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The door was indeed locked, with no sign of a key in sight. Julie’s eyes sparkled with a sudden inspiration.
“Let’s try the keys from the other doors,” she suggested. “I noticed that most of them were still in their locks. Maybe one will fit this stubborn door.”
They began their search, combing through the old keys they had collected. Each key was tested with hopeful anticipation, but none seemed to make any difference to the stubborn lock.
“This is so frustrating!” Julie said, her voice tinged with exasperation. “The one room we’re desperate to get into, and it’s locked tight. What on earth are we going to do?”
Amanda, glancing at her silver watch, replied softly, “It’s already quarter-past six.”
“Seriously? How did the time slip away so quickly?” Julie exclaimed. They gathered up their candles and reluctantly roused Max, who had settled back down on the hearth rug of the big bedroom, clearly bored by their failed attempts. They made their way to the cellar, Amanda having thoughtfully brought a tin biscuit box from the grocer to protect their candles from the mice. After securely stashing the box near the window, they climbed out of the cellar and parted ways, heading to their respective homes.
The next morning, their visit to the library yielded mixed results. They discovered that hoop skirts, or crinolines, had been popular from around 1840 to 1870. While this timeline provided some context, it wasn’t specific enough to pinpoint the exact era of their mystery. The girls felt that they needed more concrete clues to crack the case.
In the afternoon, they reconvened and ventured back into the Boarded-up House for the third time. Max had already made his way to the cellar, likely avoiding Bates’s dog that was patrolling the front yard. With a contented purr and an arched back, he joined them as they decided to tackle the attic first.
A door in the upper hall led to a narrow staircase ascending to the attic. They climbed cautiously, the steps creaking underfoot. The attic was a treasure trove of the past—dusty spinning wheels, ancient furniture, and antique trunks lined the walls. Quirky garments hung on pegs, and cobwebs draped the corners like delicate lace. The attic was the only room in the house to receive any daylight through its grimy windows, but the light was so filtered by the layers of dust that it barely illuminated the room.
Despite the attic’s fascinating array of relics, it offered no clues to the locked room’s mystery. The girls, driven by their desire to solve the enigma, left the attic and began a thorough search of every room on the lower floors, hoping to stumble upon the elusive key.
“These old-fashioned keys are so large; it’s hard to believe someone would carry one off,” Julie mused. “But why on earth is that one room locked? What could be hidden there? I’m just itching to find out!”
Their search lacked a systematic approach. Neither girl felt comfortable rifling through drawers or prying into trunks and closets. Amanda wisely noted, “It’s unlikely that someone would lock a door and then leave the key in an obvious place. They’d probably take it with them or hide it somewhere obscure. If it’s been taken, we’re out of luck. But if it’s been forgotten or hidden away, we might still find it.”
Determined but growing anxious, Julie and Amanda continued their search, every creak and shadow in the old house adding to their mounting suspense.
With renewed determination, Julie and Amanda scoured every room, their search meticulous and methodical. They explored every surface—desks, chairs, and tables—peering into dark corners and poking through vases and other nooks, feeling under furniture for any hint of the missing key. Their quest led them inevitably back to the grand bedroom, where signs of a hasty departure were most apparent.
Max, who had evidently arrived there before them, was curled up comfortably on the soft rug in front of the fireplace. His presence seemed almost too calm for the scene of disarray. As the girls entered, he stretched lazily and gave a sleepy purr.
Julie’s gaze immediately fixed on the fireplace. “I’m going to check through these ashes,” she declared. “There’s been a lot of burning here—mostly old letters. Who knows, the key might’ve been tossed in by mistake!”
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She grabbed a metal rake and began sifting through the remains, disturbing the blackened remains with focused intent. As she worked, a half-burned log disintegrated, and something metallic clinked as it fell to the bottom of the hearth.
“Did you hear that?” Julie whispered urgently, her eyes wide. “That wasn’t just ashes or wood. It sounded like metal. What if it’s the key?”
Her fingers worked quickly through the charred debris, tossing aside the fragments in her frenzy. But despite her efforts, she found nothing resembling a key. She continued to poke through the remnants, frustration evident in her movements.
Amanda, watching from a short distance, suddenly pointed. “Look over there!” she exclaimed. “It’s not a key, but what’s that round object?”
Julie’s eyes followed Amanda’s finger to a small, elliptical disk. It was so encrusted with soot that its original appearance was hidden. Julie carefully retrieved it and began to clean off the grime. As the soot was wiped away, the disk revealed itself to be a shiny metal, likely gold, on one side. The other side was covered in a strange white or yellowish material. In the center of the disk, a peculiar smear of muted colors marred the surface.
“What do you think it is?” Amanda asked, her curiosity piqued.
Julie examined the object closely, turning it over in her hands. “I’m not sure. It doesn’t look like anything ordinary. Maybe it’s some sort of medallion or token. But why would it be hidden here?”
Both girls stared at the disk, the mystery of its origin adding a new layer of intrigue to their investigation. The absence of the key was frustrating, but this new discovery suggested that there were deeper secrets hidden within the house. The girls’ excitement and anticipation grew as they pondered the significance of their find, eager to unravel the enigma that lay before them.
Amanda examined the disk closely, her brow furrowed. “What do you think this could be?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.
“I have no idea,” Julie replied, turning the object over in her hands. “Whatever it was, the fire has almost ruined it. But you can see there’s gold here. It must have been something valuable once. But now, the question is: what was it, and why was it thrown into the fire? If only it had been the key…” Julie’s voice trailed off as a strange noise interrupted her.
“Good heavens! Is that a rat?” Amanda’s voice was a mix of alarm and disbelief as both girls jumped to their feet. They stood frozen, listening to a peculiar, irregular sound emanating from beneath the valance of the grand four-poster bed. The noise was odd, like something being shuffled or nudged around.
After a moment, the sound began to ring a bell. “Oh, it’s Max!” Amanda said with a laugh. “He’s done it again. He’s playing with something under there. Let’s see what he’s got.”
They moved cautiously to the bed, careful not to disturb whatever Max was up to. Julie pulled back the valance, revealing Max’s sleek form partially hidden under the bed. He was batting at something attached to a string, his movements precise and deliberate despite the dust and cobwebs.
Julie wriggled her way under the bed, emerging with a flushed face and a triumphant smile. “Max has outdone us all! Look what he found!”
Amanda’s eyes widened as Julie held up a large gold locket suspended from a narrow black velvet ribbon. The locket glittered in the candlelight, its surface adorned with tiny, sparkling jewels.
“Do you recognize it?” Julie asked eagerly.
Amanda stared at the locket, shaking her head. “Recognize it? How could I?”
Julie’s face lit up with excitement. “Amanda, it’s the same locket that hangs around the neck of the lovely lady in the portrait downstairs!” She placed the locket beside the mysterious disk from the fireplace. “Even the ribbon is identical.”
Amanda’s gaze flickered between the two objects. “She must have dropped it by accident when she was in a hurry. It rolled under the bed, and she must have forgotten it in the chaos.”
Julie nodded. “It’s gorgeous, isn’t it? It must be quite valuable.” She turned her attention back to the locket. “Let’s see if we can open it.”
Julie carefully pried at the locket’s clasp with her thumbnail. After a moment of resistance, it gave way, revealing an empty interior. Julie took the disk and tried fitting it into one side of the locket. It slid perfectly into place, leaving no doubt that the disk had once been part of the locket.
“Now I get it!” Julie exclaimed. “It was a miniature inside the locket, an ivory one. But the fire must have destroyed the likeness. The real question is: why was it thrown into the fire?”
The two girls exchanged puzzled glances, their excitement tempered by confusion. Max, having lost interest in his plaything, was now batting at the dangling velvet ribbon in frustration.
Julie suddenly straightened up, her eyes wide with realization. “I’ve figured it out,” she said with quiet intensity. “The miniature was removed from the locket on purpose—to destroy it. And that miniature was of the same person whose portrait is turned away from us downstairs!”
Amanda’s eyes widened in shock. “You mean the portrait is of the same person as the locket?”
“Exactly,” Julie confirmed, her mind racing with the implications of their discovery. “This locket and the miniature it once held are deeply connected to the mystery we’re unraveling. There’s something more to this, and we need to find out what it is.”