The Stolen Horseshoes

Brianna Clint looked up at her cousin. “Missing? Your just kidding me, aren't you?”
Iola Clint looked surprised. “Kidding! You know I wouldn't tell a fib like that! I tell you, Brianna, they were there yesterday, and they're gone today!”
“Why, I never!” She said. “Are you sure uncle Travis didn't... Move them to a different place, perhaps, and forget he had?”
“No, he's searched his brain long and hard, and he's positive he put it where he always puts it.”
“This is bad. This is really, really bad.”
Iola nodded but she said nothing.
“I'll tell you what, Iola. I'll go over right this minute and help you find those horseshoes, if we have to search every inch of your farm!”
Iola looked a little bit more relaxed. “Thanks, Brianna. That's nice of you. You know how expensive horseshoes can be? Why, I saw some just the other day, and they were nearly thirty dollars. And dad would rather not have to spend that much, if he can help it.”
Brianna smiled, and called, “Mom?”
“Yes, dear?” Came Mrs. Clint's voice from upstairs.
“I'm going over to Iola's. They've lost their horseshoes or something, and I'm going to try and help her find them.”
“Alright dear. But be sure to be here by supper. That is, unless you plan to eat over there.”
Brianna was about to reply, when Iola broke in, “She can eat with us if she wants, Aunt Clara.”
“Alright. Then if you do that, you might spend the alright, that is, if it's alright with Mary. I heard on the news that it's supposed to rain tonight. Be safe, now!”
“I will, mother,” Brianna said, smiling.
“Oh, and Iola, I just remembered, I made chocolate cake for your mother. Would you mind taking it to her. Go get it, Brianna. It's in the fridge.”
As the climbed into Brianna's uncles car, Brianna said, “That cake smells awful good.”
Iola slid behind the wheel of the convertible and grinned. “Doesn't it!”
Before too long, Iola pulled in front of Travis Clint's home. “Here we are. I sure hope that we can find those horseshoes. It sure would make dad happy if he didn't have to buy new ones.”
“Me too,” Brianna said.
Just then a thought crossed Iola's mind. “What if someone stole them?” She asked.
Brianna looked shocked. “That's possible, Iola. You were saying that horseshoes can get pretty expensive. Maybe someone who needed horseshoes saw yours and thought they were quite convenient to get, so he took 'em. It's always possible, you know. But I hope that's not the case. But, if you've looked everywhere, I'm afraid that it more than likely is the case.” As they talked, they walked. They walked into the woods.
“Look!” Iola pointed excitedly at the dirt. “Footprints!”
“By Jove, your right, Iola!”
The two young girls followed the foot prints. It led them out of the woods. After a very long time of walking, they came upon a small hut. A single horse was tied to a tree, grazing on grass contentedly.
Iola and Brianna approached the cottage. They crouched low under the window. Brianna peered warily into the window. “It's only got one room,” she informed her cousin. “And I don't see anyone.”
“Try the knob,” Iola commanded.
“It's unlocked,” Brianna said.
“Shall we go in?”
Brianna shrugged. She was still looking in the window when she replied. “I don't know. If we did, the person who owns it might come back, and he might—Iola, I see horseshoes in there!”
“Let me see!” Iola cried excitedly. She looked at them a few moments, then said, “Let's go in. Perhaps they're the ones we lost. Maybe not, but anyway.”
The two crept noiselessly into the tiny one-room house. Iola walked straight over to the horseshoes.
“Those are them!” She said, clapping her hands together.
“How do you know?” Brianna asked.
She pointed to one which had a chip on the side, and another that had a black mark that looked a little bit like a shoe on it. “Those were on two of our horseshoes. I always thought of that black mark as a shoe, and what do you know, there's two horseshoes in this house that look just—” Iola never finished her sentence, for all of a sudden, the doorknob began turning.
“Hide!” Brianna said through clenched teeth.
They both ducked into a closet, and had just shut the door, when the front door opened. Brianna watched through the keyhole. He looked like a fairly young man, with ink black hair and brown eyes.
“Can you see him?” Iola whispered.
Brianna nodded.
“Hope he doesn't come in here.” Iola said.
“I think he's going out the door!” Brianna said. “He's out.” They waited a few minutes, then came back out.
“Alright, the horseshoes,” Iola said.
Brianna grabbed two, and Iola, the other. They walked out the door, through the forest, and back to Iola's farm. Her father was indeed very happy to get them back, and said that he was going out and have a talk with the thief. When he got there, the man was already back.
“I didn't steal no horseshoes!” He growled.
When Mr. Clint asked him where he gotten them, and showed him the horseshoes, the man said he found them in the forest. Mr. Clint knew this not to be true, but he pretended he believed him.
“Alright, then. Sorry to have bothered you. Good day.” And with that, he turned and left. When he was gone, the thief rubbed his hands together gleefully and said, “ha! I tricked him!”
But, he realized he was quite mistaken when only a half hour later, police came in, and he was sentenced to jail for two years.