The Mystery of the Orphan Train Read online

  Violet spoke up. “I’m sure we’ll find the necklace if everybody looks around for it tomorrow.”

  Henry nodded. “The secret is teamwork.”

  Josh perched on the arm of the chair beside his wife. “Henry’s right,” he told her. “Maybe it’s time you and I started acting like a team, Vanessa.”

  “I’d like that, Josh.” Vanessa looked up and smiled a little for the first time.

  Kate turned her attention to the Aldens. “And what on earth were the four of you doing down here?”

  “Tracking clues,” Benny told her proudly.

  Henry nodded. “We’re getting closer to figuring out Ethan’s rhyme, Kate.”

  Kate looked puzzled, but only for an instant. “Oh, you must be talking about the rhyme you found in the old desk.” She sat down on the sofa beside Lindsay. “That was Thane’s rhyme, Henry,” she corrected. “Remember?”

  This made Henry laugh. “Two make one.”

  Kate looked even more confused.

  “They were the same person, Kate,” Jessie explained. “Thane changed his name to Ethan Cape.”

  “At least, that’s what we think,” added Violet.

  “What …?” Kate stared at the children in disbelief.

  “Just what kind of game are you kids playing?” The professor, who had been standing in the doorway, suddenly stepped into the room. He didn’t look happy.

  “It’s not a game,” Violet said quietly. “We’re pretty sure Margaret O’Malley’s painting holds a secret.” She pointed to the watercolor of the Emerald Isle.

  “A secret?” Lindsay’s eyes were big. “What kind of secret?”

  Henry answered, “Maybe the truth about the past.”

  Kate smoothed her robe over her knees. “Well, now, this is getting exciting!” she said. “Let’s find out what’s there,” she added. “Would you like to do the honors, Henry?”

  Nodding, Henry lifted the painting down from the wall. Everyone gathered round while he gently removed the backing. Sure enough, a folded letter, yellowed with age, had been hidden underneath.

  Kate unfolded the letter Henry handed her and read it aloud.

  Dear Sally,

  I don’t know if you’ll ever find this letter, but I can’t go without leaving the truth behind. As you know, I came out west with my sister on the Orphan Train. I was adopted by one family, and my sister by another. But I never forgot about her. Not for a moment. And so, a few weeks ago, I set out to find her. Imagine my surprise when the young girl I pulled from the icy water turned out to be my long lost sister!

  Yes, it’s true, Sally. I held you in my arms when we came out together on the Orphan Train. Wrapped up in one of your baby blankets was the bluebird necklace that had belonged to our mother. When I saw it around your neck, I knew the truth. I went to your adopted parents and told them of my discovery. But they refuse to tell you the truth. I think they're afraid of losing you. So they’ve accused me of theft, and threatened to have me arrested. I have no choice but to leave. (I’ll change my name in case they send the law after me. How does Ethan Cape sound?)

  But I go with an easy mind, knowing you are in safe hands. In spite of their unfairness to me, I am grateful they’ve taken such good care of you. I’ve left you one last riddle to solve—a riddle that will lead to this note. I can only hope your father will give my riddle to you.

  I aim to become a great photographer, Sally. Keep the photograph I took of you in your family album. After I make my mark in the world, I’ll come back to see you. If you haven’t discovered the truth by then, I will tell you everything. Until that time, I shall keep our past a secret.

  Your brother,

  Thane Pace

  For a moment, everyone was too surprised to speak. Finally, Kate broke the silence.

  “Amazing,” she said, shaking her head in disbelief. “Ethan Cape rode the Orphan Train with my grandmother!”

  “He was your great-uncle, Kate,” Josh was quick to point out.

  “Why, yes. I … I suppose so.” Kate stared wide-eyed as the truth began to sink in.

  The professor dropped into a chair. “That fills in the missing gap in those early years of Ethan’s life.”

  This made Kate turn in surprise. “What’s your interest in this, professor?”

  The professor hesitated, then he said, “I’m not the person you think I am, Kate.”

  Kate blinked in disbelief. “You tricked me?”

  “I did.”

  “But … why?” said Kate. “Why would you do such a thing?”

  “I should never have deceived you, Kate,” the professor said. “But I was afraid you wouldn’t let me stay if you knew the truth.” He looked over at the picture above the fireplace. “You see, I’m a collector of Ethan Cape’s works.”

  Kate’s mouth had dropped open. “Of course!” she cried. “I thought your voice sounded familiar—you’re the man I spoke with on the phone a few months ago. You wanted to buy the photograph of my grandmother.”

  “That’s right.”

  “You wouldn’t take no for an answer,” Kate went on. “As I recall, I was forced to hang up on you.”

  The professor managed a weak smile. “I know I was a bit too pushy,” he admitted. “That’s why I thought it best to pretend to be someone else—a professor just here on vacation.”

  Kate frowned. “You figured you could convince me to sell my grandmother’s photograph,” she concluded. “That explains why you kept talking about putting money away for my old age. How could you do something like that?”

  The professor looked down at his hands. “Because family history means a great deal to me, too, Kate.”

  Jessie’s jaw suddenly dropped. “Oh, my goodness!”

  The others turned to look at her. “What’s the matter, Jessie?”

  “That book on the patio!” Jessie put her hands to her mouth. “You said it was your grandfather’s book, Professor. But it wasn’t a gift from your grandfather, was it?” She looked right at him. “It was a book about your grandfather!”

  “I guess you’ve found me out,” he said, looking around at all the faces staring at him. “My real name’s Matthew Cape. I’m Ethan Cape’s grandson.”

  Kate was so startled, she needed a few moments to collect her thoughts. “That would mean …”

  Matthew nodded. “You and I are second cousins, Kate.” The corners of his mouth began to twitch and then he started to laugh. “I came here to add to my collection of photographs, but I’ve added to my family instead. Thanks to the Aldens,” he quickly added.

  Benny grinned. “And that’s way better than a photograph!”

  “You’ve got that right, Benny,” agreed Matthew, who was a changed person now that the truth was out in the open. “I can’t thank you kids enough for uncovering the truth about my grandfather. And I’m sorry if I’ve been a bit…” His voice trailed away.

  “Unfriendly?” asked Benny.

  “Yes, Benny,” said Matthew. “I figured if I kept my distance, no one would ask me any personal questions.”

  “Oh,” said Violet, beginning to understand.

  “Well, Matthew,” Kate said with a twinkle in her eye, “I’m afraid my grandmother’s photograph is still off limits. Even to a cousin.”

  Matthew held up his hands. “That photograph is right where it belongs, Kate.”

  Lindsay suddenly jumped up. “This calls for a celebration!” She hurried from the room, returning a few moments later with peanut-butter cookies and milk for everyone.

  “Ethan was true to his word,” Jessie said, as she reached for a cookie. “He really did come back to see his long-lost sister.”

  Kate nodded. “I imagine he told my grandmother the truth about their past.” She took a long sip of cold milk. “That must have been the secret she wanted to share with the family.”

  “I guess your great-grandfather had a hunch about that rhyme,” said Violet.

  “Yes, that would explain why he kept it hidden away
,” said Kate. “He didn’t want to risk losing Sally if it held the truth about the past.”

  “I knew Thane Pace wasn’t a thief,” put in Benny. The youngest Alden was all smiles as he took a bite of his cookie. Then his eyes suddenly widened.

  “What’s wrong?” Jessie asked her little brother in alarm.

  Benny answered by reaching into his mouth and pulling out something yellow and blue—it was the bluebird necklace!

  “Oh!” cried Lindsay. “How in the world did … ?”

  Vanessa was clapping her hands. “I bet I know what happened,” she said, laughing with relief. “You were making cookies, Lindsay, when you called me to the phone the other day. I remember reaching into the cupboard for a coffee mug. The necklace must’ve slipped off and landed right in the—”

  “Cookie dough!” finished Benny, handing the necklace to Kate.

  Kate’s smile was dazzling. “What a perfect ending to the evening!” she said, brushing the crumbs from the bluebird charm. “Your grandfather was right—you children really are first-class detectives!”

  “Well, one thing’s for sure,” Henry said with a grin. “Benny really knows how to sink his teeth into a mystery!”

  “Especially if it tastes like peanut butter!” said Benny, as he reached for another cookie.

  About the Author

  GERTRUDE CHANDLER WARNER discovered when she was teaching that many readers who like an exciting story could find no books that were both easy and fun to read. She decided to try to meet this need, and her first book, The Boxcar Children, quickly proved she had succeeded.

  Miss Warner drew on her own experiences to write the mystery. As a child she spent hours watching trains go by on the tracks opposite her family home. She often dreamed about what it would be like to set up housekeeping in a caboose or freight car — the situation the Alden children find themselves in.

  When Miss Warner received requests for more adventures involving Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden, she began additional stories. In each, she chose a special setting and introduced unusual or eccentric characters who liked the unpredictable.

  While the mystery element is central to each of Miss Warner’s books, she never thought of them as strictly juvenile mysteries. She liked to stress the Aldens’ independence and resourcefulness and their solid New England devotion to using up and making do. The Aldens go about most of their adventures with as little adult supervision as possible — something else that delights young readers.

  Miss Warner lived in Putnam, Connecticut, until her death in 1979. During her lifetime, she received hundreds of letters from girls and boys telling her how much they liked her books.

  The Boxcar Children Mysteries

  THE BOXCAR CHILDREN

  SURPRISE ISLAND

  THE YELLOW HOUSE MYSTERY

  MYSTERY RANCH

  MIKE’S MYSTERY

  BLUE BAY MYSTERY

  THE WOODSHED MYSTERY

  THE LIGHTHOUSE MYSTERY

  MOUNTAIN TOP MYSTERY

  SCHOOLHOUSE MYSTERY

  CABOOSE MYSTERY

  HOUSEBOAT MYSTERY

  SNOWBOUND MYSTERY

  TREE HOUSE MYSTERY

  BICYCLE MYSTERY

  MYSTERY IN THE SAND

  MYSTERY BEHIND THE WALL

  BUS STATION MYSTERY

  BENNY UNCOVERS A MYSTERY

  THE HAUNTED CABIN MYSTERY

  THE DESERTED LIBRARY MYSTERY

  THE ANIMAL SHELTER MYSTERY

  THE OLD MOTEL MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN PAINTING

  THE AMUSEMENT PARK MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE MIXED-UP ZOO

  THE CAMP-OUT MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY GIRL

  THE MYSTERY CRUISE

  THE DISAPPEARING FRIEND MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE SINGING GHOST

  MYSTERY IN THE SNOW

  THE PIZZA MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY HORSE

  THE MYSTERY AT THE DOG SHOW

  THE CASTLE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST VILLAGE

  THE MYSTERY ON THE ICE

  THE MYSTERY OF THE PURPLE POOL

  THE GHOST SHIP MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY IN WASHINGTON, DC

  THE CANOE TRIP MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN BEACH

  THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING CAT

  THE MYSTERY AT SNOWFLAKE INN

  THE MYSTERY ON STAGE

  THE DINOSAUR MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN MUSIC

  THE MYSTERY AT THE BALL PARK

  THE CHOCOLATE SUNDAE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE HOT AIR BALLOON

  THE MYSTERY BOOKSTORE

  THE PILGRIM VILLAGE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN BOXCAR

  THE MYSTERY IN THE CAVE

  THE MYSTERY ON THE TRAIN

  THE MYSTERY AT THE FAIR

  THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST MINE

  THE GUIDE DOG MYSTERY

  THE HURRICANE MYSTERY

  THE PET SHOP MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE SECRET MESSAGE

  THE FIREHOUSE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY IN SAN FRANCISCO

  THE NIAGARA FALLS MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY AT THE ALAMO

  THE OUTER SPACE MYSTERY

  THE SOCCER MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY IN THE OLD ATTIC

  THE GROWLING BEAR MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE LAKE MONSTER

  THE MYSTERY AT PEACOCK HALL

  THE WINDY CITY MYSTERY

  THE BLACK PEARL MYSTERY

  THE CEREAL BOX MYSTERY

  THE PANTHER MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE QUEEN’S JEWELS

  THE STOLEN SWORD MYSTERY

  THE BASKETBALL MYSTERY

  THE MOVIE STAR MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE PIRATE’S MAP

  THE GHOST TOWN MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE BLACK RAVEN

  THE MYSTERY IN THE MALL

  THE MYSTERY IN NEW YORK

  THE GYMNASTICS MYSTERY

  THE POISON FROG MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE EMPTY SAFE

  THE HOME RUN MYSTERY

  THE GREAT BICYCLE RACE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE WILD PONIES

  THE MYSTERY IN THE COMPUTER GAME

  THE MYSTERY AT THE CROOKED HOUSE

  THE HOCKEY MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE MIDNIGHT DOG

  THE MYSTERY OF THE SCREECH OWL

  THE SUMMER CAMP MYSTERY

  THE COPYCAT MYSTERY

  THE HAUNTED CLOCK TOWER MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE TIGER’S EYE

  THE DISAPPEARING STAIRCASE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY ON BLIZZARD MOUNTAIN

  THE MYSTERY OF THE SPIDER’S CLUE

  THE CANDY FACTORY MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE MUMMY’S CURSE

  THE MYSTERY OF THE STAR RUBY

  THE STUFFED BEAR MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF ALLIGATOR SWAMP

  THE MYSTERY AT SKELETON POINT

  THE TATTLETALE MYSTERY

  THE COMIC BOOK MYSTERY

  THE GREAT SHARK MYSTERY

  THE ICE CREAM MYSTERY

  THE MIDNIGHT MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY IN THE FORTUNE COOKIE

  THE BLACK WIDOW SPIDER MYSTERY

  THE RADIO MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE RUNAWAY GHOST

  THE FINDERS KEEPERS MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE HAUNTED BOXCAR

  THE CLUE IN THE CORN MAZE

  THE GHOST OF THE CHATTERING BONES

  THE SWORD OF THE SILVER KNIGHT

  THE GAME STORE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE ORPHAN TRAIN

  THE VANISHING PASSENGER

  THE GIANT YO-YO MYSTERY

  THE CREATURE IN OGOPOGO LAKE

  THE ROCK ’N’ ROLL MYSTERY

  THE SECRET OF THE MASK

  THE SEATTLE PUZZLE

  THE GHOST IN THE FIRST ROW

  THE BOX THAT WATCH FOUND<
br />
  A HORSE NAMED DRAGON

  THE GREAT DETECTIVE RACE

  THE GHOST AT THE DRIVE-IN MOVIE

  THE MYSTERY OF THE TRAVELING TOMATOES

  THE SPY GAME

  THE DOG-GONE MYSTERY

  THE VAMPIRE MYSTERY

  SUPERSTAR WATCH

  THE SPY IN THE BLEACHERS

  THE AMAZING MYSTERY SHOW

  THE PUMPKIN HEAD MYSTERY

  THE CUPCAKE CAPER

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook onscreen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  copyright © 2005 by Albert Whitman & Company

  978-1-4532-2895-1

  This 2011 edition distributed by Open Road Integrated Media

  180 Varick Street

  New York, NY 10014

  www.openroadmedia.com

  EBOOKS BY GERTRUDE CHANDLER WARNER

  FROM OPEN ROAD MEDIA

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