The Missing Book by Lois Gladys Leppard

share Faith’s reading book while there. Then she would be prepared if Mr. Tallant again involved her in the reading lesson in class, which she knew was pretty likely.
    If she stayed overnight with Faith, she might be able to persuade Faith to come out with her to the old house during the night to look for the person roaming around there.
    Just as she was dropping off to sleep, Mandie remembered Joe’s refusal to tell her his secret—and she was sure he did have one.
    Somehow she would find out what it was.
    The next day was cloudy and cold again. Mandie was glad to see that it had not snowed, because they would be going to church and her mother would talk to Mrs. Lester about Bryson City.
    As she turned away from the window to get dressed, she saw that Windy was still on Irene’s bed, but luckily her sister was asleep. Mandie quietly swooped up the cat and set her down on her own bed. Windy protested loudly, jumped down, ran to the ladder, and went downstairs. About that time Irene opened her eyes and sat up.
    â€œDid it snow?” Irene asked, looking toward the window.
    â€œNo, but it’s still awfully cloudy, and it must be terribly cold out there,” Mandie replied, hastily beginning to dress.
    â€œSo we will be going to church and Mama will be asking Mrs. Lester about the journey to Bryson City,” Irene replied, tossing back the quilt and getting out of bed.
    At that moment they heard a horse in the yard below. Mandie hurried to the window to look down. Whoever it was had gone on around to the back, out of view.
    â€œWho would be coming to visit this early in the morning?” Mandie said, mostly to herself, as she quickly buttoned up her dress.
    â€œThere must be an emergency of some kind,” Irene said, picking up her dress.
    â€œDaddy is up, I know, because I can smell the coffee perking,” Mandie said, tossing back her long braid and smoothing it down. “I’m going to see,” she added, and went across the room to go down the ladder.
    â€œI am too,” Irene said, straightening her skirt as she followed close behind Mandie.
    When Mandie stepped into the kitchen with Irene, she saw their father standing in the doorway talking to Dr. Woodard, who was out on the back porch.
    â€œJust let me grab my coat and hat and I’ll be right with you,” Mr. Shaw was saying as he reached to take his things from the pegs by the door. As he turned he saw the girls. “Be right back,” he told them, and quickly went out the door and closed it behind him.
    Mandie hurried to the back window to look out. Dr. Woodard’s buggy was in the driveway, and as she watched, the doctor and her father stepped up into the vehicle.
    â€œI wonder where they are going,” Irene said behind her.
    â€œLooks to me like they’re just going to sit there and talk,” Mandie replied. “The reins are still looped over the tree limb.”
    The girls watched for at least ten minutes, but the two men didn’t go anywhere. Then Mr. Shaw stepped down from the buggy, and Dr. Woodard drove off.
    â€œWhy didn’t Dr. Woodard come in the house?” Mandie asked when her father returned.
    Mr. Shaw hung up his coat and hat. “We had some business to discuss privately.” He went over to the cookstove and added more wood to the fire.
    â€œBut, Daddy, he still could have come inside,” Mandie said. “We wouldn’t have interfered.”
    Mr. Shaw straightened up and smiled at Mandie. “I know. But it was private business just between the two of us. Now, let’s get started on breakfast.”
    Mandie frowned but didn’t say any more. She got the silverware out of the drawer.
    â€œMust have been private doctor business. Who cares?” Irene mumbled under her breath as she went to the cupboard to get the dishes for breakfast.
    Then Mrs. Shaw came into the kitchen. “That sure was a short visit,” she said. “The doctor