to stow away on the
Heron
.

When and if a boat was sent into Rogues’ Cave to pick up cargo, Old Jock would manage to get aboard it, for the boat was large with a covered stern beneath which he could hide. He had taken particular note of this when he had watched it while pretending to be fi shing all those times.

He had asked Tammie to wait for him in the tower because it was nearest to Rogues’ Cave and perfectly safe. If Old Jock found Little Joe and his crew actually engaged in illegal activities, he would simply have Tammie telephone a message to his grandmother. Old Jock and his wife Janet had it all planned what she would tell the chief of police.

THE SILVER OF THE MINE

191

“I thought Tammie could phone his grandma with out arousing Ramsay’s curiosity,” Old Jock explained.

“But if I went in at night to use his phone, he’d wonder right away what it was all about. But Tammie phon-ing his grandma of a night—well, Ramsay would think right away that the boy was in trouble with his grandmother because he’d stayed out too late.

“Well,” continued Old Jock, “the storm came and worked havoc with my plans.”

He had got into the boat when it was put over the side of the
Heron
the night of the storm. In the excitement, his presence had not been discovered, and the big rowboat had made it to shore. Old Jock knew that he had to get to the tower and he had started out. Everything had been all right, so he thought. No one had seen him, and he had raced along the cliffs.

Suddenly, as he reached the cliffs near the tower, he had been grabbed from behind. He had cried out in surprise and then with pain as he grappled with two men.

“I did hear ye, then, Grandda!” cried Tammie. “Miss Cherry, we did hear Grandda that night.”

“Yes, Tammie, I know now that we did.”

“And I ran down from the tower,” continued Tammie. “Some men caught me and they took me down the Old Mine shaft. But I kicked and bit and scratched and I got away.”

‘Tammie dear,” said Meg, “do you mean to say that you found your way in the dark to the hidey-hole in Rogues’ Cave?”

192
CHERRY

AMES,

ISLAND

NURSE

Tammie shook his head. “No, Miss Meg. One of the men was chasing me and he had a light. But I could dodge out of his way, even if he could run faster. He chased me almost as far as the cave, then I crouched down behind a pillar. He looked around, but he dinna fi nd me, so he left. It wasn’t far from the hidey-hole, so I went in there and hid.”

“You mean to say, Tammie,” Cherry said, “that you haven’t had anything to eat since that night!” Tammie smiled. “Of course not,” he answered.

“Grandma gave me some sandwiches and apples to put in my coat pocket.”

“I wish somebody would tell me, a poor medical man,” said Dr. Mac, “how Little Joe and his men found the vein of silver in the Old Mine.”

“I’ll explain it,” said Sir Ian.

Everyone looked at him, rather surprised that he should know the answer.

“And Cherry knows,” added Sir Ian.

“I do?” exclaimed Cherry.

Sir Ian nodded. “Of course ye found out about the real silver mine fi rst and the salted mine second. But Little Joe, like most of the Balfourians, knew the story about how one George Barclay years ago was fooled by a grafter who salted our old abandoned mine. Now when Little Joe was working for me, he used to spend a lot of time fi shing out in Rogues’ Cave bay. He must have explored both the cave and the Old Mine from one end to the other. He discovered some of the salted stuff no doubt, then one day he discovered a rock that

THE SILVER OF THE MINE

193

he knew was the real thing. And he went quietly to work.”

“But I can’t see—of course, I’m just a medical man—” said Dr. Mac, “how the vein of silver could have been missed during all the years that the Old Mine was in operation.”

“I can answer that,” said Lloyd. “You see, the Old Mine had veins of iron ore that ran north and south.

When they were exhausted, the mine was abandoned.

Yet just fi fty feet away from one of the tunnels was this vein—this wonderfully rich vein—of native silver. The vein of silver begins in that alcove where we found Jock Cameron. It slopes gradually downward close to the tunnel in Rogues’ Cave and becomes sub-marine. There’s no telling how far out the vein runs beneath the ocean. Old Sir Ian, my grandfather, found some rocks of native silver in the cave walls without ever discovering the vein itself. That we know thanks to Cherry, who, with Tammie, found the journal and the pouch of silver in the tower room. Since my grandfather did not fi nd the vein and surely had heard later of the cave’s having been ‘salted,’ he probably decided that he’d found some of the ‘salted’ silver.” Higgins came in. “Luncheon is served,” he announced.

Sir Ian offered his arm to Cherry. “Allow me to take you in, Cherry. For ye are the guest of honor. The Old Mine is going to have a new name. The Balfour silver mine will be offi cially named the Cherry Ames Silver Mine.”

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CHERRY

AMES,

ISLAND

NURSE

“Three cheers for Cherry Ames!” shouted Tammie.

“Yes, indeed, three cheers for Cherry,” cried Meg and Lloyd, Old Jock, and Dr. Mac.

When they were all seated at the table, Cherry looked round at the friendly faces and her heart felt warm inside her.

“Thank you all,” she said. “You have made me very happy. When I go back home, I shall take back with me wonderful memories of Balfour Island.”

“What do you mean—when you go back home?” asked Meg. “Why, you have to stay ever so long. You have to be maid of honor at Douglas’s and my wedding.

Isn’t that so, Dr. Douglas Mackenzie?’

“Absolutely,” Dr. Mac agreed fi rmly.

“Ah, she’ll make a fair maid of honor, won’t she, Ian?” asked Old Jock. “And she’ll bring us luck for sure with the silver mine.”

“That she will, Jock,” said Sir Ian, smiling warmly at his old friend.

In case you missed
Cherry Ames, Department
Store Nurse ...

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c h a p t e r i

Home for Thanksgiving

“this,” said cherry, “is pretty wonderful!” she beamed at the others around the festive table with its autumn fruits and fl owers. Her family beamed back at her. “For once all four Ameses are together, and
isn’t
it nice?”

“I feel a little selfi sh, not asking some of the relatives for Thanksgiving dinner,” Mrs. Ames remarked.

“Just us is fi ne,” said Charlie. “Besides, that leaves us more turkey.”

Mr. Ames, who could carve only when standing up, muttered that it was about time Charlie took over this chore. But when Charlie obligingly stood up to help, their father said, “Never mind, thanks. No chores for either of you kids when you’re only home for the holiday.”

“I won’t make any speeches about what it’s worth to me to be here today,” Cherry said. “Even for a few days’

leave.”

197

198
CHERRY AMES, DEPARTMENT STORE NURSE

She had fl own to Hilton, Illinois, from New York and this evening she would have to fl y back again. If her old friend Ann Evans hadn’t had family matters to tend to, she might be able to stay at home longer. On the other hand, if Ann Evans Powell hadn’t needed someone in a hurry to substitute for her, Cherry would never have secured the nursing job in a New York department store, two weeks ago. And it
was
a fascinating job.

Conversation lapsed for a few minutes as the Ames family concentrated on Edith Ames’s Thanksgiving feast.

“Best bird we ever had,” said Mr. Ames happily.

“Especially considering that I popped him into the oven and went off to church services with the rest of you.” Mrs. Ames added, “Cherry helped me with the dinner, you know. Honey, when you get married, remember that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”

“I don’t see Cherry getting married in any hurry,” Charlie said. “Not until she fi nds someone she likes better than nursing.”

Cherry glanced up; she had been thinking how different her big, comfortable, leisurely home was from the high jinks at No. 9 Standish Street in Greenwich Village. She had merely intended to visit the Spencer Club girls for a few days; instead, she’d inherited Ann’s job, and stayed on with her old classmates from Spencer Nursing School.

“All right, smarty,” she said to her brother. “Since you’re so knowing, I’ll surprise you and tell you there
is
someone in my romance department.”

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“A handsome young doctor? Couldn’t be anything else.”

“Now don’t tease Cherry about her nursing,” their mother said gently. “Anyone who’s been as devoted as she has—”

“Who’s the lucky young man?” Mr. Ames demanded.

“Oh, Dad! It’s nothing much, really. I mean not so soon.” Cherry turned rosy to the roots of her dark curls. “Mostly I’m teasing Charlie. I understand he’s interested in someone himself.”

“Won’t talk?” Charlie laughed. “Then neither will I.”“Who’s ready for second helpings?” Mrs. Ames asked.

Cherry knew her mother’s tactful maneuver of pretending to be uninterested, and knew perfectly well that the subject would come up again later. She was glad, though, to have a respite from her brother’s teasing.

When they had been small, growing up together, and then particularly in their teens, Charlie with his teasing had been the bane of her existence.

“Come on, Cherry,” said her father, “tell us his name.”

Cherry’s dark eyes danced and she shook her head.

“I’ll tell you, though, about a pretty special person who really has me interested.”

“Someone at Thomas and Parke’s?”

“Yes, Mother. That department store is chock-full of interesting people. It’s a whole world in itself. Well, her 200
CHERRY AMES, DEPARTMENT STORE NURSE

name is Mrs. Julian. Anna Elizabeth Julian, and from the few words we’ve exchanged, I think she’s someone I’d like to know better.”

Cherry’s family peppered her with questions. She tried to answer everybody at once, and enjoy Thanksgiving turkey at the same time. No, she hardly knew Mrs. Julian—Cherry was so new on the job she didn’t know many people yet—but liked the young woman’s lovely, fragile appearance and friendly manner. Cherry had been struck by her extreme shyness, an unexpected trait in business. Mrs. Julian sold art objects and antiques. Fabulous things like porcelains and fl owery Aubusson carpets and painted Venetian furniture and Chinese jade. Mrs. Julian apparently knew a great deal about art objects; only another woman and a man, besides the department head, were qualifi ed to deal in these museum pieces.

“Emerald earrings that belonged to a queen, and Mother, what a collection of fans!” Cherry exclaimed.

“A real treasure house, that department…. Yes, Charlie, I
do
spend my time in the store’s hospital. Working.

Antiques are located on the same fl oor as the medical department, the sixth fl oor, along with the personnel offi ce and the—”

Cherry broke off short. Charlie grinned.

“The what?”

“Oh, nothing.”

“We will now,” Mrs. Ames announced, “have our pumpkin pie and coffee. Charlie, dear, will you help clear the table?”

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“You women certainly stick together,” Charlie complained, but he kissed their mother lightly on the cheek. “If anyone took an equal interest in
my
job, I’d be complimented.”

“We already know all about your job,” Mr. Ames pointed out.

Charlie worked in Indianapolis, near home, in the engineering division of a large automotive plant. The only fault he could fi nd with his job was that it did not involve airplanes—he had fl own as an Air Force pilot—but at any rate he was working with machinery and speed.

In fact, he sprinted out with the platters so fast that his mother pleaded for the safety of her best china. Mr.

Ames refused to help this once, and sat contentedly in the armchair at the head of the table.

“Faster, you slaves. Cherry, that’s a mighty pretty red dress you’re wearing. Matches your cheeks.”

“Thank you, Dad. You always were partial to red.”

“Well, I’m partial to my daughter. If there’s a young man in New York you’re interested in, I’d like to have a look at him.”

“Why, Dad! I’m not that serious.”

Her father grunted. “You never can tell what will happen.”

During the balance of dinner, Cherry’s mother kept the questions to what nursing in a New York department store was like. The two Ames men were foiled.

This Thanksgiving afternoon was gray and windy, not a promising day for a walk. The big house grew quiet.

Charlie went across the street to see Bob Pritchett.

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CHERRY AMES, DEPARTMENT STORE NURSE

Cherry’s mother was resting now, for some neighbors had promised to come in later. Her father was in the living room reading a book. How quiet it was! For a few moments Cherry stood listening to the tick of the grandfather clock on the stair landing. It hadn’t been peaceful or quiet at the girls’ boarding school where she recently had been nurse-in-charge, but it had been a lot of fun!

This new department store assignment was fun, too, though it certainly was never very quiet in New York!