THE DISCOVERY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1932, Page 16

THE DISCOVERY

(Original.)

JOAN" looked up from the letter she •was reading with a frown. '.'What's troubling you, my dear?" asked her mother, looking at Joan's round, merry little face, which was now serious. "May asks if she can bring a school friend with her for the Christmas holidays, and there is no room, unless she goes to tlic end of the hall and uses the little room which was used by grand-'i father when ho wanted to bo' quiet," aaid Joan, brightening up. Joan was very pretty. Sho had very fair curly hair, and soft brown eyes. She was fourteen years of age, and she >vas small and sturdy. ■"Well, you had better go and tidy it up, and I will be back as soon as I can to help you," said her mother. Joan went along and swept the 'darkly-stained floor, which was excellent for sliding on. As she worked she wondered what May's friend was like. Suddenly Joan looked out of the ■window and saw two figures walking up ihe path. "I cant-go and meet them in this old grecu frock! I will have to change," said Joan, running up the etairs. "Hullo, May darling," she said, kissing her sister. May was short like her sister, only she had golden hair and blue eyes. "Tbis_ is Tarn Portly," said May, introducing I'ani, who was very thin and delicate-look big. She had black, curly hair and large black eyes, which somehow suited her white, pretty face. Later that night, while the three ■were sitting by the lire, Pam said to Joan: "I suppose you think I look- thin and sick, but I will soon grow strong again. I was very ill, and everyone thought I was going to die; .but suddenly I dropped into a deep sleep, and when I woke up I felt much better. Before I was ill I was as fat as you," she said, laughing at Joan. After they had talked for a while they went to bed. "We are going to explore the eaves tlown by the beach this morning," said Joan to Pam after breakfast. ' "How. lovely!" cried Pam, her eyes shining. ■ They walked along the beach, not having discovered anything in the caves. Suddenly they came upon a small opening, which was partly covered by a boulder. The three girls pushed and pulled, and at last managed to move the boulder. They crawled along a tunnel, which twisted and turned.- Suddenly it opened into a huge cave, in which a gleaming skeleton lay against an iron chest. "Ah!" whispered Joan.. "At. last we have found where grandfather disappeared to." "How do you know it is he?" asked May. "I know by this diamond ring he had on his finger," said Joan, pointing to a glistening object which flashed in the gloom. Later, men came to the cave and buried the skeleton of the long-lost Mr. Gordon, and when the chest was opened all there was in it were a few pieces of paper with pencil marks on them. It turned )ftit to be an invention of a faster flying aeroplane. Mr. , Gordon, had hid. himself and the papers in the cave because of a foreign ntlin who had tried to steal the invention. Mrs. Gordon, Joan Js mother, -received a large amount of money for the invention, and they had very merry Christinas holidays. "EOYAL STAB" (14). Island Bay.