The Witch Tree Symbol

by Carolyn Keene

  Presently the officer picked out a set of footprints intermingled with several others, which he declared were those of a man wearing shoes that were different from those of the Amish. “Have you any idea of whom they might belong to?” the trooper asked Nancy.

  She hesitated. “I can only guess,” she replied. “I think to Roger Hoelt, whom you already know about. I suspect he’s somewhere in this area and is trying to prevent me from locating him.”

  The officer said he would add this theft incident to the list of suspected charges against Roger Hoelt. As he stepped into his car, he promised to get in touch with Nancy as soon as he had a lead on her stolen convertible.

  The family had breakfast. Afterward, Mrs. Glick said the girls were to do no more housework. “You have too much on your minds already,” she stated firmly.

  Nancy began to grow restless after another hour had passed by and no word had come from the State Police. Finally she said that with Mrs. Glick’s approval, she would like to accept Henner’s offer to drive her to the schnitz in the carriage.

  “Of course,” Mrs. Glick said. “And I shall also go with you. It may be dangerous and you should have an older person along. If Papa did not have to be so careful since his accident, I would ask him to go.”

  “I’ll be there, ain’t?” Henner exclaimed. “I’ll protect everyone! I’m strong!”

  His mother looked at him for several seconds, apparently debating whether the boy was old enough to accompany them on what might be a hazardous mission. Finally she smiled. “You are getting to be a big boy. I believe you might help us. Yes, Henner, you may go.”

  Henner whooped with delight and dashed from the house to hitch up the horse. Within ten minutes he was calling to his passengers. Becky followed the group outside with a wistful expression. Her mother had already laid out some work for the girl to do.

  “And besides,” Mrs. Glick said, “you must fix a good lunch for Papa, Becky.”

  George and Bess got into the rear seat of the carriage. Henner took the reins, with his mother beside him and Nancy on the left end. They followed Groeszdawdi Esch’s directions.

  Soon they reached a side road that was full of ruts, and the carriage settled into a deep one. The horse plodded along at a snail’s pace. About five-hundred yards farther on, the road took a sharp turn to the left.

  Henner guided the horse around the corner, but in so doing forgot about the groove, which did not turn in their direction. The front wheels pulled out of the rut and settled into another pair of carriage tracks. The rear wheels remained in the former rut. At this instant a rabbit leaped in front of the horse. Frightened, the horse sprang up, giving the carriage such a hard jerk that the left wheel came off.

  Mrs. Glick had helped her startled son rein in the horse by the time the carriage had settled in a tilted position on the road.

  “So druzzel!” Mrs. Glick cried as everyone got out to survey the damage.

  Henner, feeling he was again to blame, began to cry. His mother comfortingly said she doubted that the accident could have been avoided.

  “But,” Henner sputtered, “I was trying so hard to be helpful to Nancy. First I hurt her with my slingshot and now I cannot drive her to the schnitz. I am a failure, ain’t?”

  “Don’t say that, Henner,” Nancy said. “You have been most helpful to me and my friends since we have been here.”

  “You are not responsible for this mishap,” his mother explained. “This is a dreadful road. Something should be done about it.”

  After examining the wheel, Mrs. Glick announced that it would be impossible for them to put it back on the carriage. It was a job for a wheelwright.

  “What are we going to do?” Bess asked.

  Mrs. Glick looked thoughtful for a few moments, then said that the Beiler farm was just across the fields. Turning to Nancy, she suggested that she and Henner ride the horse over there and try to borrow a carriage.

  “Henner,” his mother said, “you know Michael Beiler in school. I’m sure his family will help.”

  “Ya,” replied the small boy, and began to unhitch the horse. When this was done, he and Nancy got on the animal’s back and started off.

  It was a mile’s ride across the fields to the Beiler farm. Coming in sight of it, Nancy and Henner noticed many carriages and people around. Uprights for a new building were being put in place.

  “It is a barn-raising,” Henner explained. “Michael’s papa had a bad fire and a barn burned down.”

  Then, proudly, Henner went on to say that in Amish country neighbors always helped one another to erect new buildings. “This way we are the money in,” he said. “And a barn-raising is fun. Everybody gets a lot to eat.”

  There was a great bustle of activity in the Beiler barnyard. Some of the Amish farmers were bringing up lumber, others were lifting beams into place. In the short time since Nancy had first noticed the barn-raising from the fields, a great deal of construction had been done.

  “It will be ready for the floor by dinnertime,” said Henner, jumping to the ground.

  Nancy also alighted from the horse and tried to get several different workers’ attention. But everyone seemed to be too busy to tell her where she might find Mr. Beiler.

  As she wondered where Mr. Beiler might be, Nancy saw that Henner had spied Michael Beiler and had run up to see his playmate. Just then one of the workers cried out, “Heist nus!”

  Nancy watched, fascinated, as several of the men began to hoist a heavy beam with their hands. But the next moment her interest changed to horror. The beam tipped, slipped from the men’s grip, and began to fall directly toward Henner and Michaell

  CHAPTER XVIII

  Another Hex

  WITH lightning speed Nancy dashed forward to Henner and Michael. Fortunately, the falling beam hit a crosspiece, which slowed its descent. The momentary delay gave Nancy a chance to push both boys out of the way and jump to safety herself.

  The youngsters sprawled flat on the ground just as the beam crashed to the earth behind them. Bewildered, they scrambled up and looked around. Suddenly Henner realized that Nancy had saved their lives.

  “Oh, Nancy,” he cried out, “you kept us from being dead already yet!”

  “Thank you! Thank you!” Michael exclaimed.

  By this time, several of the workers had left their posts and rushed toward the three. In both English and Pennsylvania Dutch, they commended Nancy for her quick action.

  One man separated himself from the group and stepped forward. “I am Mr. Beiler,” he said. “I told my son not to come near the building. I thank you for saving him.”

  Mr. Beiler added that Nancy was no doubt a stranger in the neighborhood and asked her name. She gave it, then stated her reason for coming to the farm. Mr. Beiler replied that he would be very glad to lend her his carriage.

  He promised that he and his sons would repair the broken carriage after the barn-raising was over, and return it to the Glicks the following day.

  “You’re very kind,” said Nancy gratefully. “I don’t want to interrupt the work here. Could Henner and Michael hitch up the horse?”

  As they talked, Nancy noticed a woman coming toward them from the house. When she walked up, Mr. Beiler introduced his wife.

  Tears came to the woman’s eyes when she learned that Nancy had saved the lives of her youngest boy and of Henner Glick. Smiling at Nancy, she said, “You are a brave girl. Please let me show my appreciation. In the kitchen we are getting ready a big dinner to serve to the men. I want you and Henner to eat some of it.”

  Nancy thanked her and said she must hurry back to Mrs. Glick and the friends she had left on the road. But she did walk to the kitchen with Mrs. Beiler while the boys got the carriage.

  Nancy had never seen so much food in one house! It seemed to her that there was enough to feed a small army. On the table were dishes piled high with the traditional “seven sweets and seven sours,” which the Pennsylvania Dutch housewife serves at meals. At least fifty moon p
ies were on trays at one side of the kitchen, waiting to be baked. On the floor stood crocks of fasnachts, fried chicken, and pickle relish.

  After casting her eye about and introducing several friends who were helping her, Mrs. Beiler picked up a large angel-food cake with whipped-cream frosting.

  “Please take this,” Mrs. Beiler requested. “I will wrap it for you.”

  She also insisted upon giving Nancy several pieces of fried chicken, a dozen doughnuts, and a jug of lemonade. At this moment Henner drove up to the door and the food was lifted into the carriage. Nancy thanked Mrs. Beiler once more, then climbed into the wagon, and the young driver turned toward the field over which they had come.

  When he and Nancy reached the others, who were beginning to worry, Henner immediately told them about the falling beam. His mother’s eyes opened wide and she put an arm around Nancy’s shoulders. With a catch in her voice, she said, “I must admit that I never thought any women were so brave as the Amish. But you have made me see that a girl does not have to be brought up like a pioneer to be courageous and helpful to others.”

  Nancy flushed at the compliment. Then she showed the food Mrs. Beiler had sent and everyone stared in astonishment at the huge quantities. Bess insisted that they take time out to eat, and no one else had to be persuaded. All of it was as delicious as it looked, especially the cake, which Mrs. Glick declared must contain two dozen eggs!

  “And the beating of them surely took an hour,” she added.

  As soon as they finished eating, they started off once more. This time Mrs. Glick, an experienced driver, took the reins. They kept to the field, crossing several narrow roads. Finally Nancy said that according to Groeszdawdi Esch’s directions, they were nearing the old Hoelt farm where the schnitz was.

  “Do you think we should leave the horse and buggy and walk the rest of the way?” Mrs. Glick asked Nancy.

  After a moment’s thought Nancy said that if Roger Hoelt were on the property he probably had it guarded and already knew they were coming. “I doubt that it would do any good to try hiding the horse and carriage,” she said. “And if he isn’t there, it will be better to have them with us. We may as well drive right up to the place.”

  They went on. Skirting a small woods, the searchers suddenly came upon a long, low, dilapidated wooden building. Mrs. Glick reined in the horse and stopped.

  “This must be the old apple storehouse,” she commented.

  The others gazed at it. There was no sign of activity around the building, but they had an uneasy feeling that someone might be hiding inside. They all wondered if this was the place where the stolen furniture was stored.

  “We’ll start our search,” Nancy announced. “I suggest that we divide forces. Bess and George, suppose you go in one direction and the Glicks and I will take another.”

  Bess did not like to see the group split up, but finally agreed that it was the most practical plan.

  “But not until we all go into that storehouse together and look around,” she said firmly.

  Nancy led the way. She pushed open a creaky door and the group entered the lower floor of the two-story building. Through the cracks between the wide boards enough sunlight filtered in so that they could plainly see the interior. There was one large room—completely empty!

  Cautiously, Nancy and her friends climbed to the second floor. The situation here was the same. To convince herself that there were no secret closets or other hiding places, the young detective made a thorough search but she found nothing,

  “There must be a house and barns on the property,” she said. “Let’s find them.”

  Outside, the group separated. Bess and George cautiously made their way along the edge of the woods, planning to skirt it completely. Nancy, Mrs. Glick, and Henner decided to drive the carriage across the clearing and along a lane that ran through the woods.

  At the far end of the woods they came to the dooryard of the farmhouse. As the three alighted from the carriage, Henner suddenly cried out with fright and pointed.

  Ahead of them was a witch tree! And painted on it was half of the now-familiar hex sign!

  “Look!” Henner shrieked.

  A hand holding a paintbrush was just reaching around the tree. No other part of a human body was visible. The watchers stared in astonishment at the weird sight.

  Henner dung to his mother’s skirts. Mrs. Glick looked grim, and Nancy’s spine tingled. For a brief second she felt as if she were seeing a ghostly apparition. Then she brushed this thought aside and dashed forward to see who was behind the tree.

  Fully expecting the person to be Roger Hoelt, she was amazed to find a stout, dull-looking boy, about sixteen years old. He stared at the girl stupidly.

  “Look!” Henner shrieked.

  “What are you doing?” she cried. “And who lives here?”

  The youth continued to gawk at her and did not answer. Mrs. Glick, who had run up, began to question him in Pennsylvania Dutch. But he did not utter a word and looked as if he failed to comprehend what she was saying.

  Suddenly Nancy had an idea. Perhaps the boy was a deaf mute! She decided to test him.

  While Mrs. Glick was trying to get the boy to talk, Nancy quickly kicked a large stone toward the tree. It made a loud noise when it hit the trunk, but the boy paid no attention. Now she was sure he could not hear and apparently could not speak.

  “I wonder if he works for Roger Hoelt,” Nancy mused aloud.

  “He probably does,” Mrs. Glick said. “Do you think we ought to tie him up in the carriage until our search is over? If we don’t, I’m afraid he may run off and warn the man.”

  Nancy wondered about this. She said that her chief concern now was to find Manda Kreutz and induce her to leave the Hoelts’ before Nancy notified the police.

  “Then we won’t worry about this boy,” said Mrs. Glick. “Where do we go next?”

  Before Nancy could make up her mind, she heard Bess calling her. “Come quickly!” the girl urged.

  “Where are you?” Nancy called back.

  “In the woods near the house,” Bess replied.

  Nancy dashed in the direction of Bess’s voice, requesting that the Glicks watch the strange boy. When Nancy reached her friends she could hardly believe her eyes. Talking to George and Bess was a sweet-faced Amish girl—Manda Kreutz!

  CHAPTER XIX

  Caught!

  “MANDA!” Nancy cried excitedly, running up to the Amish girl. “I’m so glad we’ve found you at last! Are you all right?”

  “Yes,” replied Manda, looking a little surprised. She went on to say that she was living with Mr. and Mrs. Roger Hoelt. “They are very nice people and are restoring this old house.”

  “Nice people!” George cried. “They’re anything but that!”

  Manda frowned, then asked George what she meant by this.

  “You explain, Nancy,” George said. “Bess and I haven’t told Manda anything about the mystery.”

  After hearing the story, Manda was amazed. She could not believe it. The Hoelts had been very kind to her and were paying her good wages. Manda added that they were Church Amish from Ohio and spoke Pennsylvania Dutch very well.

  “I do not see how Mr. Hoelt could be a thief,” she said stubbornly.

  “Well, he is,” George told her bluntly. “And the sooner you get out of here the better.”

  Sadly Manda hung her head, saying she had no place else to go. Her papa would not let her return home, and she did not want to work in Lancaster.

  Nancy smiled. “I’ve talked with your mother and father, Manda. They want you to come home. Your father regrets being so harsh and will be glad to have you back.”

  The Amish girl looked at Nancy as if this were not possible. Finally she said, “You speak the truth?”

  Bess looked indignant. “Of course Nancy’s telling the truth.”

  But Nancy did not blame Manda for not being completely persuaded, either that her family wanted her back or that Roger Hoelt was a thief. “
I must convince her,” Nancy thought. Aloud she said, “Manda, have the Hoelts moved any furniture into the house?”

  “Oh, yes.”

  “Beautiful antique furniture?” Nancy asked. “Are there one or more tables from George Washington’s home?”

  Manda looked startled. “You know this?”

  Nancy gave her additional details of the mystery, and finally the Amish girl said she believed now that Mr. Hoelt was indeed a thief. She would leave the Hoelts’ employ immediately. But she did not want to report them to the police.

  “You will have to do that,” she said to the young sleuth.

  Suddenly Nancy recalled the boy who had been painting the hex sign on the witch tree and asked Manda who he was.

  “He is a harmless boy who cannot hear or speak,” the Amish girl answered. “Todd lives here too. Mr. Hoelt writes out everything for him to do. Todd is not very smart, but he is a good worker.”

  “Did Mr. Hoelt ask him to paint the symbol on the tree?” Nancy queried, telling of the strange way in which it was being done.

  Manda nodded. Mr. Hoelt had claimed it was a hex sign used by his family years before. He was very proud of it, and planned to have the hex sign painted on the barn and various other places when he restored the farm.

  “He told Todd to paint the symbol on a tree but not to let anyone see him.” Manda laughed. “The poor boy probably hid when he saw you coming but tried to go on with the painting.”

  The girls smiled, then Nancy asked Manda how she had located the farm. The Amish girl revealed that Mr. Hoelt had not given her very clear directions when he had suggested she come to work for them.

  “All he said was that the house was near the old schnitz. I could find it by looking for two witch trees.”

  “Is there really such a thing as a witch tree?” Bess asked. “We thought it was just a nickname for a tree with witches’ broom growing on it.”

  “That is right,” Manda replied. “I figured Mr. Hoelt meant an old tree with hex bayse near the schnitz. I asked lots of people where the schnitz was, but nobody seemed to know. Then I met an old man on the road and he told me to come here. When I saw the witch trees, I knew this was the right place.”