The
journal Max found hidden in the chest of drawers was page after page
of the life of Hannah and Simon Lane. They were childhood
sweethearts. Simon and his brother, Caleb were only a year apart in
age and were the best of friends as well as brothers. The first
several pages of the journal were filled with what seemed to be the
perfect life of a young couple. Eventually the twins were born and
the happiness continued until a woman named Sylvia came into their
lives.
Caleb
had been to town enjoying a few beers with some other fellows when
the very beautiful Sylvia Reynolds entered the pub. Caleb took one
look at this dazzling young woman and fell madly in love. Sylvia sat
down next to Caleb and ordered a beer. Caleb had never known a woman
who drank beer before. His sister-in-law, Hannah made cranberry
wine and apple brandy every fall but he never saw her indulge in a
man's drink like beer. Sylvia was like no other woman Caleb had ever
known. She wore a very low cut dress and Caleb had a hard time
keeping his eyes away from the obvious endowments the good Lord gave
her.
Back at
his cabin, Simon began to be concerned about his brother. He hadn't
heard Caleb return home as yet and he knew his brother couldn't hold
his drink. Simon was afraid he might run into trouble. He kissed
Hannah goodbye and started off to town to check on Caleb. Sure
enough, Caleb was slumped over the bar. Simon threw him over his
shoulder and started off for home.
The next
morning, Caleb woke up with a terrible headache but knew he had to
find Sylvia, the love of his life. He paid a visit to Simon and
Hannah and told them that if all went well, he would be bringing home
a wife very soon. Simon wondered where Caleb had found his intended
and then remembered seeing a very striking young woman looking at him
the night before as he was carrying his brother out the door. Caleb
arrived in town and was disappointed to see Sylvia walking arm in arm
with a nattily dressed gentleman. She spotted Caleb and introduced
the gentleman as her brother, Horace Reynolds. Horace had just
accepted a position as a reporter for the Greensboro News. The
brother and sister were planning to settle down in this area and were
looking for a place to live in Camden Corners. Caleb was overjoyed
that Sylvia would be staying in town. He invited both Sylvia and
Horace to supper that night. He shared his meals with Simon and
Hannah and hoped Hannah wouldn't mind two extra mouths to feed.
Horace thanked Caleb for the invitation. He had a meeting to attend
that evening but he would appreciate it if Caleb would keep an eye on
his sister for him.
Hannah
was happy to have company that evening and took special pains to
prepare a company meal. She thought she might even take out a little
of her elderberry wine for the occasion. Hannah liked Sylvia upon
meeting her. She was like no one Hannah had ever known. She laughed
and joked and fussed over the twins. Hannah was happy for Caleb and
when he announced his intention of marrying Sylvia a week later,
Hannah was thrilled. Simon wasn't so sure but he congratulated his
brother and kept his doubts to himself. The wedding was a quiet
affair with a friend of the Reynolds family officiating. It took
place in the woods behind the Lane cabins. None of the townsfolk
were invited. Only Simon, Hannah and Horace Reynolds attended the
ceremony.
Caleb
was ecstatic for the next few weeks and then everything began to
change. Sylvia was spending more time with her brother in Greensboro
than she was with Caleb. When she wasn't with her brother, she was
having tea with Hannah. Even Hannah seemed to be changing. She was
tired all the time and not the happy go lucky girl he had known all
his life. Simon didn't seem to notice. Although Simon initially
wondered if Sylvia was right for his brother, he had become quite
fond of her.
Marriage
wasn't anything like Caleb had anticipated and he began to find
solace in visiting Joel Mason's still more and more often. Hannah
wrote in her journal that she was feeling poorly. She didn't seem to
have energy anymore. She was beginning to wonder if Sylvia was
really her friend. Maybe she shouldn't have told her about the
treasure.
Hannah's
great uncle, Reginald, had given her a satchel filled with money. He
told her the day may come when she would need some extra cash and she
should save it for a rainy day. She had put it away and hadn't
mentioned it to Simon because she had been so happy with their lives
and the money didn't matter to her. The entries in the journal were
changing. Hannah's beautiful penmanship had become shaky and the
content was difficult to understand until all the pages were blank
except the very last page which said. I must keep this journal away
from Sylvia. She wants the treasure.
Max and
Sarah were so engrossed in what they were reading they didn't hear
the front door open or the man walk in with his gun pointed at Max's
heart. He opened the bedroom door wider and didn't realize Sarah was
behind it. For some reason she carried her book bag into the cabin
with her. The bag contained 4 of her favorite J.K. Ellingsworth
novels. She picked up the bag twirled it in the air around her head
and with all her might let it fall onto the top of the intruder's
head knocking him out cold. The bullet ended up in the foot of the
bed.
Sarah
was shaking like a leaf but managed to chuckle as she shouted
“Delmartin Trent to the rescue.”
She
found some rope in the bottom cabinet in the kitchen and Max tied the
stranger's hands and feet and still unconscious deposited him in the
buggy to deliver him to the sheriff.
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