The Treasure of Netherstrand

Chapter 15

Morning had just dawned across the sky. The sparkling sun was touching the ocean's surface, and the birds had begun to sing. Into the dark, dark room, one slender ray of light found its way through the only window in Gracie's bedroom. The girl stirred from her sleep and opened her eyelids.

It seems so very early, she thought sleepily. She almost wished that she could go back to bed, but that was almost impossible now. Every morning at that time, the first beam of light poured into her room, gently rousing her. It was a lovely way to wake up. She always found herself gazing at a perfectly straight sunray which made a long, golden line across the floor.

I wonder who used to sleep in this room, long, long ago? Perhaps, it was Lady Denzell herself! And I wonder if she always woke up just at this hour and looked at that sunbeam. Ah, how I do love the light!

Her mind was still busy with yesterday's thoughts. Both the riddle and the verse which Timothy had told her had been tumbling around in her dreams. Somehow, she kept wishing that they could go together; that their meanings could merge into one.

"Walk as children of light," she whispered to herself. "It is such a pretty thought." The words made her think of an angelic person standing upon a shining path which stretched out to an infinity of Heavenly light. Once more, Lady Denzell's riddle echoed in her memory.

"So if thine eyes are open,

Thine ears quick to hear,

You're soon to be awoken,

The path, though hidden, shall shine clear."

Gracie thought deeply, fingering her soft blankets as she lay in bed. My eyes are open, she thought. And I can hear the ocean waves outside, and all of the birds singing their morning songs. I have awoken.

She stared at the swath of light on the floor until a sudden thought made her jump. "A shining path!" she cried, jolting upright in bed. "There it is, shining just as clear as can be! Is it possible? Could that be what Lady Denzell was talking about?" Her heart was beating hard and fast as she thought about it. She wanted to throw off her blankets and bound out of bed. But, for a few hard moments, she sat there, biting one of her fingernails in an agony of feelings.

It...it can't be, she fought with herself. Don't think it! You know it is too good to ever be true. Uncle said the whole thing was only a story. You mustn't get your hopes up. But her eyes followed the path of light from its radiant source all the way across the room where it ended on one straight column of stones in the wall. There, she noticed something; just the smallest, little something.

She put a hand against her pounding heart and summoned all of her willpower and sense. "Don't be silly," she commanded herself, rising from bed with slow, elegant motions. "You don't really see anything. For all you know, it is just a scratch or a dent in the stone. It is nothing of importance whatsoever!"

She forced herself to walk calmly and slowly to the illuminated stones on the wall. Then, kneeling down, she bent low and let her eyes fall on the mark. She was almost shaking with excitement now. It wasn't a scratch, a dent, a stain. It wasn't a figment of her imagination. On one of the lowest stones in that wall, there was a carefully etched image; an emblem which looked just like the sun. That stone was peculiarly different form the others. It was clearly a different type of rock, and instead of fitting perfectly in the wall with mortar all around it, there was a thin, dark crack.

Grace was beside herself now. She was tingling with excitement as she gazed at the symbol and wondered what she should do next. She knew she was on the verge of a remarkable discovery, but where was she supposed to go from here? One thing was certain, she didn't want to go any further alone.