happened here didn't take
place much _earlier_ than this date, or the paper wouldn't be here. What
we want to do now is hunt around and see if there are any newspapers of
a _later_ date. Let's do it this minute!"

Forgetting all their weariness, they seized their candles and scurried
through the house, finding an occasional paper tucked away in some odd
corner. But upon examination these all proved to be of earlier date than
that of their first discovery. And when it was clear that there were no
more to be found, Joyce announced:

"Well, I'm convinced that the Boarded-up House mystery happened not
earlier than April 16, 1861, and probably not much later. That's over
forty years ago, for this is 1905! Just think, Cynthia, of this place
standing shut up and untouched and lonely all that time! It's
wonderful!" But Cynthia had turned and snatched up Goliath.

"You precious cat!" she crooned to him as he struggled unappreciatively
in her embrace. "You're the best detective of us all! We ought to change
your name to 'Sherlock Holmes'!"

CHAPTER VIII

CYNTHIA HAS AN IDEA

"It's no use, Cynthia. We've come to the end of our rope!" Joyce sat
back on her heels (she had been rummaging through a box of old trash in
the kitchen of the Boarded-up House) and wiped her grimy hands on the
dust-cloth. Cynthia, perched gingerly on the edge of a rickety chair,
nodded a vigorous assent.

"_I_ gave it up long ago. It seemed so hopeless! But you _would_
continue to hunt, so I've trotted around after you and said nothing."

More than three weeks had elapsed since the finding of the old newspaper
and the definite settling of the date. Filled with new hope over this
find, the girls had continued to search diligently through the neglected
old mansion, strong in the belief that they would eventually discover,
if not the missing key, at least a trail of clues that would lead to the
unraveling of the mystery. The mystery, however, refused to be
unraveled. They made no further discoveries, and to-day even Joyce
expressed herself as completely discouraged.

"There's just one thing that seems to me thoroughly foolish," Cynthia
continued. "It's your still insisting that we keep from mentioning the
Boarded-up House to outsiders. Good gracious! do you think they're all
going to suspect that we're inside here every other day, just because
you happen to speak of the place? If you do, it's your guilty conscience
troubling you!" Cynthia ha