The secret of the old clock

By Carolyn Keene

The Project Gutenberg eBook of The secret of the old clock
    
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms
of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online
at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States,
you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located
before using this eBook.

Title: The secret of the old clock

Author: Carolyn Keene

Illustrator: Russell H. Tandy

Release date: February 13, 2026 [eBook #77924]

Language: English

Original publication: New York, NY: Grosset & Dunlap, 1930

Credits: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net


*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK ***




                      THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK

                           BY CAROLYN KEENE

                AUTHOR OF "THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE," "THE
                        BUNGALOW MYSTERY," ETC.

                           _ILLUSTRATED BY_

                           RUSSELL H. TANDY

                               NEW YORK
                           GROSSET & DUNLAP
                              PUBLISHERS

                 Made in the United States of America

                   *       *       *       *       *

                      NANCY DREW MYSTERY STORIES

                           By CAROLYN KEENE

                       12mo. Cloth. Illustrated.

                      THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK
                         THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE
                         THE BUNGALOW MYSTERY

                    (Other volumes in preparation)

                GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK

                          Copyright, 1930, by
                        GROSSET & DUNLAP, INC.




                               CONTENTS


                            I THE LOST WILL

                           II A CHANCE MEETING

                          III RACING THE STORM

                           IV AN INTERESTING STORY

                            V A CONFERENCE

                           VI AN UNPLEASANT ENCOUNTER

                          VII NANCY TURNS SLEUTH

                         VIII A DISCOURAGING DAY

                           IX VITAL INFORMATION

                            X ABIGAIL'S DISCLOSURE

                           XI VISITING THE TOPHAMS

                          XII FOLLOWING A CLUE

                         XIII AN ADVENTURE

                          XIV AN EXCITING DISCOVERY

                           XV A DESPERATE SITUATION

                          XVI LEFT TO STARVE

                         XVII JEFF TUCKER'S STORY

                        XVIII NOTIFYING THE POLICE

                          XIX A RISKY UNDERTAKING

                           XX WHAT NANCY FOUND

                          XXI CAPTURING THE ROBBERS

                         XXII WHAT THE NOTEBOOK REVEALED

                        XXIII LOOKING FOR THE WILL

                         XXIV THE COUP DE GRACE

                          XXV A REWARD




                      THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK




                               CHAPTER I

                             THE LOST WILL


"It would be a shame if all that money went to the Tophams! They will
fly higher than ever!"

Nancy Drew, a pretty girl of sixteen, leaned over the library table and
addressed her father who sat reading a newspaper by the study lamp.

"I beg your pardon, Nancy. What were you saying about the Tophams?"

Carson Drew, a noted criminal and mystery-case lawyer, known far and
wide for his work as a former district attorney, looked up from his
evening paper and smiled indulgently upon his only daughter. Now, as he
gave her his respectful attention, he was not particularly concerned
with the Richard Topham family but rather with the rich glow of the
lamp upon Nancy's curly golden bob. Not at all the sort of head which
one expected to indulge in serious thoughts, he told himself.

Mischievously, Nancy reached over and tweaked his ear.

"You weren't paying a bit of attention," she accused him sternly. "I
was saying I think it's mean if those snobbish Tophams fall heir to all
of Josiah Crowley's fortune. Can't something be done about it?"

Removing his horn-rimmed spectacles and carefully folding the paper,
Carson Drew regarded his daughter meditatively.

"I'm afraid not, Nancy. A will is a will, you know."

"But it does seem unfair that _all_ the money should go to them.
Especially when they never treated Josiah Crowley like a human being!"

"The Tophams were never noted for their charitable dispositions,"
Carson Drew observed, with a smile. "However, they did give Josiah a
home."

"Yes, and everyone knows why! They wanted to work him into leaving all
his money to them. And it seems that their scheme worked, too! They
treated him like a prince until he made his will in their favor and
then they acted as though he were dirt under their feet. Folks said he
died just to be rid of their everlasting nagging."

"The Tophams aren't very well liked in our little city, are they?" Mr.
Drew commented dryly.

"Who could like them, father? Richard Topham is an old skinflint who
made his money by gambling on the stock exchange. And Cora, his wife,
is nothing but a vapid social climber. The two girls, Isabel and Ada,
are even worse. I went to school with them, and I never saw such
stuck-up creatures in all my life. If they fall heir to any more money,
this town won't be big enough to hold them!"

In her estimate of the Topham family, Nancy Drew did not exaggerate.
Nearly everyone in River Heights shared the opinion that the Tophams
were snobbish and arrogant, and the treatment they accorded old Josiah
Crowley had aroused a great deal of unfavorable comment.

Nancy had never known Josiah well, but had often seen him on the street
and secretly had regarded him as a rather nice but extremely queer
sort of individual. His wife had died during the influenza epidemic
following the World War, and since that time Crowley had made his home
with various relatives. Although well-to-do, he preferred to "visit
around."

At first, the Tophams had evidenced no interest in the old man and he
had been forced to live with kindly relatives who were scarcely able
to have him with them. Crowley appreciated the sacrifice and openly
declared that he intended to make his will in their favor.

Then, three years before his death, the Topham family experienced a
sudden change of heart. They begged Josiah Crowley to make his home
with them, and at last he consented. Presently, rumor had it that the
Tophams had induced him to make his will in their favor.

But as time went on and Mr. Crowley, though failing in health,
maintained as firm a grip on life as ever, the Tophams treated him
unkindly. Although he continued to live with them, it was whispered
about that frequently he slipped away to visit his old friends and that
he intended to change his will again, cutting the Tophams out entirely.

Then one day Josiah Crowley took to his bed and did not get up. Just
before his death he attempted to communicate something to the doctor
who attended him, but his words were unintelligible. After the funeral,
only one will came to light and, to the surprise of everyone, it gave
the entire fortune to the Tophams.

"Father, what do you suppose it was that Mr. Crowley tried to tell the
doctor just before he died?" Nancy demanded, after a moment of thought.
"Do you imagine he was trying to disclose something about his will?"

"Very likely, Nancy. Probably he intended to leave his money to more
deserving relatives. But fate cheated him of the opportunity."

"But isn't it possible that he did make such a will and that he was
trying to tell what he had done with it?"

"Yes, that's a possibility of course. Josiah Crowley was rather queer
in many ways."

"Perhaps he hid the will somewhere," Nancy suggested thoughtfully.

"If he did, I'm afraid it will never come to light. The Tophams will
see to that."

"What do you mean, father?"

"The estate is a considerable one, I understand, Nancy, and the Tophams
don't intend that anyone shall get a cent of it. It's my private
opinion that they will take care that a second will is never found."

"Do you mean that if they discovered the will they would destroy it?"

"Well, I'm not making any accusations, Nancy. But I do know that
Richard Topham is shrewd, and he isn't noted for his honesty."

"Can't the present will be broken?"

"I doubt it. While I haven't gone into the case, I am of the opinion
that the Tophams have a legal right to the fortune. It would cost
considerable to contest the will, and so far as I know the other
relatives are in poverty. They have filed a claim, declaring that a
later will was made in their favor, but I doubt that the matter will
ever go further."

"But the Tophams don't deserve the fortune, father. It doesn't seem
fair."

"No, it isn't fair. But it is legal, and I'm afraid nothing can be done
about it. There were two girls who live somewhere on the River Road
that were great pets of Crowley's when they were children. It seems
to me that they should have had something. And there are a number of
relatives who really deserve a portion of the fortune."

Nancy nodded thoughtfully and relapsed into silence while she digested
the facts of the case. From her father she had acquired the habit of
thinking things through to their logical conclusion. Frequently, Carson
Drew had assured her that she went at a thing "like a detective."
Certainly she had a naturally clever mind and took more than an
ordinary interest in strange or baffling cases.

Carson Drew, a widower, showered a great deal of affection upon his
daughter; it was his secret boast that he had taught her to think for
herself and to think logically. Since he knew that Nancy could be
trusted with confidential information, he frequently discussed his
interesting cases with her.

A number of times Nancy had been present at interviews which her
father had had with noted detectives who desired his aid in solving
perplexing mysteries, and those occasions stood out as red letter days
for her.

There was something about a mystery which aroused Nancy's interest, and
she was never content until it was solved. More than once her father
had found her suggestions, or "intuitions" as he called them, extremely
helpful.

For a reason which she could not understand, the Crowley case had
attracted Nancy's attention, although it had not fallen into her
father's hands. She had a certain feeling that a mystery lurked behind
it.

"Father, do you believe Josiah Crowley ever made a second will?" Nancy
demanded suddenly.

"You're a regular lawyer, the way you cross-examine me," Carson Drew
protested, but with evident enjoyment. "To tell you the truth, I don't
know whether he ever made a second will or not. All I do know is
that--but perhaps I shouldn't mention it since my information is not
very definite."

"Go on!" Nancy commanded impatiently. "You're trying to tease me!"

"Well, I do remember that one day nearly a year ago I was standing in
the First National Bank when Crowley came in with Henry Rolsted."

"Not the attorney who specializes in wills and legal documents?"

"Yes. Well, as I was saying, they came into the bank together. I had no
intention of listening to their conversation, but I couldn't help but
hear that they were discussing a will. Crowley made an appointment to
call at Rolsted's office the following day."

"That looks as though Mr. Crowley had made up his mind to write a new
will, doesn't it?"

"That was the thought which passed through my mind at the time."

"You say you overheard the conversation nearly a year ago," Nancy
mused. "That was nearly two years after Mr. Crowley had made the will
in favor of the Tophams, wasn't it?"

"Yes. It's likely Crowley had made up his mind to change the will. I
suspect he intended to cut the Tophams out, but whether or not he did,
I have no way of knowing."

"Mr. Rolsted is an old friend of yours, isn't he?"

"He is. An old friend and an old college classmate."

"Then why don't you ask him if he ever drew up a will for Mr. Crowley?"

"That's a rather delicate question to ask, young lady. He may tell me
it's none of my business."

"You know he won't. You're such a noted attorney that other lawyers
feel flattered when you take an interest in their cases. Will you do
it? Please!"

"I can't promise to blunder into his office and demand the information.
Why this sudden interest in the case, Nancy?"

"Oh, I don't know. A mystery always interests me, I guess, and it does
seem to me that someone ought to help those poor relatives."

"You take after your old dad, I am afraid. But I'm curious to know what
mystery you have discovered."

"If a will is missing, isn't that a mystery?"

"If it is actually missing--yes. But it's possible that if Crowley ever
wrote the will he changed his mind and destroyed it. He was subject to
sudden whims, you know."

"Anyhow, I'd like to learn more about the case if I can. Will you talk
with Mr. Rolsted?"

"You are persistent, Nancy," and Mr. Drew smiled. "Well, I suppose I
could invite him to take luncheon with me to-morrow----"

"Oh, please do," Nancy interrupted eagerly. "That would be a splendid
opportunity to find out everything he knows about the will."

"All right, I'll try to do it. But I warn you not to expect startling
news." Carson Drew glanced at his watch. "Why, it's nearly midnight,
Nancy. We've been discussing this case for over an hour. Better run
off to bed now and forget the Tophams."

"All right," Nancy agreed somewhat reluctantly. "Don't forget your
promise to-morrow at luncheon!"

Long after his daughter had retired, Carson Drew sat by the fire. At
last he, too, arose.

"It wouldn't surprise me if Nancy has stumbled upon a real mystery," he
told himself, as he snapped out the electric light and turned toward
the stairway. "Perhaps I shouldn't encourage her to dig into it, but
after all it's in a good cause!"




                              CHAPTER II

                           A CHANCE MEETING


"Don't forget your luncheon engagement with Mr. Rolsted," Nancy Drew
reminded her father the next morning at the breakfast table.

"I'll telephone him the first thing after I reach my office," Carson
Drew promised. "But again I warn you not to anticipate startling news."

"I won't, father," Nancy laughed. "But if I should happen to learn
something which has a bearing on the missing will, I won't be exactly
disappointed."

"What are your plans for the day, Nancy?"

"Oh, nothing special. I thought I would do a little shopping this
morning. And I am invited to a party one of the girls is giving in the
afternoon."

"Then you are too busy to take luncheon with me."

"Oh, father, you know I've just been dying for an invitation!" Nancy
declared, her eyes dancing. "I'm so anxious to learn something about
that will!"

"All right, if you have time, drop in at my office about twelve-thirty.
Mr. Rolsted may not accept my invitation, but if he does, we'll try to
find out something about Josiah Crowley. Of course I don't need to warn
you not to appear too eager for information."

"I'll let you do all the talking," Nancy told him. "I'll just keep my
ears open."

"I'll look for you at twelve-thirty, then." Mr. Drew pushed back his
chair and glanced at his watch. "I must hurry now or I'll be late
getting downtown."

After her father had left, Nancy Drew finished her breakfast and then
went to the kitchen to consult with Hannah, the maid, concerning the
work of the day. Although only sixteen, Nancy was unusually capable,
and under her skillful direction everything ran smoothly in the Drew
household.

On the death of her mother six years before, she had taken over the
entire management of the establishment. The Drews employed one servant,
Hannah Gruen, an elderly maid of all work who had been with them for
many years.

The responsibility of the household might have weighed heavily upon
Nancy, but she was the type of girl who is capable of accomplishing a
great many things in a comparatively short length of time. She enjoyed
sports of all kinds and she found time for clubs and parties.

In school Nancy had been very popular and she boasted many friends.
People declared that she had a way of taking life very seriously
without impressing one as being the least bit serious herself.

While at school Nancy had made one particular chum, Helen Corning,
of whom we shall hear more later. She had also made two enemies, the
Topham sisters. Once she had caught Ada in wrongdoing in class and both
sisters had placed the blame on Nancy. But Helen and two others had
come to Nancy's rescue. Since that time Ada and Isabel had been more
hateful to Nancy than ever.

"I'll not be back for luncheon to-day," Nancy told Hannah, as she
prepared to leave the house. "I have made out the dinner menu and
ordered the groceries, so I guess you won't need me for a few hours."

Leaving the house, she went to the garage where she kept her
automobile. It was a shining new blue roadster, the birthday gift of
her father.

Quickly backing the automobile to the street, she set off for the
shopping district. She drove swiftly down the boulevard, and upon
reaching the more congested streets, wormed her way skillfully through
heavy traffic.

Entering a department store, she made a number of small purchases on
the main floor and then went directly to the wearing apparel section,
as it was her intention to purchase a frock suitable for the afternoon
party to which she had been invited.

Usually, Nancy found the service excellent, but this morning was an
especially busy one and an extra rush of customers had temporarily
overwhelmed the sales force.

She did not mind waiting her turn, but quietly sat down in a convenient
chair and glanced about with interest. After a time her attention was
attracted toward two girls who, like herself, were waiting for an
available saleswoman, but less patiently. Instantly, Nancy recognized
them as Ada and Isabel Topham.

They were remonstrating with the floor manager, and their voices
carried so far that she could not help hearing what they said.

"We've been standing here nearly ten minutes!" Ada said petulantly.
"Send a saleswoman to us immediately!"

"I am afraid I can't," the floor manager said regretfully. "There are a
number of others ahead of you. An extra rush of customers----"

"Perhaps you don't know who we are!" Ada interrupted rudely.

"Indeed, I do," the floor manager told her, with a trace of weariness.
"I will have a saleswoman here in a few moments. If you will only
wait----"

"We're not accustomed to waiting," Isabel Topham told him icily.

"Such service!" Ada chimed in. "Do you realize that my father owns
stock in this store? If we report your conduct to him, he could have
you discharged."

"I'm sorry," the harassed floor manager apologized. "But it is a rule
of the store. You must await your turn."

Ada tossed her head and her dark eyes flashed angrily. In spite of the
expensive clothes she wore, she was anything but attractive, for she
was tall and slender to the point of being termed "skinny." Now that
her face was distorted with anger, she was positively ugly.

Isabel, who was the pride of the Topham family, was rather pretty
in a vapid sort of way, but Nancy Drew thought that her face lacked
character. She had acquired an artificial manner of speaking which was
both irritating and amusing. It was her mother's ambition that some day
she marry into a wealthy family, and every opportunity was given her
for a brilliant match.

The two sisters were older than Nancy, but had been in her class at
school. She had found them stupid, as well as arrogant. They had never
been popular with their classmates and had boasted few friends.

Now, as they turned from the floor manager and saw her for the first
time, Nancy bowed.

Isabel coldly returned the bow but did not speak a word of greeting.
Ada gave no indication that she had even noticed her.

"Snobs!" Nancy told herself. "The next time I won't even bother to
speak to them!"

At that moment a saleswoman hurried toward the Topham girls and at
once they began to shower abuse upon her for her failure to wait upon
them sooner. Nancy watched them curiously as they examined the gowns
which the saleswoman brought out for their approval. Evidently, Isabel
and Ada were in an unpleasant frame of mind, for they tossed aside
beautiful creations of lace and chiffon with scarcely a second glance.
They found fault with everything.

"A very chic gown," the saleswoman told them hopefully, as she
displayed an attractive dress. "It is a Paris model and arrived this
morning."

Ada picked it up, gave it one careless glance, and then tossed it into
a chair. The gown slipped to the floor in a crumpled mass, and, to the
horror of the saleswoman, Ada stepped on it as she turned to examine
another dress. In disgust, Nancy moved away and began to examine a
rack of dresses in another part of the room.

Presently, as she wandered back, she saw that Ada and Isabel were
leaving without having made a purchase. As they swept past, Ada brushed
against her. Instead of apologizing, she wheeled and surveyed Nancy
coldly.

"Do watch where you are going!" she said tartly.

Nancy stifled a sharp retort and made no reply. Not without amusement
she watched the Topham sisters as they flounced to the elevator.

"I don't wonder that people say such mean things about them," Nancy
told herself.

Her thoughts were cut short as a saleswoman offered her services. It
was the same girl who had waited upon the Topham sisters.

Nancy quickly selected a party frock of blue crêpe which matched her
eyes, and went to the fitting room to try it on.

"It's a real pleasure to serve you, Miss Drew," the saleswoman assured
her when they were alone. "But how I dread to see the Topham sisters
come into the store! They are so unreasonable."

"Ada and Isabel aren't very popular," Nancy agreed. "They seem to think
their word is law."

The saleswoman sighed.

"And I'm afraid it will be if they get all of Josiah Crowley's money."
She lowered her voice. "The estate hasn't been settled, but they're
counting on the fortune already. I heard Miss Ada say to her sister:
'Oh, I guess we'll get all of old Crowley's fortune as soon as the
lawyers stop squabbling.' But it's my opinion the Tophams are mightily
worried for fear somebody will show up with a later will which may do
them out of most of it."

Nancy was far too wise to engage in gossip with the saleswoman, for
she could not tell how far anything she might say would be carried.
But she was interested in the information. The fact that the Tophams
were worried indicated to her that they were of the opinion that Josiah
Crowley had made a second will. Evidently, they were somewhat disturbed
by the claims of the other relatives.

Ordering the frock which she had purchased sent to her home, Nancy
glanced at her watch and saw that it was after twelve o'clock.

"I must hurry or I'll be late in meeting father," she thought, and left
the store.

She drove directly to her father's office, and although a few minutes
ahead of the appointed time, found that he was ready to leave.

"What luck, father?" Nancy demanded eagerly, when they were alone in
the inner office. "Did Mr. Rolsted promise to take luncheon with you?"

"Yes. We are to meet him at the Royal Hotel in ten minutes. Do you
still think I should quiz him about the Crowley will?"

"Oh, I'm more than ever interested in the case, father. I can't tell
you why, but I just seem to know that Josiah Crowley made a second
will."

"Well, your intuitions are frequently correct, Nancy," Mr. Drew smiled.
"So I'll do my best to find out what Mr. Rolsted knows about the case.
However, I must warn you not to appear too eager for information, or he
may suspect we have a dark motive behind the luncheon invitation."

"I'll be careful," Nancy laughed.

The Royal Hotel was located less than a block away, and Nancy and her
father quickly walked the distance. As they entered the lobby they
found Mr. Rolsted there ahead of them. Carson Drew introduced his
daughter, and the three made their way to the dining room where a table
had been reserved for them.

At first the conversation centered about a variety of subjects. As the
luncheon progressed the two lawyers began to talk enthusiastically of
their college days together and finally of their profession. Nancy
began to fear that the subject of the Crowley estate never would be
brought up.

Then, over the coffee cups, Carson Drew skillfully swung the
conversation into a new channel and began to discuss strange cases
which had fallen into his hands.

"By the way, I haven't heard the details of the Crowley case. How are
the Tophams making out? I understand the relatives are trying to break
the will."

For a moment Mr. Rolsted remained silent, and Nancy began to think that
he did not intend to enter into a discussion of the case.

"The case wasn't turned over to me, Carson," the lawyer said quietly.
"But I confess I've followed it rather closely because of a special
interest I happen to have in Crowley. As the present will stands, I do
not believe it can be broken."

"Then the Tophams will get the entire estate," Mr. Drew commented.

"Yes, unless another will is uncovered."

"Another will?" Carson Drew inquired innocently. "Then you believe
Crowley made a second one?"

Mr. Rolsted hesitated as though uncertain whether or not he should
divulge additional information, and then with a quick glance about,
lowered his voice.

"Of course, I wouldn't want this to get out," he began doubtfully.

"You may trust Nancy not to repeat," Mr. Drew observed, guessing what
was in the lawyer's mind. "I've found that out by experience," and
Carson Drew smiled upon his daughter.

"Then I will say this much--it would not surprise me if another will
should come to light. The Tophams treated Crowley most unkindly after
he had made his will in their favor. About a year ago Crowley came
to my office and told me that he wanted to draw up a new will. He
indicated that he intended to cut the Tophams off without a cent. He
expressed a desire to write the will himself, and asked me a number of
questions. I told him exactly how to proceed. When he left my office he
promised that he would have me look over the document when he had drawn
it up."

"Then you actually saw the will?" Mr. Drew asked in surprise.

"No, strange to say, Crowley never came back. I don't know whether he
drew up the will or not."

"And if he did, there would be an excellent chance that it would not be
legal I suppose."

"Yes, it's a real trick to draw up a will that cannot be broken. But
Josiah Crowley was a very careful man."

"Still, if he left even a loophole, the Tophams would drag the matter
into court."

"Yes, it is a foregone conclusion that the Tophams will keep the
fortune whether they have a right to it or not. They have the advantage
of money, you know. I believe the other relatives have filed a claim,
but they have no proof a second will exists, and without money they
cannot hope to fight the Tophams."

While her father and Mr. Rolsted discussed the case, Nancy Drew
remained silent, but not a word of what was said escaped her. Although
she gave no indication of her feelings, the information excited her.

After a time, Mr. Drew paid the luncheon check and the three arose and
left the dining room. Mr. Rolsted took leave of them in the lobby.

"Well, Nancy, did you find out what you wanted to know?" Carson Drew
inquired after the lawyer had disappeared.

"Oh, father, it's just as I suspected! Mr. Crowley did make a second
will!"

"You mustn't jump hastily at conclusions," Mr. Drew warned her. "It's
possible that Crowley never drew up the will at all, or if he did, he
may have destroyed it."

"That's possible, of course. But he had no love for the Tophams, and I
have a feeling he hid the will someplace. Oh, if only I could find it!"

"It would be as easy as looking for a needle in a haystack," Mr. Drew
replied. "If I were you, I would forget about the case, Nancy."

"I can't forget about it until I've at least made an attempt to find
out what became of that will," Nancy insisted stubbornly.

"All right, dig into the mystery if you like, but I'm afraid you've set
yourself an impossible task. I don't see how you hope to discover what
became of the will when you haven't even a clue."

"I'll find a way!" Nancy laughed. "Give me time and I'll surprise you!"

But after she had said good-bye to her father and was slowly driving
toward home, doubt assailed her. She knew that the odds were against
her. Although she was determined to find out what had become of the
Crowley will, she was at a loss to know how to begin. As her father had
reminded her, she did not have a single clue.

"'Where there's a will, there's a way,'" she quoted whimsically. "That
old proverb is doubly true in the Crowley case. If there actually is a
second will, I'm going to find it! And if I do, I hope it won't prove
to be in the Tophams' favor!"




                              CHAPTER III

                           RACING THE STORM


"Nancy, if you haven't planned anything special for the day, I wonder
if you would care to do a little errand for me?" inquired Carson Drew
one morning at the breakfast table.

"Why, of course," Nancy agreed pleasantly. "What is it?"

"I have a number of legal documents which must be delivered to Judge
Hartgrave at Masonville some time before noon. I would take them
myself, but I have several important appointments this morning."

"I'll be glad to do the errand for you," Nancy promised willingly.
"I can run over to Masonville in the roadster. It isn't more than a
fifteen mile jaunt."

"Fine. That's a load off my mind. You're sure you don't mind?"

"It's such a wonderful day, I'll enjoy the trip."

Mr. Drew parted the curtains at the dining-room window and looked out.

"It is a bright day, but I can't say I like the appearance of those
clouds in the west, Nancy. I'm afraid it may rain. You know how quickly
our storms come up."

"I'll start just as soon as I can get ready then. Where are the papers?"

"At the office. We can ride down together."

Nancy Drew hurried away to find her hat and purse. Before Mr. Drew had
collected his own belongings, she had backed the roadster from the
garage and was waiting for him at the curbing.

"I haven't heard you mention the Crowley case lately," Mr. Drew
commented as they rode along together. "Have you forgotten about it?"

Nancy's face clouded.

"No, I haven't forgotten, but I must admit I have made no progress. I
guess I'm not cut out for a detective!"

"Don't feel discouraged, Nancy. The Crowley case would baffle a
professional."

"I haven't given it up yet, father. I may stumble onto a clue one of
these days."

When they reached the law office, Nancy stopped the roadster and her
father got out. He disappeared inside the building and, returning a few
minutes later, placed a fat manilla envelope in Nancy's hand.

"Give this to Judge Hartgrave. You know where to find him?"

"Yes, I'll have no trouble in finding his office. I've frequently
driven as far as Masonville."

Selecting the shortest route to her destination, Nancy deftly shifted
gears and was off. As she rode along the gravel road her eyes traveled
to the fields on either side of the highway. Like a true daughter of
the Middle West, Nancy Drew took pride in the fertility of her State
and saw beauty in a crop of waving green corn as well as in the rolling
hills and the expanse of prairie land.

More than once Nancy glanced anxiously at the sky. The sun shone down
on the gravel road with dazzling intensity, but a large black cloud had
settled in the west. Still, it did not appear to be rolling up very
fast, and Nancy told herself that there was no need to worry.

"It won't rain for an hour or two, and by that time I'll be home," she
thought.

Nancy took her time on the road and it was nearly eleven o'clock
when she finally drove into Masonville. She went at once to Judge
Hartgrave's office but was informed that he had gone to the courthouse.
Nancy knew that the legal papers which she had been sent to deliver
were important, and rather than leave them with the office girl she set
off in search of the judge.

She had considerable trouble in finding him, and it was nearly twelve
o'clock when at last she delivered the manilla envelope into his hands.
Learning that Nancy was the daughter of Carson Drew, Judge Hartgrave
insisted that she take luncheon at his home before returning to River
Heights.

Nancy accepted the invitation and spent a very pleasant hour in company
with the judge and his wife. When at last she had insisted that she
must start for home, it was after one-thirty.

"I have half a notion to take a different route back," she told Judge
Hartgrave, as she stepped into her blue roadster. "It's a beautiful
drive on the River Road. But the trip will take longer, and I am afraid
it may rain."

Judge Hartgrave looked up at the sky, but, in spite of a general
murkiness, the sun was shining.

"Oh, I don't believe it will rain for an hour or two," he said
optimistically. "That big cloud is only bluffing."

"Then I'll take the River Road," Nancy decided.

She said good-bye and started the motor. Soon she was spinning along
the road which wound in and out along the Muskoka River. Nancy met few
automobiles, for the road was infrequently traveled. She did not hurry,
but took time to enjoy the scenery.

Overhanging trees with dense foliage shaded the road and formed a
tunnel which all but blotted out the sky. Presently, as Nancy drove
into a clearing, she was astonished to see how dark it had become.

Evidently, the big black cloud which had attracted her attention
earlier in the day was no longer bluffing. It had grown rapidly in size
and was spreading over the sky in an alarming fashion. As Nancy Drew
watched, the sun vanished as though by magic.

"How foolish of me to take this road," she chided herself. "I'm going
to be caught in the storm! There isn't a chance that I can make it!"

Although the River Road was perfectly safe in dry weather, Nancy knew
that a little rain would make it dangerously slippery. Then, too, the
road was little traveled, and in case of accident she could not depend
upon passing motorists for aid. If her roadster slipped into a ditch,
it would be necessary to walk miles for help.

Few persons lived along the River Road, for the land was not considered
valuable. In the spring of the year, with the arrival of heavy rains,
the Muskoka River sometimes overflowed its banks and spread over the
farmland, destroying the newly planted crops. For this reason, the
district was not a popular one and the land was held by poor folk.

"If only I can find a farmhouse where I can drive in until the storm
passes!" Nancy thought desperately.

The sky was now entirely overcast and in among the trees it was as dark
as night. Nancy could not see the road distinctly, and switched on the
headlights of her roadster. A brisk breeze began to stir the trees, and
the leaves seemed to whisper a fearful warning of the storm to come. A
feeling of uneasiness took possession of Nancy Drew.

She stepped on the accelerator and the roadster fairly leaped forward
as though it, too, understood the need for haste. Suddenly, a flash of
forked lightning coursed across the sky and was followed by a loud clap
of thunder.

"That was close!" Nancy murmured uncomfortably.

She bent low over the wheel and took the curves as fast as she dared.
An unexpected gust of wind struck the road and blew dust in every
direction. As the cold air struck her, Nancy realized that the storm
was almost upon her. Already, she could see the rain sweeping down upon
her from the far hills.

Frantically, Nancy glanced about for a possible shelter. On down the
road a short distance, she caught sight of an old farmhouse and a
dilapidated barn which stood near the highway.

"If only I can get there before the rain strikes me!" Nancy thought
anxiously.

But the storm would hold off no longer. Large drops of rain began to
splash against the windshield, slowly at first, then faster and faster.
The sky had taken on a yellowish cast.

Then, unexpectedly, came a second flash of lightning, and
simultaneously a deluge of rain.

Nancy turned on the windshield wiper, but the rain was blinding in its
violence. It was impossible to see more than a few feet ahead of the
automobile, and almost in an instant the road had dissolved into a sea
of mud. Nancy had been caught in a number of storms, but never one like
this. She feared that she would slip into a ditch before she could
reach the shelter of the barn.

Then, at the side of the road, the barn loomed up, and in relief Nancy
saw that the doors were wide open. Without an instant's hesitation, she
headed straight for the building and drove in.

[Illustration: "WITHOUT AN INSTANT'S HESITATION, SHE HEADED STRAIGHT
FOR THE BUILDING AND DROVE IN."]

Safely inside, she turned off the motor and the lights, and with a sigh
of relief sank back against the cushions.

"Well, you got in just in time," said a pleasant voice behind her.

Startled, Nancy Drew turned quickly and saw a girl of her own age
regarding her with interest. Even as the stranger spoke, the storm
broke in full violence. A cold blast of wind rattled the barn doors and
sent a sheet of rain inside.

"I beg your pardon," Nancy apologized, as she climbed from the
roadster. "It wasn't very polite of me to run in here the way I did."

"You're more than welcome to the shelter, I am sure," the stranger told
her kindly. "I'm afraid we haven't much else to offer."

In the semidarkness, Nancy studied the girl curiously. She had been
impressed with her cultured voice and manner, and now she noted that
her clothing, while not expensive, was neat and well made. The girl did
not appear to be the daughter of a farmer who would live on this poor
land, yet she seemed to fit into her background.

"It looks to me as though we're in for a real storm," the girl said and
smiled pleasantly. She glanced outside at the pelting rain. "I'm afraid
you'll be forced to remain here for some time."

"So long as I'm not out in the rain I don't mind," Nancy replied
quickly. "That is, if you don't object."

"Object?" The girl spoke impulsively. "Oh, you can't understand how
eager we are for visitors. Grace and I seldom have a chance to talk
with anyone our own age. Sometimes a whole week will go by, and we
won't see anyone but the postman."

Nancy Drew had a natural talent for unearthing interesting stories, and
now a sixth sense seemed to tell her that she had encountered something
unusual. She was eager to learn more about the girl and her reason for
leading such an isolated life.

"I must thank you for your hospitality," Nancy said, with a friendly
smile. "After all, perhaps the storm has done us both a real favor in
throwing us together."

At the moment, Nancy Drew little dreamed that the next few hours were
to reveal the truth of her polite utterance.




                              CHAPTER IV

                         AN INTERESTING STORY


"The storm is getting worse every minute," Nancy Drew's companion
observed.

Nancy followed her to the barn door and looked out. The rain was now
coming down in torrents, and as the girls stood in the doorway a sudden
gust of cold wind blew a sheet of water into their faces.

"Oh, let's get back where it's dry," Nancy laughed. "This is terrible!"

"It's getting cold, too," her companion announced, with chattering
teeth. "Why not come into the house with me? It's far more comfortable
there. And unless I'm mistaken, this storm will continue for an hour or
so."

"I don't like to trouble you----"

"Oh, it's no trouble at all. Grace will never forgive me if I don't
bring you inside." She turned to Nancy with an apologetic smile, "I
guess I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Allie--Allie Horner."

"And I am Nancy Drew."

"Not the daughter of Carson Drew, the noted lawyer?"

"Yes," Nancy admitted, in surprise. "Do you know my father?"

"Oh, no. But I guess everyone has heard of him." Allie Horner began to
take off the raincoat which she wore. "Here, take this. And I'll find
you a pair of rubber boots."

"I don't want to take your raincoat," Nancy protested. "What will you
wear?"

"Oh, I have an old coat hanging here on a nail. I'll use that. Anyway,
the rain won't hurt my dress."

Under protest, Nancy donned the raincoat and put on a pair of rubber
boots which were several sizes too large for her. She made such a
grotesque picture that the two girls could not help but laugh. Then
they closed the barn doors.

"Now!" Allie directed. "Let's make a dash for it!"

Hand in hand they splashed through the mud toward the farmhouse. As
they ran, a vivid flash of lightning momentarily illuminated the sky
and caused the girls to cringe. The rain pelted down steadily, and the
atmosphere was much colder than it had been ten minutes before.

"If it gets any colder we'll have hail," Allie chattered, as the two
girls reached the shelter of the porch.

Dropping their muddy boots outside, Allie flung open the door, and they
entered a warm kitchen.

As the door closed behind them, an older girl who was bending over the
kitchen range turned toward them in surprise.

"Grace, I've brought you a visitor," Allie said quickly. "Miss Drew, I
want you to meet my sister. She's the mainstay of our little family."

Grace Horner cordially acknowledged the introduction and greeted Nancy
with a warm smile. She was tall and slender, as was her sister, with
dark hair and thoughtful brown eyes. Nancy judged that she was at least
four years older than Allie. Her face was rather serious, and it was
evident that responsibility had fallen upon her shoulders at an early
age.

Nancy was at once attracted to both Grace and Allie, and responded to
their cordial welcome.

"It's nice of you to take me in this way," she told them.

"Mercy! It's a pleasure for us," Grace assured her. "We don't see a
girl of our own age once in a month unless we go to Masonville, and our
visits there aren't very frequent, Miss Drew."

"Oh, please call me by my first name," Nancy begged. "Everyone does."

The three girls were soon laughing and talking together as though they
had always been friends. Nancy knew that she was going to like the
Horner girls, and it was evident they were delighted with her.

Presently, Grace deftly removed a cake from the oven and set it on the
table to cool.

"Let's go into the living room," she suggested. "My cake is done, so I
don't need to watch it. I'll give you a piece before you go, Nancy."

"And Grace's cakes are the real thing," Allie declared. "I'm not much
of a cook myself. I'd rather be outdoors."

"We don't wish you any bad luck, Nancy," Grace laughed as she led Nancy
into the next room. "But Allie and I don't care how long it storms!"

"Neither do I, so long as I get home before dark," Nancy replied.

Although the living room was warm and comfortable, it was nearly bare
of furniture. The floors had been painted and were scantily covered
with handmade rag rugs. With the exception of an old-fashioned divan,
an inexpensive table, a few straight-back chairs, and an old wood stove
which furnished heat, there was little in the room. However, dainty
white curtains covered the windows, and Nancy realized that although
the Horner girls were poor they had tried hard to make their home
attractive.

"Surely, you two girls don't live here alone, do you?" Nancy inquired.

Allie nodded.

"Grace and I have been living here ever since father died. That was two
years ago. Mother passed away just before that," the girl added with a
slight catch in her voice.

"But how do you manage? It must be dreadfully hard for two girls to run
a farm by themselves," said Nancy, in wonder.

"Our farm isn't very large now," Grace said quietly. "We have only a
few acres."

"I know you wonder how we live, but are too polite to ask," Allie broke
in. "Grace helps a dressmaker at Masonville whenever she can get work.
She makes all our clothes, too. And I raise chickens."

"Chickens?" Nancy asked, in surprise. "Can you make much at that?"

"Well, it all depends. This year the market hasn't been so high as
usual, and the price of eggs has dropped, too. But I enjoy the work,
and I could make it pay if only I could afford to start a flock of
white leghorns."

"Allie is a regular outdoor girl," Grace explained, with a smile.
"We divide our work. I attend to the house, but she would rather be
outside."

"We get along very nicely in the summer," Allie went on. "We raise
vegetables and have enough for our own use. But in the winter it's
hard. I don't know how we'll manage this year."

"We'll find a way, Allie," Grace told her, with a brave smile. "We
always have."

She arose from her chair and turned to Nancy.

"I'm sure you're not interested in our misfortunes. It's true that
we're poor, but we can still offer a guest a cup of tea. Excuse me
while I make it."

It was on the tip of Nancy's tongue to protest, but she checked the
words just in time. She knew that Allie and Grace were proud and that
to refuse their hospitality would hurt their feelings.

"I wish I could help them," Nancy thought. "But if I offer to pay for
the tea they will be offended. Perhaps later on I can engage Grace to
make a dress for me."

In a few minutes Grace returned to the living room bearing a tray
which had been covered with a clean white napkin. She poured the tea
and served the cake with as much poise as though she were gracing an
elegant drawing room.

"I never tasted more delicious cake in all my life," Nancy said warmly.

The three girls chattered over the tea cups and watched the rain beat
against the windows. Presently, as Nancy noticed an unusual picture on
the wall, she commented on its beauty.

"Uncle Josiah gave it to us," Allie told her. "If he were only alive
now, things would be different."

At the mention of the name, Nancy started. Could it be that Allie
referred to Josiah Crowley? It was very unlikely, she decided, yet
only the week before her father had told her that there were two girls
living on the River Road who should have figured in the will. The
relationship would be worth investigating, Nancy told herself.

"Then your uncle is dead?" she inquired sympathetically.

"Josiah Crowley wasn't really our uncle," Grace replied. "But we loved
him as much as though he were a relative." Her voice broke and for a
moment she could not go on. "He lived next door to us--that was when
mother and father were alive. All of our misfortunes seemed to come at
once."

"He was the dearest man you ever saw," Allie added, taking up the
story. "Some people thought him queer, but you never minded his
peculiar ways after you knew him. He was so good and kind to us. We
were neighbors for years--until the Tophams induced him to live with
them. After that, everything was changed."

"But he never liked it with the Tophams," Grace declared. "They weren't
kind to him, and he used to sneak off to visit us. Didn't he, Allie?"

"Yes, he often said that we seemed like his own children. He brought
us so many nice gifts. We loved him for himself and not his money, but
after our parents died he hinted that he intended to see to it that we
never came to want. I remember the very last day we ever saw him alive,
he told us that he intended to mention us in the will. 'I have planned
a big surprise for you girls. You'll see it in my will.' Those were his
very words."

"And then the Tophams got everything," Grace said somewhat bitterly.
"It isn't that we were expecting any of the money, but it does seem
unfair that the entire fortune should go to them. They never cared a
snap of their fingers for Uncle Josiah, and I don't believe he intended
to leave his money to them."

"Perhaps you were mentioned in the will they say can't be found," Nancy
suggested.

Grace and Allie exchanged significant glances and gravely nodded.

"That's just what we think," Allie announced.

"Can't something be done about it? It seems only fair that you should
have your inheritance."

"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do," Grace said doubtfully. "You
see, although we are certain a will was made in our favor, we have no
actual proof. We haven't enough money to fight the case."

"The Tophams ought to do something for you girls."

"The Tophams?" Allie laughed scornfully. "They wouldn't give us a cent."

For some time Allie and Grace Horner talked of Josiah Crowley and his
queer ways. To Nancy it was evident that the girls had loved the old
man a great deal.

Presently, as the rain ceased and the sun threatened to break through
the clouds, Nancy arose to leave.

"Your story has interested me a great deal," she assured the Horner
girls. "It's possible my father can do something to help you--he is a
lawyer you know."

"Oh, we weren't asking for help!" Grace interposed quickly. "I don't
know why we happened to tell you so much."

"I'm glad that you did, and if I can I want to help you. If my father
asks you to come to his office in River Heights will you do it?"

"Why, yes, I suppose so," Grace admitted slowly. "But we have told you
about everything we know concerning the will."

"My father is a wonder at unearthing hidden facts," Nancy declared.

"It's kind of you to tell your father about our case," Allie broke in.
"We'd be so grateful if something could be done. We don't want a cent
that doesn't belong to us, but it does seem as though we should have
received a small inheritance."

"Don't build up your hopes until after I've talked with my father,"
Nancy advised them as she turned toward the door. "If anything can be
done I promise I'll let you know."




                               CHAPTER V

                             A CONFERENCE


Although the rain was no longer falling, the River Road was a sea of
mud, and before Nancy Drew started for home, the Horner girls insisted
on helping her put chains on the rear wheels of the roadster.

"You'll never make it to the gravel unless you do," Grace advised her.
"The River Road is terribly slippery in wet weather. You're sure you
want to attempt it? We'd love to have you stay with us until to-morrow."

"Oh, I'll have only two miles to go before I strike gravel," Nancy
returned. "I'll make it all right. But before I go I do wish you would
let me pay for all the trouble I have caused you."

"We couldn't think of accepting money," Grace said quietly.

"It's been fun having you here," Allie added.

At last, after thanking the Horner sisters for their hospitality, Nancy
told them good-bye. Allie and Grace watched her until she had backed
the roadster from the barn and was safely on the road.

"You're taking a big chance in this mud," called out Allie after her.

"If you have any trouble, come back here," added Grace. "That is, if
you can get back."

"Don't skid into a tree."

"Or into a ditch--that would be worse."

"What are you trying to do, make me nervous?" demanded Nancy, but with
a smile on her face.

"No; we only want to see you get home safely," answered Grace, and by
that time the car was so far on its way no more could be said.

Once on her way Nancy had little trouble, for she was a skillful
driver. The mud was heavy, but although the roadster slipped about she
managed to keep it in the road. Nevertheless, she was relieved when at
last she reached the main graveled highway.

"I'll stop at father's office," she decided, as she drove into River
Heights. "I want to tell him about my adventure right away."

She parked the car and surveyed it rather ruefully as she climbed out.

"Poor thing needs a bath! But even if I did get into mud, it was worth
it. Otherwise I would never have found out about the Horner girls."

As Nancy was admitted to her father's private office, he arose from
his chair to greet her.

"I'm glad you're here safe and sound," he declared, in relief. "I've
been worried ever since that storm came up. I telephoned the house and
Hannah said you weren't back. It gave me a bad scare."

"I had a little adventure," Nancy announced, with an important air.

Quickly, she told of her meeting with the Horner sisters and what she
had learned concerning the Crowley will.

"Allie and Grace Horner are as poor as church mice, but they're proud,
too," Nancy ended. "If only we could do something to help them! They
deserve a portion of the Crowley estate, but they'll never get it
unless someone takes a hand."

"From what you say it looks as though Crowley really did make a will
in their favor," Carson Drew commented thoughtfully. "I never had any
particular liking for Richard Topham, and I'll admit it would please me
to see him lose the money. I'll be glad to do anything I can to help
the Horner girls, Nancy. We might invite them to the house for a little
conference."

"I was hoping you would suggest that."

"You say the girls have no idea what became of the will?"

"They never saw it."

"Well, it's possible that by talking with them we may learn something
which may serve as a clue."

"I'll invite them to the house to-morrow if you want me to," Nancy said
quickly. "You're so clever at asking questions, and the Horner girls
will do anything in their power to help."

Mr. Drew studied his desk calendar for a moment.

"All right. But make it day after to-morrow afternoon at three. I have
no appointment for that hour."

Now that she had accomplished her purpose, Nancy gave her father a hug
and fairly danced toward the door.

"I knew you'd try to help them," she called back over her shoulder.
"Now that you've promised, I'll scamper off and let you get your work
done!"

Nancy's interest in the Crowley case had intensified since her chance
meeting with the Horner girls, and it was with impatience that she
awaited the conference.

All the day of the appointment she kept watching the clock, wondering
if Allie and Grace would keep the engagement. She had sent them the
invitation and they had promised to come, but Nancy was a trifle
uneasy, especially as the hour of three approached and the two girls
had not arrived.

"I don't see why they don't come," she fretted.

The words were scarcely out of her mouth when the doorbell jangled.

"That must be the girls now," she cried, as she hurried to open the
door.

It was indeed Allie and Grace Horner. Nancy greeted them
enthusiastically and, ushering them into the comfortable study,
introduced her father. At first the Horner sisters were rather ill at
ease, but after a few minutes they relaxed and began to talk frankly.

"Tell me about Josiah Crowley," Carson Drew suggested. "I understand
that he was rather a peculiar man."

"Oh, he was," Allie began impulsively. "I've seen him go about hunting
for his spectacles when they were on his nose all the time."

"Did he ever hide things?" Mr. Drew inquired.

"Did he?" Allie laughed. "He was always putting things away in what he
called a safe place. The place was usually so safe that he could never
find it again!"

"Did he ever say anything which would lead you to believe that he had
hidden a will?"

Allie shook her head.

"Not that I can remember."

"Why, he did, too!" Grace broke in. "One day when he was at our house
he got to talking about the Tophams and the way they were trying to
get his money. 'I guess they'll be fooled all right when they find out
I've made another will,' he said with that odd little chuckle of his.
'This time I'm not going to trust it to any lawyer. I'll put it away in
a place that I know will be safe.'"

"That's right," Allie agreed. "I had forgotten."

"Was Crowley living with the Tophams at the time he told you this?"
Carson Drew asked quickly.

Grace nodded.

"Do you think it possible that he hid the will somewhere in the house?"

"You mean at the Tophams?" Grace inquired. "Of course I have no way of
knowing, but it's my opinion that he did."

Nancy and her father exchanged quick glances as the same thought
occurred to them. Perhaps the Tophams had discovered the will and
already had destroyed it!

Carson Drew asked a few more questions. The Horner girls were eager to
help, but they were unable to furnish additional information which had
a direct bearing on the missing will. After Nancy had served tea, they
thanked Carson Drew for his interest in them, and arose to depart.

"If I find that I am able to help you in any way, I will do so," Mr.
Drew told the sisters as he escorted them to the door. "And of course
there will be no charge for my services. However, unless the will is
found there is really very little that can be done."

After Allie and Grace had left, Nancy turned inquiring eyes upon her
father.

"Charming girls," he commented, "and undoubtedly deserving."

"Then you'll help them?" Nancy demanded eagerly.

"I am afraid there is nothing I can do, Nancy," Mr. Drew returned
regretfully. "The will is probably lost forever. It wouldn't surprise
me if it had been destroyed."

"You mean--the Tophams?"

Carson Drew nodded.

"The same thought came to me," Nancy declared. "It would be just like
them to destroy it if it fell into their hands! They have no scruples
whatsoever."

"Of course we have no proof the Tophams did away with the will, Nancy.
It would be very unwise to suggest such a thing to the Horner girls.
They deserve a portion of the estate, but without the will nothing can
be done. If they took the matter to court they wouldn't have a chance
to win."

"I suppose you're right," Nancy admitted unwillingly.

But while she dropped the subject for the time being, Nancy Drew did
not forget the Horner sisters. She continued to hope that by some queer
twist of fate they would come into their rightful inheritance.

"If the will has been destroyed I don't see how anyone can help them,"
she told herself rather unhappily. "But until I'm sure of it, I'm not
going to give up!" She squared her shoulders with determination. "I'll
find some way to discover what became of the will!"




                              CHAPTER VI

                        AN UNPLEASANT ENCOUNTER


In spite of Nancy Drew's firm decision to assist the Horner girls, the
days slipped by and, try as she would, she could think of no way to
discover whether or not the missing Crowley will had fallen into the
hands of the Tophams. Although she seldom discussed the case with her
father, he knew that she was troubled.

"You're worrying about the Horner girls," he observed one day. "I am
afraid you are taking their misfortunes too seriously. There is nothing
you can do without the will, and you had best forget about it. Why,
you've scarcely been out of the house since the Horner girls were here.
Go shopping, or anything, to take your mind from the subject."

"I have been thinking about Allie and Grace," Nancy admitted, with a
rueful smile. "I was so sure I could do something for them."

"Give your mind a rest and perhaps you'll have an inspiration," Mr.
Drew encouraged her kindly.

"All right, I'll take your advice and go shopping, though I really
haven't a thing to buy. The fresh air will do me good, I suppose."

After luncheon, Nancy left the house and made her way toward the
business section of River Heights. The walk was a long one, but she
took it at a brisk pace. Nancy naturally was athletic, and as she swung
along more than one passerby turned to look after her in admiration.

After "window shopping" for a time, she wandered into a department
store more from curiosity than because she had anything to buy. She
moved about aimlessly, gazing at whatever struck her fancy.

Suddenly Nancy's attention centered upon two girls who were hurrying
down the aisle ahead of her. She stopped short and stared. Though their
backs were turned, she had recognized them.

"Ada and Isabel Topham! I'm sure I don't want to tag them around! I'll
just slip down another aisle!"

But Nancy Drew never carried the thought into action, for at that very
moment she saw Ada brush carelessly against a counter of expensive
vases. As her sleeve caught, a large fragile bowl was swept to the
floor. In horror Nancy heard the crash and saw the bowl break into a
dozen pieces.

As Ada looked down upon the wreckage, a slight flush mounted to her
cheeks. Then with a toss of her head, she started to move on.

"Miss, I am afraid I must ask you to pay for the bowl," a saleswoman
interposed politely.

Ada wheeled angrily and stared at the saleswoman insolently.

"I'll not pay for it!" she snapped. "I didn't break it!"

"But, Miss, I saw you knock it off the counter," the saleswoman
protested.

By this time the floor manager had arrived upon the scene, and a number
of shoppers had gathered about Ada and the salesgirl. Nancy likewise
drew closer.

"This impudent girl claims I broke a vase," Ada stormed, addressing the
floor manager. "I wasn't even near the counter at the time! However, I
did see her knock it to the floor herself. Isn't that so, Isabel?"

Solemnly, Isabel agreed to the untruth.

The floor manager looked doubtfully from the Topham sisters to the
saleswoman. He realized that it would be a serious error to accuse
well-to-do customers falsely, and for that reason he was inclined to
give the Topham girls the benefit of the doubt. He stooped over and
examined the fragments of the bowl.

"Someone must pay for the damage," he said severely. "This is an
expensive imported bowl."

"Then let your clerk pay for it out of her salary," Ada retorted. "If
she hadn't been so stupid she wouldn't have broken the vase!"

The saleswoman was too bewildered to take her own part and Nancy saw
that the floor manager was in a dilemma. As she sensed that he was
about to exonerate Ada from all blame, she stepped forward.

"You must be mistaken, Miss Topham," she said quietly. "I am certain
the saleswoman did not break the bowl, for I saw the accident myself."

"What business have you to interfere?" Ada demanded harshly, wheeling
upon Nancy.

"Perhaps it isn't my business, but I can't permit you to accuse this
girl of something she didn't do."

"You saw the accident, Miss?" the floor manager questioned.

"Yes. As Miss Topham walked by the counter, her sleeve caught on the
vase."

"It isn't true," Ada snapped. "But I'm tired of this silly argument.
How much do you want for your vase?"

The floor manager studied a price list.

"Fifty dollars."

"What?" Ada fairly screamed. "You want fifty dollars for that old bowl?
I'll never pay it!"

"The vase, was imported from Italy, Miss, and I am afraid you must pay
the price asked."

"Do you know who I am?" Ada inquired loftily.

"I think everyone in the city knows about the Richard Tophams," the
floor manager returned wearily.

"My father owns----"

"He doesn't own this store," the man interrupted, with growing
impatience. "If you refuse to pay for the vase I shall be forced to
turn you over to the authorities."

"You wouldn't dare!" Ada gasped. "Never in all my life have I been
insulted like this!"

Isabel, who was slightly more reasonable than her sister, now held a
whispered conference with Ada.

"All right, I'll pay for the bowl," Ada decided, as she took out her
checkbook. "But let me warn you the matter won't be dropped here."

She turned upon Nancy Drew and eyed her coldly.

"I'm not through with you either, young lady! You'll pay for this
outrage!"

Nancy made no reply but continued to smile pleasantly, an act which
further enraged the Topham sisters. Hastily settling for the damage Ada
had done, they sailed grandly out of the store.

Gratefully, the saleswoman thanked Nancy.

"You don't know how I appreciated the way you took my part. I couldn't
have paid for the bowl, and if you hadn't said what you did the floor
manager probably would have discharged me."

"I saw her break the bowl and I was determined to see justice done.
There is my name and address--if you need it," and Nancy handed the
woman her card.

"I'm afraid you have made enemies by taking my part."

Nancy shrugged her shoulders indifferently.

"It really doesn't matter. The Topham girls were never my friends."

"But they may try to get even with you. They're very spiteful."

"Let them try!" Nancy smiled. "However, I don't believe there is any
need to worry. Their talk is mostly bluff."

Lightly, Nancy Drew dismissed the subject, and, as she found she was
being regarded with curiosity and admiration by those who had witnessed
the scene, left the store. She walked slowly toward the park.

"It makes my blood fairly boil every time I think of Ada and Isabel
Topham getting all of the Crowley fortune," she told herself, with
feeling. "Especially when Grace and Allie Horner need the money so
badly. The way Ada tried to accuse that shopgirl was disgusting."

Nancy crossed the public park and paused for a moment at the drinking
fountain. As she glanced up she saw that unwittingly she had selected
the path Isabel and Ada Topham had taken. Upon leaving the department
store they, too, had gone to the park and were now seated upon a bench
engaged in earnest conversation. Their heads were close together, and,
from the expression on their faces, Nancy suspected that they were
discussing her. Unless she retraced her steps it would be necessary to
pass directly in front of them.

"If they see me they are certain to say something mean," Nancy thought,
"and if they do I'll be sure to lose my temper. I know!" she decided
impulsively. "I'll take the path through the bushes and avoid them. I
can pass behind that bench and they'll never notice me!"

Ada and Isabel were so engrossed in their conversation that they failed
to notice Nancy's approach. Chuckling to herself, Nancy left the
sidewalk and quietly made her way down the path which was shaded with
overhanging bushes.

She had no intention of attempting to overhear what the Topham sisters
were saying, but as she noiselessly approached the bench where they
were sitting, two words reached her ears, causing her to pause
involuntarily.

Ada was speaking, and the phrase which Nancy had accidentally
overheard was "the will." In a flash, her suspicions were aroused. She
comprehended the significance of the phrase.

"It must be Josiah Crowley's will they're talking about," she reasoned.
"Perhaps they know something about the missing will! They may reveal
what became of it!"

With the instinct of a detective, Nancy Drew crept cautiously closer.
The bushes were thick, and by crouching low behind the bench she was
able to hear without being seen.

Oh, if only she might learn something which would prove that the
Tophams had deprived the Horner girls of their inheritance!




                              CHAPTER VII

                          NANCY TURNS SLEUTH


While Nancy Drew eagerly waited, scarcely daring to breathe naturally
lest her presence be detected, Ada began to speak.

"Well, if there should happen to be another will, we may be dumped,"
she said sourly.

"I don't believe Josiah Crowley ever made such a will," Isabel replied,
in so low a tone that Nancy scarcely caught the words.

"Evidently Nancy Drew does, or she wouldn't be taking such an interest
in those Horner girls," Ada returned. "I know she had them at her house
last week, because I was passing and saw them go in. How I hate that
girl! If she should get her father interested, he might dig up another
will."

"Even if another will does turn up, we can trust dad to take care of
it," Isabel commented dryly.

"You mean he would----"

"Never mind what I mean," Isabel insinuated darkly. "Mother and dad
wouldn't be simple enough to let that money get away from us. It's
ours by right, anyhow. Didn't Josiah Crowley live on us?"

"Yes, we ought to have all of the money after enduring him for nearly
three years. Just the same, I don't like the way Nancy Drew has taken
up with the Horner girls. She always did have a way of nosing into
things she had no business to find out!"

"Oh, pooh for her," Isabel scoffed. "Let her try to discover anything
she likes. The money was given to us fairly enough."

The conversation ended abruptly as Isabel and Ada arose from the bench
and walked on down the street. Nancy waited until they were out of
sight and then emerged from the bushes.

"There may be a chance to find that missing will after all," she
reasoned, as she sank down on the bench vacated by Isabel and Ada.

Nancy had always been convinced that Josiah Crowley had made a second
will. However, since her talk with the Horner girls, she had shared her
father's opinion that the document had fallen into the hands of the
Tophams only to be destroyed. This conviction had discouraged her.

Now the information which she had gleaned from the snatch of overheard
conversation, gave her new hope. From what Isabel and Ada had said, she
was led to believe that if Josiah Crowley had made a second will, the
Tophams were as ignorant as herself concerning its whereabouts.

"Anyway, it's encouraging to know the will hasn't been destroyed,"
Nancy told herself. "But there's one thing certain. If the Tophams ever
get their hands on it, they'll take care it never comes to light. From
what Isabel and Ada said I judge they're beginning to realize their
position is anything but secure. If I'm ever to find that will, I must
get busy before they beat me to it!"

Nancy Drew possessed her father's liking for a mystery, and she
delighted in a battle of wits when championing a worthy cause. Carson
Drew had often remarked that he enjoyed the detective work of his cases
better than the court work, but Nancy knew he was too busy with his own
cases to devote much attention to the missing Crowley will. If anything
were done to help the Horner girls win their inheritance, she must
accomplish it herself.

As Nancy reviewed the facts of the case, it seemed to her that she must
have overlooked a possible clue. Never had a mystery appeared more
baffling.

For nearly ten minutes Nancy sat lost in deep thought. Then, with a cry
of delight she sprang to her feet.

"How stupid of me not to think of it before! The Horner girls aren't
the only ones who should have figured in the will. There were a number
of relatives, and father said that they filed a claim, too. I wonder
who they are. If I could talk with them, it's possible I might learn
something that would have a bearing on the case."

Convinced that the inspiration was a happy one, she set off toward
her father's office. He was engaged in an important conference when
she arrived, and Nancy was forced to wait ten minutes before she was
admitted to the inner office.

"Now what?" her father asked, smiling as she burst in upon him. "Is it
a new dress you want?"

Nancy's cheeks were flushed and her eyes danced with excitement.

"Don't try to tease me," she protested. "I've stumbled onto something
important, and I want information!"

"At your service, Nancy," Mr. Drew said. "But if it's about that
Crowley case, I've told you everything I know."

Nancy poured out the story of her encounter with the Topham sisters in
the department store and told of the conversation she had overheard in
the public park. Mr. Drew listened with interest until she had finished.

"And now what is it you want?" he asked gravely.

"I thought if I went to those other relatives I might be able to learn
something which may help solve the mystery."

"A good idea, Nancy."

"But I don't know their names, and that's why I came to you."

"I wish I could help you, but I'm afraid I can't," Mr. Drew said
regretfully.

Nancy's face fell.

"Wait a minute!" he called, as she turned to leave. "I can't supply the
names you want, but I think I can tell you where to find them."

"Where?"

"At the courthouse. They should be on file." He glanced at his watch
and frowned. "But I'm afraid it is too late to go there this afternoon."

"Oh, and I'm anxious to find out right away," Nancy declared in
disappointment. "If I delay even a single day the Tophams may get ahead
of me and find that will."

Suddenly her face brightened as she thought of something.

"I know! I'll jump into the roadster and run out and have a talk with
the Horner girls. They should be able to furnish me the information."

"You can try them, at least."

"That's just what I'll do," Nancy decided, as she turned again toward
the door.

"Just a minute," Carson Drew stopped her. "I wonder if you realize just
what you are getting into, Nancy?"

"Why, what do you mean?"

"Only this. Detective work isn't always the safest occupation in which
to engage. I happen to know that Richard Topham is an unpleasant man
when crossed. If you actually succeed in learning anything which may
help the Horner girls, you are certain to have the Tophams in your
wool."

"I'm not afraid of them, father."

"Good!" Mr. Drew exclaimed. "I was hoping you would say that. I'm glad
you have the courage of your convictions, but I didn't want you to
march off into battle without a knowledge of what, undoubtedly, you
will be up against."

"Battle?"

"Yes, battle. Rest assured the Tophams won't give up the fortune
without a bitter struggle. However, if they attempt to make serious
trouble, I promise to deal with them myself. I only wish I had the time
to help you find the will."

"And if I find it?"

"I'll take the matter into court."

"Oh, thank you! There's no one like you in all the world."

Nancy moved toward the door.

"I may not get back until rather late," she threw back over her
shoulder. "I have a feeling I may discover a real clue to-day, and if I
do, I'm going to trail it down!"

With characteristic impetuosity, she darted from the room, permitting
the office door to bang behind her.




                             CHAPTER VIII

                          A DISCOURAGING DAY


After leaving her father's office, Nancy Drew went directly home.
Quickly backing her roadster from the garage, she set off down the
River Road in the direction of the old farmhouse where the Horner girls
lived.

Before leaving the main highway, Nancy glanced anxiously at the sky and
was relieved that no clouds were visible.

"After my last experience, I don't intend to get caught in another
storm," she admonished herself.

The recent rain had made the roads rough, and Nancy bumped about in the
roadster rather uncomfortably. At last, however, she came within sight
of the farmhouse, and as she viewed it from a distance noticed that it
was even older and more run-down than she had thought.

The house was large and rambling, but apparently it had not been
painted in years. Shingles were falling from the roof, and the porches
sagged. As Nancy's eyes traveled to the old barn, she wondered how it
had managed to survive the recent storm.

"If Allie and Grace Horner only had money, they could make the place
attractive," she thought as she drove through the open gate.

Squawking chickens fled before her as she stopped the roadster in the
barnyard and switched off the engine. Springing lightly from the car,
she ran up the walk toward the house. She paused at the kitchen door
and rapped.

Receiving no response, she went around to the front of the house and
knocked on another door. There was no answer. Nor did a tour of the
yard reveal either of the Horner girls.

Disappointment took possession of Nancy. She had driven nearly fifteen
miles only to find no one at home.

"I'm defeated at every turn," she thought disconsolately, as she slowly
walked back to the roadster. "It's certainly discouraging."

"Hello, there!" a voice called. "Were you looking for us?"

The shouted greeting reached Nancy as she prepared to step into the
roadster. One foot on the running board, she turned her head and saw
the Horner girls hurrying toward her from the direction of the barn.

Allie did not wait for her sister to open the barnyard gate, but,
swinging easily over it, ran to meet Nancy.

"We saw you just as you were leaving the house," she cried
enthusiastically. "We wouldn't have missed you for anything."

"We were picking berries in the woods," Grace explained, as she hurried
up, slightly out of breath. Proudly she displayed a tin pail which was
filled nearly to the brim with raspberries.

"But look at our arms!" and Allie laughed ruefully as she glanced down
at the ugly scratches which had been caused by brambles and sharp
thorns.

"You must come into the house and have a dish of berries, Nancy," Grace
urged hospitably. "They're good with sugar and cream."

"If you don't have them too often," Allie added.

"I can stop but a minute," Nancy declared, as the three entered the
house. "I came to talk about the will."

"Oh, then you have good news for us?" Allie asked hopefully. "Are we
really going to get some of the money?"

"I don't know yet," Nancy was forced to admit. "So far I haven't been
able to learn a thing about the missing will."

Allie's face fell, but she tried to hide her disappointment.

"We need the money so badly," she said, with an apologetic smile.
"Grace hasn't had a new dress in three years. She makes all of our
clothing out of old things we happen to have in the house. If our luck
doesn't change soon I'm afraid we'll be mistaken for rag pickers."

"We really didn't expect much of Uncle Josiah's money," Grace broke
in quickly, lest Nancy misinterpret her sister's remarks. "We weren't
related, you know."

"Well, you can hardly say the Tophams were, for that matter," Allie
declared. "They were third or fourth cousins."

"We can get along without the money," Grace said quietly. "We manage
very well when I have plenty of work. We're a little discouraged right
now because dressmaking has fallen off. It's a slack season. I guess
people would rather go to the store and buy a dress readymade."

"I wouldn't," Nancy declared impulsively. "Grace, I'd like to engage
you to make me a dress. Will you do it? I'll pay you well."

Tears of joy came into Grace's eyes.

"Will I? Oh, you don't know how grateful I am for the work. I haven't
had anything to do for nearly three months. I don't mind poverty so
much for myself, but for Allie--" her voice broke. "I promised mother
I'd look after her."

Allie sprang from her chair and rushed to her sister. She flung her
arms affectionately about her.

"Oh, Grace, I shouldn't have said what I did about needing money. I
didn't mean it! Truly, I didn't."

"But it's the truth."

"We'll get along, Grace. If only my chicken money came in faster! Why
can't a hen lay more than one egg a day?"

Grace smiled faintly at Allie's feeble attempt at a joke, and, to break
an awkward silence, Nancy took up the conversation.

"I'll bring the dress material with me the next time I come this way."

She did not need a new dress, but she realized that there was no other
way to help the Horner girls, for they were too proud to accept money.

"And now I want to ask you a few more questions about Josiah Crowley,"
Nancy told them. "Do you know whether he ever visited other relatives
besides the Tophams?"

"Oh, yes," Allie returned promptly. "He was only distantly related to
the Tophams, you know. They were third cousins I believe. He had a
number of other relatives whom he frequently visited."

"Before he went to live with the Tophams, they took turns keeping him,"
Grace informed her visitor.

"Can you tell me the names of these relatives?"

"Let me see," Grace lost herself in thought. "There are two cousins
living in Masonville."

"Matilda and Edna Turner," Allie prompted her. "They're regular old
maids, but awfully nice. They were wonderful to Uncle Josiah when he
was alive."

"And there were two nephews," Grace went on. "William and Fred Mathews.
They have a farm on this same River Road. Everyone thought they would
get something."

"How far do they live from here?" Nancy inquired.

"Oh, not more than five miles. You could drive there in a few minutes.
It's on the way to Masonville."

"Then I'll be able to make the two calls on the same trip," Nancy
announced, as she arose to depart. "I must hurry along now or it will
be too late for me to stop there this afternoon. I am hoping that by
talking with the relatives I may learn something which will help us to
trace the missing will."

"I'm afraid there's not much chance we'll ever get anything," Grace
said rather morosely. "The Tophams will never let the money slip out
of their hands."

"If we find the will, they won't be able to keep the money," Nancy
declared. "Father will see to it that you girls get your just due."

"Oh, Grace, we forgot to tell Nancy about Abigail Rowen," Allie
reminded her sister. "She'd be apt to know more about the will than
anyone else."

"That's right! You really should call on her, Nancy. She took care of
Uncle Josiah one time when he was sick, and he thought the world of
her. He often declared he intended to leave her something."

"Even a few hundred dollars would have meant so much to her," Allie
added. "Abigail is old and feeble now. She must be more than seventy
years of age, and there's no one to look after her."

"Where shall I find her?" Nancy asked quickly.

"She lives over on the West Lake Road," Grace responded. "It's a good
many miles from here. You could make inquiry at some of the farmhouses
along the road."

"I won't have time to go there to-day, but I'll surely call upon her as
soon as I can. And now I must be going or it will be dark long before I
get back to River Heights."

Nancy said good-bye hastily. The Horner girls accompanied her to
the roadster and watched her drive away. As she looked back from the
corner, they waved their handkerchiefs.

"Plucky girls!" Nancy thought. "Until to-day I didn't realize how
terribly they need help. I simply must find a way to help them!"

She drove along the River Road, heading in the direction of Masonville.
Although it was growing late, Nancy was determined to visit the Mathews
brothers, and, if possible, Matilda and Edna Turner.

After she had gone perhaps five miles, she began to watch the
mailboxes, and presently noticed one which bore the name "Mathews." The
farmhouse was set back a short distance from the road, and Nancy drove
the roadster down a narrow lane which led to it.

As she stopped the car, a man came out of the house and regarded her
questioningly. Learning that the farmer was William Mathews, Nancy
quickly explained her mission. At first the man was inclined to
distrust her, but after he had made certain that she was not a friend
of the Richard Topham family, he talked frankly of Josiah Crowley and
told all that he knew concerning the will.

"My brother and I have filed a complaint with the proper authorities at
the courthouse," he explained. "We feel certain there must have been
another will because Uncle Josiah always said that he intended to leave
us something."

"Did you actually see the will?" Nancy questioned hopefully.

The farmer shook his head.

"No, my brother and I haven't the proof that he ever made a second
will. But we do know that he never had any particular love for the
Tophams. He felt that they took him in only because they were after his
money, and I guess he wasn't wrong at that. Anyway, I am certain he had
made up his mind to cut them off without a cent."

"Perhaps he neglected to write the second will."

"That wouldn't be like Uncle Josiah. He was rather queer about little
things, but he was always particular in attending to business matters.
No, I'm more apt to think he made the will and hid it somewhere."

"You have no idea where he could have concealed it?"

"Not the slightest, Miss. My brother and I will be glad to offer a
substantial reward to anyone who can produce it."

Nancy asked a number of other questions, but the farmer was unable to
furnish information which was of any value. Disappointed, she thanked
the man for his trouble, and continued on her way to Masonville.

"Rumor! Rumor!" she sighed. "That's all I hear. At my next stop I hope
I'll acquire a few facts!"

Upon reaching Masonville, Nancy made inquiry and was directed to the
home of the Turner sisters. They lived alone at the outskirts of the
city. Although not in poverty, they did not have any more money than
they needed.

Nancy found them at home, and when they learned the purpose of her
visit they greeted her cordially. They were very pleasant ladies and
she spent nearly an hour at their home. But although they answered her
questions willingly, she learned nothing which had a direct bearing on
the missing will.

Matilda and Edna Turner insisted that Josiah Crowley had intended to
disinherit the Tophams, but they had no idea what could have become of
the later will. They had been led to expect a small inheritance, and
were disappointed that everything was to go to the Tophams.

"Why don't you talk with Abigail Rowen?" Matilda suggested at the
conclusion of the interview. "She took care of Josiah once when he was
sick, and he thought a lot of her. She knew more about his queer ways
than any other living person."

"I don't believe it would do a particle of good," Edna interposed.
"Abigail is getting along in years, and her memory isn't what it used
to be."

It was after dark when at last Nancy took leave of the Turner sisters
and headed her roadster toward home. She was tired and hungry as well
as discouraged.

"So far I've only wasted my time," she thought despondently. "I'm no
closer to finding the will than I ever was, and I'm sure there is one.
I've often heard father say that no real mystery is solved without a
lot of hard work--and I'm ready to believe it!"

With the exception of Abigail Rowen, Nancy had called upon all of the
Crowley relatives. From what the Turner sisters had told her, she was
doubtful that a visit to her cottage would be worth while.

"Oh, well, I suppose I may as well go there to-morrow," Nancy decided,
after a mental debate. "She's my last hope. If I fail there, I'll be
forced to give up."




                              CHAPTER IX

                           VITAL INFORMATION


"This must be the house. It certainly fits the description given me."

As she spoke Nancy Drew paused before a square, one-story frame
building which stood dejectedly in the center of a yard overgrown
with weeds and dandelions. The cottage was sadly in need of paint
and pickets were missing from the sagging fence which enclosed it.
A boardwalk which led to the front porch had begun to rot away, and
offered treacherous footing.

"The place looks deserted, but I'm sure Abigail Rowen must live here,"
Nancy assured herself as she made her way up the walk, gingerly
avoiding loose boards which threatened to fly up at her.

Early that morning she had left River Heights in her final quest for
information concerning the Crowley will. Nancy did not know exactly
where Abigail Rowen lived, but she had taken the West Lake Road and had
made inquiry along the way. Neighbors had assured her that she could
not miss the place, as it was the most run-down house along the road.

"If Abigail can't help me, I'm at the end of my string," Nancy thought,
as she rapped on the front door.

There was no response to her knock and she rapped a second time. She
was about to turn away in disappointment when a slight noise within the
house attracted her attention. She was certain her rap had been heard.

"Who's there?" a muffled voice called. "If you're a peddler I don't
want anything."

"I'm not a peddler," Nancy called out reassuringly. "Won't you let me
in, please?"

There was a long silence, and then the quavering voice replied:

"I can't open the door. I've hurt myself and can't walk."

Nancy hesitated an instant, and then pushed open the door. As she
stepped into the dreary living room, she saw the pitiful figure on the
couch. Abigail Rowen lay huddled under a ragged old shawl, her withered
face drawn with pain.

"I am Nancy Drew and I've come to help you, Miss Rowen."

At the words, the old lady turned her head and regarded Nancy with a
stare which was almost childlike.

"You've come to help me?" she repeated unbelievingly. "I didn't think
anyone would ever trouble themselves about old Abigail again."

"Here, let me arrange the pillows for you." Gently, Nancy moved the old
woman into a more comfortable position.

"Yesterday I fell down the cellar stairs," Abigail explained. "I hurt
my hip and sprained my ankle. I can't take a step without it nearly
killing me."

"Haven't you had a doctor?" Nancy asked in astonishment.

"There ain't been a soul come near me," Abigail sighed. "I've just laid
here on my bed and wondered how soon the end would come. I'm getting
along in years now and it won't be long----"

"Nonsense," Nancy protested brusquely, for she saw that the old lady's
trouble had made her morose. "You have a good many happy years yet
before you. Can you walk at all? Are you certain your hip isn't broken?"

"I can walk a little, but it hurts something awful when I do."

"Then your hip isn't broken," Nancy said, in relief. "Let me see your
ankle. Why, you don't even have it wrapped up! Where are the bandages?
I'll fix it for you."

"There's a white rag in the closet in the kitchen," Abigail told her.

Nancy shook her head sternly.

"A rag won't do. You have a bad sprain and it must be taken care of
properly. You really should have a doctor."

"I can't afford it," Abigail murmured.

"Let me pay for it," Nancy begged.

Abigail shook her head stubbornly.

"I'll not take charity. I'd rather die in my bed."

"Well, if you're set on not having a doctor, I'm going to the nearest
drug store and get bandages and a number of other things," Nancy
insisted. "But before I go, I'll make you a cup of tea."

"There ain't any tea in the house."

"Then I'll get some. What else do you need?"

"I need 'most everything, but I can't afford to pay for it. You might
get me some tea and a loaf of bread. That's enough. You'll find the
money in a jar in the cupboard. It's not very much, but it's all I
have."

"I'll be back in a few minutes," Nancy promised.

She stopped in the kitchen long enough to examine the cupboards. As
she had suspected, they were practically empty. With the exception of
a little flour and sugar and a cheap can of soup, there appeared to be
nothing in the house to eat. Nancy discovered the money jar, but an
investigation revealed that it contained less than five dollars.

"It's probably every cent poor Abigail has in the world," she thought.

Nancy did not take any money from the jar but quietly slipped out the
back door. Hurrying to the roadster which she had left at the roadside,
she drove to the nearest store and ordered nearly ten dollars worth of
groceries. She wished that she might take a doctor back with her, but
she realized that Abigail was set in her ways and would not accept the
service since she could not pay for it.

Before she returned to the cottage, Nancy stopped at the drug store and
purchased bandages and liniments. She carried the supplies into the
house and quickly set about making Abigail more comfortable. She bathed
the swollen ankle and bound it neatly with the clean bandage.

"It feels better already," Abigail told her gratefully. "I dunno what
I'd of done if you hadn't come when you did."

As soon as she had attended to the woman's immediate needs, Nancy
built a fire in the kitchen range and put on the teakettle. While she
was waiting for the water to boil, she raised the drawn shades and
permitted the warm sunshine to flood into the room. While she did this
she told Abigail Rowen something about herself.

After the tea had steeped she poured Abigail a cup and urged her to eat
the nourishing meal she had prepared. She was gratified to observe that
almost immediately the old woman became more cheerful and seemed to
gain strength. She sat up on the couch and appeared eager to talk with
Nancy.

"There ain't many folks that are willing to help an old woman. If
Josiah Crowley had lived things would have been different," she
declared.

"It's strange that he didn't provide for you in his will," Nancy
replied quietly.

She did not wish to excite the old woman by telling her real mission,
and yet she was eager to find out what Abigail knew about the missing
will. She hoped that she might lead her tactfully into a discussion of
Josiah Crowley's affairs without raising hopes which might never be
realized.

"It's my opinion that Josiah did provide for me," Miss Rowen returned
impressively. "Many a time he said to me: 'Abigail, you'll never need
to worry. When I'm gone you'll be well taken care of by my will.'"

"And then everything was left to the Tophams," Nancy encouraged her to
proceed.

"That was according to the first will. But there was another one. I
dunno what became of it."

"Are you sure there was another will?" Nancy inquired almost too
eagerly, for Abigail looked at her rather sharply.

"Of course I am. I'm as sure of it as I am that I'm sitting here. Why,
I saw that will with my own eyes!"

"You saw it!" Nancy gasped.

The old woman nodded gravely.

"Mind, I didn't see what was _in_ the will. One day Josiah came in
where I was sitting in my rocking chair, and right off I noticed he had
a piece of paper in his hand. 'Abigail,' he said, 'I've made my will. I
fooled them lawyers and wrote it myself.'"

"How long ago was that?" Nancy asked quickly.

"Let me see," Abigail frowned thoughtfully. "No, I can't remember the
exact date. It was about the time Josiah went to live with Richard and
Cora. Well, to go on with what I was saying--when Josiah showed me the
will he seemed mighty tickled about it. Mind, he didn't show me what
was inside but he hinted that he'd done well by me. 'But Josiah,' I
said to him, 'are you sure it's legal to write it yourself?' 'Of course
it is,' he said to me. 'A lawyer told me it was all right just so long
as I had it witnessed.'"

"Do you know who witnessed the will?" Nancy broke in.

"No, I didn't ask him and he didn't say. He just went out of the room,
chuckling in that funny way he had."

"Haven't you any idea what became of the will?" Nancy asked hopefully.

"I reckon he hid it somewhere. That would be like Josiah. But I
remember he did say something about putting it 'where nobody can get it
unless they have legal authority.' So I dunno what became of it. For
all I know, he may have turned it over to a lawyer."

"Are you certain that was all he said?" Nancy inquired gently. She knew
that Abigail had grown rather childish and that her memory was failing.

"It seems to me he did say something about what he was going to do with
that will, but I can't just recollect." Abigail shook her head and
sighed. "Many a night I've laid awake trying to think what it was."

It seemed to Nancy that as victory was almost within her grasp, it had
been snatched from her. Undoubtedly, Abigail Rowen held the secret of
the Crowley will locked in her brain. And it was equally likely that
she would never be able to recall the vital information unless in some
unusual way her memory was given a particular stimulus.

"Try to think!" Nancy begged.

"I can't remember," Abigail murmured hopelessly. "I've tried and
tried." She leaned against the cushions and closed her eyes, as though
the effort had exhausted her.

At that very moment the clock on the mantel chimed three. Abigail
Rowen's eyes fluttered open and an odd expression passed over her face.

For an instant she stared straight before her and then slowly turned
her head and fastened her eyes on the clock.




                               CHAPTER X

                         ABIGAIL'S DISCLOSURE


When the mantel clock finished striking the hour of three, Abigail
Rowen's lips began to move. Nancy Drew leaned forward eagerly, fearful
lest a single word escape her. She sensed that the striking of the
clock at a psychological moment had started a train of thought coursing
through the old woman's mind, and now she believed that an important
disclosure was about to be made.

"The clock," Abigail whispered so softly that the words were scarcely
audible. "That was it! The clock!"

"Josiah Crowley hid the will in a clock?" Nancy prompted her.

"No," Abigail shook her head and sighed again. "That wasn't it. I
thought I had it, and then it slipped my mind. I seem to recollect that
he said something about a clock, but that wasn't it."

Abigail continued to stare at the timepiece, as did Nancy, who was at
a loss to understand what connection it could have with the missing
will. Suddenly, a low cry came from the old woman.

"There! It came to me just like that! After all these years----"

"Tell me," Nancy commanded quietly, for she feared that the knowledge
might slip from the old lady before she could disclose it.

"A notebook!" Abigail brought out triumphantly. "It was something about
a notebook!"

"Tell me more about the notebook," Nancy urged gently. Although she
could scarcely hide her eagerness, she forced herself to speak quietly
lest she excite Miss Rowen.

"I remember it all now. Josiah wrote about the will in a little
notebook of his. One day he said to me: 'Abigail, after I'm dead if
my will doesn't come to light, you can find out all about it in this
little book of mine.'"

"What became of the notebook, Miss Rowen?"

"I can't seem to recollect. He hid it someplace."

Again Nancy Drew was baffled. Involuntarily, her eyes traveled to the
mantel clock. She studied it critically. What connection could the
clock have with the missing will, she asked herself. Certainly there
must be one, for otherwise its striking would not have caused Abigail
to think of the notebook.

Nancy had studied psychology in school and was familiar with the
power of suggestion and association. Now her keen mind jumped to the
conclusion that a clock had something to do with the missing Crowley
will. Could it be that the notebook had been hidden in the clock?

Impulsively, Nancy got up and went over to the mantel. She took down
the clock and looked inside. She saw nothing but a tiny key which
evidently was used to wind the timepiece. Disappointed, she returned to
her chair.

"Where was Josiah Crowley living at the time he told you about the
notebook?" she asked the old lady.

"He was living in his own house then, but he was just getting ready to
go to the Tophams. He'd been visiting around with his various kin and
letting his own house stay empty. After the Tophams asked him to live
with them, he sold his home."

"What became of the household goods?" Nancy inquired.

"Oh, the Tophams got 'most everything."

"There must have been a family clock," Nancy mused, half to herself.

"A family clock?" Abigail repeated. "Oh, yes, there was a clock."

"Can you describe it?" Nancy questioned.

"Well, it was just an ordinary mantel clock, tall, and with a square
face. Something like that one over there." The old lady pointed to the
timepiece Nancy had just examined. "Only Josiah's was more elaborate.
It had a moon or something on top."

"What became of the clock?"

"I dunno," Abigail responded indifferently. "I suppose the Tophams got
it. They took everything else."

It was on the tip of Nancy's tongue to tell Abigail that Josiah
Crowley might have hidden his will inside the family clock, but she
hesitated to excite the old lady. After all, it was only a theory, and
it would not be kind to encourage Abigail Rowen to believe there was a
likelihood of gaining an inheritance unless it were a fact.

"I'll wait until I'm sure before I say anything about it to her," Nancy
decided.

She asked a number of other questions, but it was soon apparent that
Abigail had told all that she could recall about the will. Although
Nancy spoke of the family clock a number of times, its mention did not
seem to interest the old lady.

At last Nancy arose to depart, but before leaving she promised Abigail
she would return in a few days to see how she was getting along. It was
likewise her intention to stop at the nearest house to ask a neighbor
woman to look after the old lady during her absence, but she said
nothing of this, as she knew Abigail would protest.

After attending to the mission, she sprang into her roadster and
started for River Heights.

Nancy Drew was highly elated at the information she had gleaned, and
was now more interested in the case than ever.

"I'll not tell the Horner girls what I have learned," Nancy advised
herself. "At least not until I have learned more about the family
clock. If nothing comes of my theory, Allie and Grace would only
be disappointed. I'll not raise their hopes until I have something
important to tell."

As Nancy drove along on the West Lake Road she reviewed the facts of
the Crowley case. Unquestionably, Josiah Crowley had made a second
will. According to Abigail Rowen he had secreted it in a safe place
and had written its location in a little notebook. He had told Abigail
where the notebook could be found in case of his death, and with the
passing years, the knowledge had slipped away from the old lady.

"It's my opinion that Josiah Crowley hid the notebook in the family
clock," Nancy reasoned. "Otherwise, why would Abigail have said
anything about it?"

Nancy was at a loss to know how to proceed. She knew that her next
step in unraveling the mystery was to search the Crowley clock, but
this would not be easy to accomplish. If, as Abigail had indicated, the
clock had fallen into the hands of the Tophams, the task might be an
impossible one. Then, too, it was not at all unlikely that the Tophams
had already discovered the notebook.

"In that case they would have destroyed it," Nancy told herself.
"Still, from the conversation I overheard in the park, I feel
reasonably certain the notebook has never been found. No, if Josiah
Crowley ever hid it in the clock, it must still be there, and it's up
to me to get hold of it!"

During the long ride to River Heights, Nancy Drew mulled over the
perplexing problem, but try as she would she could think of no way to
get her hands on the old clock. She must find some means of gaining
entrance to the Topham residence!

"I can't very well climb through a window, much as I would like to,"
she laughed. "And if I pay a social call upon the Tophams, they're sure
to be suspicious. We haven't been friendly for years, and since Ada and
Isabel discovered that I have taken an interest in the Horner girls,
they would be certain to question my motive in going to their house.
No, I must think of a good excuse!"

Presently, Nancy reached River Heights. She drove the roadster down the
boulevard and stopped in front of her home. As she stepped out and was
preparing to go into the house, she heard her name called. Wheeling
about, she saw a girl running toward her. It was one of Nancy's chums,
Helen Corning.

"Hello, Nancy," Helen called. "I haven't seen you for days. Where do
you keep yourself?"

Nancy laughed as she greeted her chum.

"Oh, I've been especially busy lately. Come into the house and we'll
have a chat."

"Oh, I can't, Nancy. I wouldn't be up this way, but I'm trying to sell
tickets for a charity dance."

"How many have you sold?"

"I have six left." Helen sighed. "It's a thankless job."

"I'll take two if that will help you out," Nancy offered.

"Will it help me? Say, if I ever get rid of these tickets I'm going to
dance a hornpipe. If I don't sell them this afternoon it's going to fix
it so I can't start for Moon Lake. I wish I'd never promised to sell
the things!"

"Moon Lake?" Nancy asked, in surprise.

"Yes, I'm going to a girls' camp there. I had planned to leave
to-night; but unless I get rid of these tickets I don't see how I can.
I wish you were going with me to Moon Lake, Nancy."

"So do I, Helen."

"Why don't you come along then?"

"Oh, I can't," Nancy protested. "I'm involved in something important
and I can't get away. I'd love to go though--really, I would."

"Well, if you find you can make it later, just hop into your roadster
and come along. I'll be there for two weeks. That is, if I ever get rid
of these charity tickets. I can't leave until I've sold them. I'd pay
for them out of my allowance, only I've spent it already."

"You are in difficulties," Nancy laughed. She reached in her purse.
"How much are the tickets, Helen?"

"Two dollars each. How many will you take?"

"Oh, give me two."

As Helen extended the tickets, a sudden thought struck Nancy Drew. A
pleased light broke over her face.

"I have an idea, Helen! I'll sell all of your tickets for you! How will
that suit you?"

"You're not joking?"

"Never was more serious in my life."

"Then the tickets are yours. But let me warn you it won't be easy to
sell them."

"I'll enjoy trying it."

"Well, I must say you have queer ideas of fun," Helen commented
dryly. "But I'll not argue with you. This will be fine for me. Now
I'll be able to start for camp this afternoon. Here are the tickets."
She handed them over with evident pleasure. "Good luck to you, Nancy.
You'll need it!"

After Helen Corning had gone on down the street, Nancy Drew walked
slowly toward the house. She regarded the charity tickets meditatively
and chuckled softly to herself.

"That's once when I killed two birds with one stone! These tickets will
serve as my passport to the impregnable Topham fortress!"




                              CHAPTER XI

                         VISITING THE TOPHAMS


It was nearly three o'clock of the following afternoon when Nancy Drew
paused in front of the Topham residence on Highland Boulevard. She
surveyed the structure with distaste.

The house was a large, pretentious affair of nondescript type. It was
set back from the street and seemed to look down rather aloofly upon
the surrounding homes. Even a casual glance at the lawn revealed that
it had been "landscaped" with a vengeance. In an effort to "do it in
proper style," Mrs. Topham had crowded the yard with sundials, benches,
bird houses, and statues.

"Such lack of taste!" Nancy thought, as she walked up the path to the
house.

She lifted the knocker on the front door. Nancy Drew realized that the
interview was apt to be an unpleasant one, and she braced herself for
the ordeal.

"I must be diplomatic," she advised herself, "or I'll not learn a thing
about that clock. If they suspect what I am about, they may bounce me
out on my ear!"

At that moment a uniformed butler opened the door and condescendingly
waited for Nancy to state her mission.

"Tell Mrs. Topham that Miss Drew is calling," she directed. "I am
selling tickets for the charity dance. It's one of the most important
social functions of the year. I am sure Mrs. Topham will wish to
attend."

Nancy was forced to wait until the butler returned with permission
for her to enter. As she was finally ushered into the living room,
she could not help but smile at the elaborate formality, for in spite
of Mrs. Topham's lofty ambitions, the woman had never achieved the
commanding position in society that she strove for.

The room in which Nancy found herself was even more bizarre than she
had anticipated. Expensive oriental rugs clashed with window draperies
of a different hue. The walls were heavy with paintings which were
entirely out of place in such a small room, and period furniture had
been added indiscriminately.

But Nancy Drew was not interested in Mrs. Topham's lack of taste. As
soon as the butler had left her alone she hastily glanced about. Almost
at once her eye fastened upon a mantel clock which rested above the
fireplace.

"I wonder if that can be the Crowley clock?" Nancy thought.

She rather doubted it, for the clock was too modern in appearance. She
would have crossed the room to examine it, but a sound in the hall
caused her to hesitate. As she heard someone coming she sank down on an
uncomfortable ladder-back chair and assumed an expression of composure.

Mrs. Topham sailed grandly into the room and after surveying her for a
minute, took a seat opposite Nancy.

"Well?" she demanded coldly. "What is it?"

"I am selling tickets for the----"

"I don't want them!" Mrs. Topham broke in rudely. "I can't be handing
out my money to every peddler that comes along."

"Mrs. Topham, I am not a peddler," Nancy said cuttingly, as the color
mounted to her cheeks. With difficulty she kept her temper in check.
"Perhaps you didn't understand my name. I am Nancy Drew."

"Oh." A slight change came over Mrs. Topham's face, for she was fully
aware that Carson Drew and his daughter were cordially welcomed in
River Heights homes which merely tolerated the Tophams or, in a few
cases, barred them. "I didn't catch the name, Miss Drew. What is it you
are selling?"

"Tickets for the charity dance."

"Well, I hardly know what to say," Mrs. Topham hedged.

It was apparent that she was afraid to offend Nancy, and yet she was
unwilling to part with the money. Although the Tophams were well-to-do,
it was common knowledge that Mrs. Topham was decidedly stingy where
other persons were concerned.

"How much are the tickets?"

"Two dollars each."

"Why, that's positively exorbitant!" Mrs. Topham protested.

"But we are selling the tickets for charity," Nancy explained. "I
assure you the cause is an excellent one."

Before Mrs. Topham could reply, the front door opened and Isabel and
Ada entered the house. Unaware of the visitor, they paused in the hall
and carried on a disgruntled conversation. Evidently, they had been
making social calls and were angry because some woman had refused to
see them.

"Her maid said she wasn't at home, but I know she was," Nancy heard Ada
complain.

The two sisters entered the living room, and when they saw Nancy
stopped short and stared rudely at her. They did not speak a word of
greeting.

"Miss Drew is selling tickets to a dance," Mrs. Topham informed her
daughters.

"Don't buy them," Ada advised harshly. She had not forgotten the scene
in the department store and longed to avenge herself upon Nancy, whom
she considered responsible for her humiliation.

"But, Ada," Mrs. Topham protested feebly, "I thought it might help our
social standing to take a few tickets."

"Don't be silly, mother," Ada snapped. "You'll only waste your money.
We don't want to go, anyway."

"All right, I won't buy the tickets. Good afternoon, Miss Drew."

Reluctantly, Nancy arose. She was somewhat taken aback at the
unceremonious dismissal, for she had not accomplished the real purpose
of her visit.

As she turned, Nancy saw that Richard Topham blocked the door. He had
entered so quietly that his arrival had been unobserved.

"Just a minute, Miss Drew," he said. "How many tickets have you there?"

"Four," Nancy gasped in surprise.

"I'll take them all."

With a grand gesture, Richard Topham opened his pocketbook and
carelessly pulled out a twenty dollar bill.

"Keep the change," he ordered with assumed indifference. "Give it to
the charity."

"Richard!" his wife gazed at him with disapproval. "Have you lost your
mind? A twenty dollar bill!" she whispered.

"It's you who can't see beyond your nose," Mr. Topham retorted, but in
a low voice. "You're always trying to get into society, and then you
pass up a real opportunity. This donation will get our names into the
paper."

He slumped into the nearest chair, and, opening the afternoon paper,
buried himself in the stock page. Mrs. Topham knew that the matter
was closed, for she scarcely dared speak to her husband when he was
absorbed in the market reports. Nancy, too, realized that she had no
excuse for prolonging her stay.

"I really must be going," she said quickly. "What time is it, anyway?"

"There's a clock in front of you," Isabel told her pointedly.

[Illustration: "THERE'S A CLOCK IN FRONT OF YOU," ISABEL TOLD HER
POINTEDLY.]

"Why, so there is," Nancy returned pleasantly. She glanced at the
timepiece as though she had never seen it before. "Oh, surely that
can't be the old Crowley clock? I'm so interested in heirlooms."

"I should say not! This is a far more expensive clock than the
one Josiah Crowley left us," Mrs. Topham informed her caller
condescendingly.

"Indeed? But I suppose you still have the family clock stored away in
your attic. It's so hard to part with heirlooms." Cleverly, Nancy led
Mrs. Topham to further disclosures.

"It wasn't hard to part with that old-fashioned thing," Mrs. Topham
returned.

"We didn't want it cluttering up the attic," Isabel added. "Crowley
left so much old junk."

"We considered the clock entirely out of place in our modern home,"
Mrs. Topham continued; "so we sent it up to our bungalow on Moon Lake."

Unwittingly, Mrs. Topham had given Nancy the information which she
sought. The purpose of her visit accomplished, the girl politely
thanked the Tophams for the purchase of the charity tickets and quickly
took her leave.

As she walked down the path to the street she chuckled softly to
herself.

"The Tophams may be old schemers, but this time they weren't so clever!
Unless I am mistaken those tickets will prove the most expensive ones
they ever bought! Before they get through it may cost them the Crowley
fortune!"




                              CHAPTER XII

                           FOLLOWING A CLUE


Although highly elated at what she had learned from the Tophams, Nancy
Drew was at a loss to know how to proceed. Undoubtedly, the old Crowley
clock was set up in the bungalow at Moon Lake, but to get there was
another matter. Nancy was determined to profit by the information, but
was confronted with a number of serious problems.

Moon Lake was located among the hills forty miles away, and the roads
were not of the best. Nancy did not know the exact location of the
Topham cottage. Then, too, she needed an excuse for making the long
trip.

"If the Tophams learn I have gone to Moon Lake they may become
suspicious," she counseled herself. "I must think of some excuse to
broadcast as a smoke screen."

But try as she would, Nancy could think of nothing. She took a certain
amount of pride in her detective work, and now that she felt she had
struck a valuable clue, she did not wish to ask advice from her father.
She preferred to solve the mystery herself and then surprise him with
the solution.

At dinner that night, Nancy was unusually silent and Carson Drew
commented on her preoccupation.

"It seems to me you have been looking troubled lately," he observed.
"Do you feel well?"

"Never felt better in my life," Nancy laughed.

"Just the same, I believe you need a vacation. I realize that it isn't
easy for a girl your age to look after a big house like this. After a
time, the responsibility gets to be wearing."

"How stupid of me!" Nancy exclaimed.

In her excitement, she permitted a fork to fall from her hand and
clatter against the plate. Carson Drew, who did not comprehend what was
passing through his daughter's mind, looked at her in surprise.

"Stupid?" he inquired.

"Oh, I mean it was strange I didn't think of Helen Corning before
this," Nancy said hastily. "Helen is going to a girls' camp on Moon
Lake. I'm dying to go to Moon Lake! May I start the first thing in the
morning? I know I can get in. They have room for half a dozen more
girls, Helen said."

"I think it would be an excellent idea, Nancy. A nice rest will do
wonders for you. Go, by all means."

Nancy Drew was delighted that she had stumbled upon an excuse which
would make it appear natural for her to go to Moon Lake. Early the next
morning, after packing a suitcase, she started off in the roadster. As
it was not out of her way to go by the River Road, she decided to stop
at the Horners and give Grace the dress goods she had promised her.

As she drove in at the gate, one glance told Nancy that something was
wrong. She saw a number of dead chickens in the barnyard, and as the
Horner girls came toward her from the direction of the hen house, it
was evident that Allie had been crying.

"Why, what is the matter?" Nancy asked quickly.

"Oh, it's my chickens, Nancy. They're all dying. I can't understand
it. This morning when I went to feed them I found ten dead. I'm so
discouraged."

"And yesterday a fox took two," Grace added. "I guess fate is against
us."

"I'm afraid I'll lose all of my chickens before I get through," Allie
declared unhappily. "I don't know what is killing them. They seem to
have a strange disease."

"Allie is all broken up," Grace said quietly. "She's worked so hard
with her chickens. Most of them are pets. And then, we need the money
so badly. Now that dressmaking has fallen off, the chicken money is
our only means of support."

"Please, won't you let me help?" Nancy begged reaching for her
pocketbook. "Accept a little loan to tide you over?"

Grace shook her head firmly.

"Thank you for your kindness, Nancy; but we can't take your money.
We'll manage somehow."

"If only Uncle Josiah had provided for us!" Allie sighed. "You haven't
learned anything more about the second will, Nancy?"

"I haven't anything definite to report," Nancy replied, evading the
question. She did not wish to raise false hope and she thought it best
not to tell of her discovery. "But I'm still hoping we'll be able to
trace the will."

"I doubt it," Grace commented pessimistically.

"I'm on my way to Moon Lake now," Nancy told the girls. "I stopped
here to deliver the dress goods." She handed a package to Grace. "The
pattern is inside and I'm easy to fit, so you'll have no trouble."

Grace's face brightened as she accepted the bundle.

"Oh, Nancy, I can't thank you----"

"It is I who should thank you," Nancy laughed. "And now let me pay for
the dress in advance."

Again Grace stubbornly shook her head.

"Not until the work is finished. That isn't good business."

Nancy saw that Grace and Allie were too proud to accept help, and
regretfully abandoned the idea of trying to give them money.

"I'll come back in a few days for a fitting," she promised, as she
prepared to drive away.

Nancy's talk with the Horner girls had left her rather depressed, for
she realized that in spite of their pride, Allie and Grace would soon
be forced to accept charity. Oh, if only she could help them!

"And poor old Abigail," Nancy thought. "If Josiah Crowley had used a
grain of sense, things wouldn't be in such a muddle."

Nancy soon branched off from the River Road and headed south toward
Moon Lake. The highway was little traveled and it was necessary for
her to devote all of her attention to driving. The road had not been
dragged after a recent rain and the ruts were deep. Jagged rocks and
stones were scattered in the path, and it seemed to Nancy that the
hills went straight up and straight down.

Presently, she noticed that the roadster had taken a strange notion to
turn to the left of the road in spite of her efforts to keep it in the
middle. Not without foreboding of trouble, she stopped the car and got
out to make a tour of inspection. As she had suspected, a rear tire was
flat.

"A puncture!" Nancy murmured in disgust. "If that isn't just my luck!
Oh, well, I suppose I must fix it myself, because there won't be
another car along for an hour on this road."

It was not the first time Nancy Drew had changed a tire, but she never
relished the task. Rummaging under the seat, she pulled out the tools
and quickly jacked up the rear axle. She loosened the lugs which held
the tire in place, and tugged at it. Again and again she pulled, but
the huge balloon tire could not be budged. Then, as she gave one mighty
tug, it came off and Nancy Drew fell backwards into a sitting posture
in the road.

"Well, it's off, anyway," she told herself with satisfaction, as she
brushed the dirt from her clothing.

It required but a few minutes to put on the spare tire and fasten the
old one to the rear of the car. Then, in relief, Nancy started on her
way again, but the accident had delayed her nearly an hour.

It was after twelve o'clock when at last she came within sight of Camp
Avondale, where Helen Corning was staying. Through the tall trees she
caught a glimpse of a long row of shacks and saw the smoke rising from
the cook house. Beyond, the blue lake sparkled and glimmered in the
sunlight.

As Nancy drove into the camp, a group of girls gathered about the
roadster. Helen Corning came running out of a cabin to greet her chum.

"Girls, it's Nancy Drew!" she exclaimed enthusiastically. "Now the fun
will start! Park your car over there back of the cook house, Nancy."

"Am I too late for dinner?" Nancy demanded. "I'm nearly starved."

"You're just in time," Helen assured her. "Oh, Nancy, I'm so glad you
came."

"So am I."

"How long can you stay?"

"Oh, I don't know. Until you get tired of me probably."

"Then you'll stay for the rest of the summer," Helen laughed.

Nancy was escorted to the main building of the camp, where she met the
lady in charge and registered.

"She is to stay with me," said Helen; and so it was arranged.

When the girls walked off Nancy told Helen about selling the charity
dance tickets and gave her the money paid by Mr. Topham.

"He surely was generous," said Helen, in surprise.

"He did it just to show off," declared Nancy. "I am positive of it."

Nancy scarcely had time to deposit her suitcase under her cot and
freshen up a bit from her long ride, when dinner was called. The food
was plain but substantial, and already she discovered that she had
developed an enormous appetite.

Dinner over, she was rushed from one thing to another. The girls
insisted that Nancy join them in a hike. She returned to camp with a
desire for a good rest, but Helen Corning had other plans.

"We're all going for a ride in the launch before supper," she declared.

"Don't you ever rest here?" Nancy groaned.

"Oh, yes--at night. This is your first day here. You'll be used to it
in a day or so."

"Either that or I'll be a wreck."

"But you don't want to miss the launch ride, Nancy. You'll have a
splendid opportunity to see all the summer cottages on Moon Lake."

"Summer cottages?" Nancy asked quickly. Instantly she thought of the
Topham bungalow and wondered where it was located. Undoubtedly, the
launch ride would give her the opportunity to find out.

"You'll go, won't you?" Helen begged. "You can rest after supper."

"Yes, I'll go," Nancy promised. "You couldn't keep me here."

Although she was tired, she was really enjoying herself immensely.

Six girls loaded themselves into the launch and someone started the
motor.

"It's always a relief when the engine starts," Helen explained. "Every
so often it balks."

As the little launch turned out into the lake, it seemed to Nancy that
she had never seen a more beautiful sight. The sun, which appeared to
be sinking down into the water, resembled a great ball of fire. Yet,
she did not forget the real purpose of the trip.

"The Tophams have a bungalow up here, haven't they?" she questioned.

"Yes, it's across the lake from here. We'll come to it presently."

"The Tophams aren't there now?"

"Oh, no, the cottage is closed. There's a negro caretaker who looks
after it--they call him Jeff Tucker."

"Is it hard to get to the place?"

"Oh, not if you go by launch. But it's a long way if you take the road
around the lake. I didn't know you were particularly interested in the
Tophams, Nancy."

"Oh, they're no friends of mine," Nancy returned hastily. "I was
merely curious."

After a time, as the launch chugged along close to the shore, Helen
waved her hand toward a bungalow which was set back some distance from
the water.

"The Tophams own that one," she informed her chum.

Eagerly, Nancy turned her head and looked. She told herself that she
would remember the location.

"We're going to have a wonderful time here together," Helen chatted
happily on. "Next week there's going to be a big dance, too. Oh,
there's so much of interest at Moon Lake, Nancy! You'll stay, won't
you?"

Involuntarily, Nancy's eyes swept the shore and came to rest on the
Topham bungalow.

"You're right, Helen," she agreed heartily. "There are a number of
interesting things here! Yes, if you want me to, I'll stay."




                             CHAPTER XIII

                             AN ADVENTURE


Nancy Drew had made up her mind to visit the Topham cottage the very
next day, but in making her plans she had counted without Helen Corning
and her friends. They were unwilling that she should be alone even for
a minute.

From the moment she awoke in the morning and sniffed the fragrant
odor of the pines, she was rushed from one thing to another. After a
breakfast of fruit, fried eggs, crisp bacon, and hot corn bread, she
was pressed into a tennis game. The afternoon was devoted to swimming
and water polo. By evening Nancy Drew was so tired she could scarcely
keep her eyes open, and she was thankful for the opportunity of
tumbling into bed.

"To-morrow I simply must find a way to visit the Topham cottage," she
told herself just before she dropped off to sleep.

Immediately after breakfast the following morning, Helen Corning
announced the plan for the day.

"The girls have decided on an all-day hike into the woods, Nancy.
You'll go, won't you?" Nancy groaned.

"You're wearing me to a frazzle, Helen. Please let me off this time.
I'd like to stay in camp to-day and just rest up."

"Well, all right," Helen agreed unwillingly. "I'll stay with you."

"Oh, no!" Nancy protested vigorously. "I won't let you do that! You
like to hike so well. Please go on. I'll have a good time all by
myself. Really, I will."

"I don't like to leave you, Nancy. But if you insist----"

"I do, Helen. Please don't worry about me. I'll have a good time here.
If you don't mind, I may take the launch out while you're gone."

"If you do, you'd better not go far," Helen advised her. "We girls
bought it second-hand for a song, and it's my private opinion the
engine isn't much good."

"I'll be careful," Nancy promised.

She could scarcely hide her eagerness to be off, but she was forced to
wait until Helen and her friends had started on their hike. It seemed
to Nancy that they would never leave, but at last they trudged away
with their knapsacks slung over their shoulders.

"You'll wish you had gone, too!" Helen called back over her shoulder.

As soon as the girls were out of sight, Nancy hurried down to the
launch which was tied to the dock not far from the camp. She examined
the engine. She had frequently handled motor boats, but never one of
this particular make.

"I believe I can manage it all right, if only I can get the engine
started," Nancy told herself.

She discovered a pin sunk in the rim of a flywheel, and after adjusting
other parts, pulled it out rather timidly. She gave the wheel a
vigorous turn to the right. She tried again, swinging it farther and
snapping back hard. To her delight the engine began to roar.

Cutting down the motor, Nancy steered out into deep water. At first she
followed the shore, but as she became more familiar with the wheel and
as the engine appeared to work perfectly, she headed out into the lake.

Nancy experienced a real thrill as the little launch responded to her
hand. The lake was as smooth as glass, and there was scarcely a cloud
in the sky. As the launch cut through the water a tiny spray blew in
Nancy's face, but she did not mind.

Far ahead she could see the opposite shore, and she headed straight for
the point where she knew the Topham bungalow was located.

"If only the caretaker will let me in when I get there!" she thought,
as she drew near her objective point.

But she was doomed never to reach the opposite shore that day, for
unexpectedly there was a miss in the steady throb of the engine. The
motor gave one long slow wheeze and died.

"Oh, what can have happened to it now?" Nancy cried anxiously. "I can't
have run out of gasoline."

An examination of the tank revealed that it was nearly full. Nancy
studied the engine doubtfully. Like most girls, she had never
interested herself in the mechanics of what made wheels go around.

"Hateful thing!" she murmured. "I believe it stopped on purpose!"

Too late, Nancy recalled that her chum had warned her about the engine.
Now, as she glanced toward shore, she saw no hope of rescue. She was
within sight of the Topham bungalow, which appeared deserted, but miles
from her own camp.

For nearly an hour she worked over the engine, but her efforts were
useless. The stubborn motor refused to start.

"I'll have to sit out here all day," Nancy thought miserably. "This
means I won't get to visit the Topham cottage after all!"

It was especially tantalizing to be so close to the bungalow and yet
know that she could not reach it. Nancy was tempted to swim, but she
gave up the idea almost as quickly as it occurred to her, for she
realized that even if she reached the Topham bungalow she would have
no means of returning to camp. She decided that it would be better to
remain on the lake and wait for a passing boat to rescue her.

Slowly the hours dragged on, and the launch drifted farther and farther
from shore. Never had time seemed to pass so monotonously.

"There's one thing certain," Nancy Drew told herself. "If I ever get
out of this launch, I'll never set foot in it again!"

The camp boat seemed to be the only one on the lake, and as the day
wore on she began to wonder if she ever would be rescued. The sun beat
down upon her, and with the passing hours she became hungry as well as
uncomfortable.

"After to-day I'll never have another chance to visit the Topham
bungalow alone," she thought. "Helen means well, but she will stay with
me every minute. I think the best thing I can do is to tell her I am
starting for home to-morrow--that is, if I'm ever lucky enough to reach
shore. On my way back to River Heights I'll stop at the Topham cottage.
Helen will be disappointed, but it can't be helped."

For want of other occupation, Nancy turned her attention again to the
engine. When the sun sank into the water several hours later, she was
still bending over it, a determined look in her eyes.

"There!" she muttered as she straightened up. "I've certainly done
enough to it. If it won't go now, it never will."

She gave the wheel a vicious swing, and, to her astonishment, the
engine began its steady roar as unconcerned as though it had never
stopped.

"If that isn't the limit!" Nancy exclaimed in wonder.

Hopefully, she glanced toward the shore, but already shadows were
beginning to lurk among the trees and she knew that in less than an
hour it would be dark.

"It's too late to visit the bungalow to-night," she decided
regretfully. "I'd better get back to camp before this engine changes
its mind again."

Obedient to her will, the little launch plowed through the water toward
camp, its engine laboring faithfully. As she eased up to the dock,
Nancy saw Helen and her friends just trudging into camp. They hailed
her with delight.

"I'm nearly dead," Helen announced. "You were smart to stay in camp,
Nancy." She stopped abruptly and stared at her chum. "Why, you're all
sunburned, and you're covered with grease! What have you been doing?"

"Taking a sunbath," Nancy laughed. "By the way, Helen, you were right
about that engine; but I don't think it will give you any more trouble
this summer. Anyway, I've donated eight hours to the cause."

"Eight hours!" Helen gasped. "You've not been out on the lake all that
time?"

"It served me right, I guess. I should have gone on the hike."

But while Nancy made light of her adventure, she was disappointed.
She had wasted a day, and time was precious. Would she ever reach the
Topham bungalow? So far she had been thwarted at every turn.




                              CHAPTER XIV

                         AN EXCITING DISCOVERY


"Nancy Drew, why are you packing that suitcase? You're not leaving camp
already?"

Helen Corning, entering the cabin which she shared with Nancy, stopped
in the doorway and stared in amazement at her chum, who was folding
wearing apparel carefully into her suitcase.

"I'm afraid I must leave this afternoon," Nancy admitted regretfully.

"But you've been here only three days," Helen protested. "Don't you
like the camp?"

"Oh, I've had a wonderful time," Nancy cried impulsively. "And the
girls have been so nice to me. I'd love to stay, but I can't. There's
something important I must attend to at once."

"Can't it wait?"

"I'm afraid not. I've waited too long already."

"But the dance, Nancy! You don't want to miss it."

"I don't want to, Helen; but I really must go this afternoon."

"I can't understand what's made you change your mind so suddenly. It
wasn't that horrid experience in the launch, was it?"

Nancy Drew laughed and shook her head. She could not tell Helen her
real reason for departing. So long as she remained at camp she knew
that Helen and her friends would not leave her alone for a minute. It
would be impossible to visit the Topham bungalow on the opposite side
of the lake without offering explanations, and Nancy was unwilling to
disclose the purpose of her trip.

In spite of Helen's teasing, she remained firm in her decision to leave
camp. Directly after luncheon she slung her suitcase into the roadster
and took leave of the girls. Regretfully, they watched her go.

"Now, if only I can find my way to the Topham bungalow," Nancy thought.

The previous day she had casually inquired from Helen which road led to
the Topham bungalow, but the directions had been rather hazy. Coming to
a fork, she selected the left hand road which appeared to circle the
lake. As Helen had indicated, it was winding and narrow, and richly
sprinkled with sharp rocks.

From camp it was comparatively easy to reach the Topham bungalow by
launch, but the distance around the lake was nearly eight miles. Nancy
was forced to drive slowly, and had she met another car it would have
been difficult to have passed.

In places the road was muddy, for overhanging trees and bushes
protected the moist earth from the rays of the sun. The going was
especially hard because of two deep ruts which apparently had been made
by a heavy truck.

"I wonder what a truck was doing up this road?" Nancy mused somewhat
curiously. "The tracks appear to have been made to-day too."

As she drove along, she noticed a number of summer cottages, but as the
season was late nearly all were boarded up. At last she came within
sight of a clearing, and through the trees caught a glimpse of the
Topham bungalow.

"I hope I'll find the caretaker," she thought. "I'd certainly hate to
go back without seeing him."

Not without a feeling of anxiety, she stopped the roadster at the edge
of the road. To her surprise, she observed that the tracks made by the
truck did not continue further. Apparently, the truck had turned in
toward the bungalow. Nancy hurried up the path. As she emerged from
among the trees, she stopped short and stared ahead in amazement.

The entire camp was in disorder. The front door of the bungalow had
been flung wide open and the side doors were likewise ajar.

An overturned chair had been dropped carelessly on the porch, and a
trail of knickknacks stretched from the house to the path. The grass
had been trampled, and there were peculiar marks in the soft earth.

"There's something strange about this," Nancy murmured.

Quickly, she bent down to examine the marks which were clearly visible.
At a glance she saw that the footprints had been caused by heavy boots
and there were long lines evidently caused by dragging boxes and
furniture across the lawn.

"I think I'm beginning to see the light," Nancy told herself. "Now I
know what that truck was doing on this road. Unquestionably, it was a
moving van, and it came here."

Again she examined the imprints in the soft earth.

"These marks couldn't have been made more than an hour ago, at the
latest," she decided.

As she hurried on up the path, it appeared to Nancy that the camp was
deserted. There was no sign of Jeff Tucker, the colored caretaker in
whose care the bungalow had been entrusted.

Reaching the veranda, Nancy knocked loudly on the door. When there was
no response, she boldly entered.

"What can this mean?" she asked herself in dismay, as she stared at the
sight before her.

The living room was in confusion. Save for a few pieces, it was bare of
furniture. Even the draperies and curtains had been ripped from their
rods. The rugs were missing, as was everything else of value.

To Nancy's astonishment she found that with the exception of one room
the entire house had been ransacked. Only one bedroom had been left
practically untouched, and as she stepped into it, she noticed that the
rug had been rolled up and securely tied as though in preparation for
moving.

As Nancy gazed at the disorder about her, she searched her mind for an
explanation. What could it mean?

"It looks like a case of ordinary robbery to me," she reasoned.

Nancy had frequently read of cases where the summer homes of wealthy
persons had been stripped of furniture and rugs by unscrupulous
robbers who sold the valuables to second-hand dealers and fences. In
recent years there had been a number of thefts in the vicinity of Moon
Lake, and as a protective measure many of the cottage owners employed
caretakers the year around.

What had become of Jeff Tucker, the colored man who had been left in
charge of the Topham bungalow? The place seemed deserted.

Nancy realized that the Topham bungalow, which had been expensively
furnished, would offer a rich prize for thieves. Now, as she viewed
the evidence, the suspicion which lurked in her mind developed into
firm conviction. She was certain that robbers had ransacked the place,
carrying off nearly everything of value.

"They must have taken the Crowley clock too," Nancy told herself with a
sinking heart. "If they have, I'll never set eyes on it!"

A feeling of desperation came over the girl as she realized that again
she had been thwarted. It seemed almost as though a cruel fate had
ordained that the mystery of the missing Crowley will should forever
remain unsolved.

"It's barely possible the robbers overlooked the clock," Nancy thought
hopefully.

She began to look about in nooks and corners of the bungalow. She
opened closets and poked about in drawers, but her search was in vain.
She found no clock.

As Nancy returned to the bedroom, she regarded it meditatively. Why had
the robbers left this one room practically untouched? Certainly the
furniture was as valuable as that which they had taken. Unquestionably,
the thieves had intended to strip the room, for they had rolled up the
rug.

"I wonder if they heard me coming and were frightened away?" Nancy
asked herself. "I didn't see a sign of their truck, and yet I'm sure
they couldn't have left here many minutes before I arrived."

As the thought occurred to her, she glanced uneasily over her shoulder.
She realized that she was buried in a wilderness some miles from the
nearest house, and the knowledge that unscrupulous men were in the
vicinity was anything but reassuring.

"What if those robbers should still be around here?" flashed through
her mind.

As Nancy Drew listened tensely, the very silence of the empty house was
startling. A strange feeling came over her.

She could almost sense that someone was watching her every movement.




                              CHAPTER XV

                         A DESPERATE SITUATION


"How silly of me to be afraid!" Nancy Drew laughed nervously. "Probably
there isn't a person within miles of here!"

As she glanced about the bungalow it was with relief that she assured
herself the place was deserted. Yet, for some reason, she was unable
to free herself entirely from the feeling that an unseen danger lurked
in wait for her. The very walls seemed to smirk and grimace at her and
there was an ominous something in the air.

Now that Nancy felt certain that the Crowley clock had been stolen, she
was anxious to get away from the Topham bungalow as quickly as possible.

"I'll drive to the nearest town and report the robbery to the police,"
she decided. "Those men won't be able to travel very fast with a heavy
moving van. There's a chance that they may be caught yet."

Having made the decision, Nancy moved toward the front door. Passing
a window, she chanced to glance out, and what she saw caused her to
pause in sheer fright.

A heavy-set man with a cap pulled low over his eyes was coming up the
path toward the house.

For a moment, Nancy Drew was held in a paralysis of fear. She was
positive that the man who was coming toward her was one of the members
of the robber band.

Only an instant did the girl hesitate. Then she turned and ran back
into the bedroom. Too late she saw that she had trapped herself, for
this room had no outside door.

Nancy started back toward the living room, but before she had taken
half a dozen steps she realized that her escape had been cut off from
that direction. The man had reached the veranda steps.

Frantically, she glanced about for a hiding place. The bedroom closet
offered the only possible refuge, and with scarcely an instant's
hesitation she stepped into it and closed the door behind her.

Nancy was not a minute too soon. Scarcely had she shut the door when
she heard the heavy tread of a man's hobnail shoes on the floor.
Peeping cautiously out through a tiny crack in the door, she saw a
rough-looking man come into the bedroom. His face was cold and cruel.

As he turned toward the closet where she huddled, Nancy Drew held
her breath, scarcely daring to breathe naturally lest her presence
be detected. Apparently, the man noticed nothing amiss, for his eyes
rested only casually on the closet door.

Nancy's hiding place was anything but comfortable. It was dark and
musty and old clothing hung from nails. As dust assailed her nostrils,
she held a handkerchief to her face lest she sneeze.

"If I sneeze they'll be sure to find me," she told herself. "They'll
know well enough it isn't an animal, even a cat."

She felt around and once came close to catching her hand on a sharp
nail. Then she felt something soft on a shelf and imagined it was a
sleeping cat. She drew back, then felt more cautiously.

"Only an old fur cap," she told herself, in disgust, "and probably full
of moths. Gracious, now I feel like sneezing worse than ever!"

She held her hand over her mouth hard and waited in agony. But
presently the desire to sneeze passed and Nancy breathed more freely.

When she dared to peep out through the crack a second time, she saw
that two other men had come into the room. From their appearance she
knew that they must be members of the robber gang. The first man
seemed to be their leader, for he proceeded to issue orders.

"Get a move on!" he growled. "We haven't got all day unless we want to
be caught. Take that dresser out of here first."

The two men lifted the heavy piece of furniture and started with it to
the door. But they did not move swiftly enough to satisfy the leader,
and he berated them savagely.

"If you were in such a hurry why didn't you back the van up to the door
instead of leaving it hidden in the bushes?" one of the men retorted
angrily.

"Yes, and have someone see us from the road!" sneered the leader.

"Well, carry this out yourself if you think it's so light!"

From her hiding place, Nancy Drew watched the men as they deliberately
stripped the room of everything valuable. Piece by piece they carried
out the furniture, but the girl was given no opportunity to escape, for
the leader of the gang remained in the room while the others made the
trip to the van.

"Well, I guess we have everything now," the leader muttered at last.

He turned to follow his companions, who already had gone to the truck,
but in the doorway paused for a last careful survey of the room.

At that fateful moment there came a muffled sneeze from the closet.

The robber wheeled about. Walking directly to the closet, he flung open
the door and exposed poor Nancy, who was crouching in the far corner.
Angrily, he jerked her out.

"Spying on us, eh?" he snarled.

Nancy Drew eyed the man defiantly.

"I wasn't spying."

"Then what were you doing in that closet?"

"I came to see the caretaker."

"Looking for him in a funny place, ain't you?" sneered the man.

Nancy realized that she was in a desperate situation. The look on the
robber's face frightened her.

"I heard someone coming and I was afraid," she explained lamely.

"Well, it was unhealthy business that brought you here," the man told
her sharply. "What did you hear in that closet?" Without giving her an
opportunity to answer the question, he added with a scowl: "I warn you
this will be the last time you'll ever stick your nose in business that
doesn't concern you!"

As Nancy saw the expression on the man's face, there was no mistaking
the ugly threat. One glance assured her that she could expect no mercy.
The hopelessness of her situation gave her the courage to defy him.

"I didn't hear much, but I saw plenty!" she cried. "You're nothing but
a common thief, and if I get the chance I'll turn you and your gang
over to the police!"

"If you get the chance--that's good." The robber laughed mirthlessly.
"I'll do with you as I did the caretaker."

"The caretaker!" Nancy gasped in horror. "What have you done with him?"

"You'll find out all in good time."'

The man held Nancy's wrists in a viselike grip. Her efforts to free
herself were of no avail.

"It won't do you any good to try to get away," her captor informed her.

Nancy was desperate. Suddenly, utilizing every ounce of her strength,
she gave her imprisoned wrists a quick upward jerk. As the action tore
her hands free, she darted for the door.

With a cry of rage, the robber was after her. Almost in one long leap
he overtook her, caught her roughly by the arm, and forced her against
the wall.

"Not much you don't!" he snarled.

[Illustration: "NOT MUCH YOU DON'T," HE SNARLED.]

Nancy Drew struggled this way and that. She twisted and squirmed. She
kicked and clawed. But she was powerless in the grip of the man.

"Little wildcat! You won't do any more scratching when I get through
with you!"

"Let me go!" Nancy cried, struggling harder.

The man half-carried, half-dragged her across the room. Opening the
closet door, he flung her roughly inside.

Nancy heard a key turn in the lock. The sliding of a bolt into place
followed.

"Now you can starve for all I care!" the man laughed harshly.

Then the steady tramp of his heavy boots across the floor told Nancy
Drew that he had left the house.




                              CHAPTER XVI

                            LEFT TO STARVE


When the sound of the footsteps had died away, Nancy Drew was overcome
with panic. A feeling of desperation came over her. She realized that
the robber had dared to carry out his ugly threat. He had locked her in
the closet and had left her there to starve.

At first Nancy was too frightened to think logically. She beat
frantically upon the door with her fists, but the heavy oak panels did
not give.

"Help! Help!" she screamed.

At last, exhausted by her efforts to force the door open, she fell down
upon the floor, a dejected, crushed little figure.

"Maybe those men will come back later and let me out," she tried to
encourage herself. "Surely, they can't be so heartless as to leave me
here to starve."

But even as the thought came to her, she heard the muffled roar of a
heavy truck as it passed the Topham bungalow on the way to the road.
With a feeling of utter hopelessness, Nancy heard the van depart. She
knew for a certainty the cruel, hardened rascals were indifferent to
her plight. They had abandoned her to a horrible fate.

The house was as silent as a tomb. Although Nancy had little hope that
there was anyone within miles of the cottage, she again raised her
voice and shouted for help. Her cries echoed through the empty house
and seemed to mock her.

"Oh, why didn't I have sense enough to tell Helen Corning where I was
going!" she thought miserably. "She believed I was starting for home.
The girls will never dream that I came here."

And her father thought that she intended to remain at the camp for a
week! He would not become alarmed over her absence until it was too
late. Oh, if only she had never left her home in River Heights!

"Someone may find my roadster at the side of the road," Nancy reasoned,
"but it isn't very likely. Few persons pass this way so late in the
season."

What had become of Jeff Tucker, the caretaker? Certainly she could
expect no aid from that quarter. The robber had hinted that he had
done away with the old colored man, and, knowing the character of the
rascals, it was impossible not to believe the worst.

As the full significance of the situation dawned upon the girl, panic
again took possession of her. In a desperate attempt to break down the
door, she threw her weight against it again and again. She pounded upon
the panels until her fingers were bruised and bleeding.

At last she sank down on the floor to rest and tried to force herself
to reason calmly.

"I'm only wasting my strength this way. I must try to think logically.
If I don't, I'm lost."

Nancy Drew recalled that she had once read that it was possible to pick
a lock with a hair-pin. Feeling in her hair, she found a heavy wire one
and began to work at the lock. But in the darkness she could not see
and she made little progress. After fifteen minutes she gave the task
up in disgust.

"It's no use," she decided miserably. "I'm afraid I'll never get out."

She began to think of her father, of Helen Corning, and other dear
friends. Would she ever see them again? As despondency claimed Nancy
she was dangerously near tears. Resolutely, she tried to shake off the
mood.

"This will never do," she told herself sternly. "Surely, there is a way
to get out of here. I must keep my head and try to think of something."

After a time, as a new idea occurred to the girl, she began to rummage
about in the closet, hoping that by some lucky chance she might find
a tool which would help her force the lock of the door. She searched
carefully through the pockets of every garment which hung from the
hooks. She groped over every inch of the floor.

She found nothing of value, and the cloud of dust which was stirred
up made breathing more difficult than before. The closet had become
uncomfortably warm by this time.

Then unexpectedly, Nancy's head struck something hard. Quickly
investigating, she discovered a narrow wooden rod suspended overhead.
Evidently it had once been used for dress and coat hangers as it was
fastened to either wall and ran the length of the closet.

"If I could get that rod down, I might be able to use it to break out a
panel of the door," Nancy thought hopefully. "It feels strong and it's
about the right size."

She tugged at the rod with all her might. To her satisfaction, one side
gave. Another hard jerk brought the rod down on her head.

To her bitter disappointment, Nancy found as she examined the rod that
it was too long to use as a ram. But after a little experimentation,
she discovered that she could press it into service as a wedge.

Inserting it in the crack between the hinges, she threw all of her
weight against the rod. At first the door did not budge.

"Archimedes didn't know what he was talking about when he said the
world could be moved with a lever," Nancy murmured. "I'd like to see
him move this door!"

As she applied steady pressure to the rod a second time, she saw that
the hinges were beginning to give. Encouraged, she applied more force.

"It's coming!" she cried.

Once more she threw her weight against the rod. A hinge tore from the
casing and the door sagged. It was now easy to insert the wedge, and
Nancy knew that success would soon be hers.

Then, just as another hinge gave way, she was startled to hear
footsteps. Someone came running into the bedroom, and a heavy body
hurled itself against the door of the closet.

The unexpected action stunned Nancy. Could it be that one of the
robbers had heard the noise she had made and had returned to make sure
that she did not escape? She discarded the theory as quickly as it came
to her. The robbers were far too wise to tarry, once their disgraceful
work had been accomplished. Then, too, she had heard their moving van
leave.

Frantically, Nancy rattled the door knob.

"Oh, you is a caged lion, dis time," a rather unsteady voice remarked.
"You is one o' dese tough robber boys, is you? Well, you won't do no
mo' pilferrin', 'cause I done got you surrounded."

"Let me out!" Nancy pleaded. "I'm not a robber!"

The sound of a feminine voice coming from the closet nonplussed the man.

"Say, robber boy, is you imitatin' a lady's voice to th'o' me off
de scent? If you is, it won't do no good 'cause I's a natural-born,
two-legged blood houn'."

Nancy thought of a way to convince him. She let go her longest and
loudest feminine scream.

"Dat's enough! Hold yo' siren! I'll let yo' out. Dar ain't a man in de
world could make a racket like dat! Dis way out, lady!"

Expectantly, Nancy waited, but the door did not open.

"My Lawdy!" she heard to her horror. "I's done gone and misplaced de
key!"




                             CHAPTER XVII

                          JEFF TUCKER'S STORY


There was another long wait and then, to her relief, Nancy Drew heard a
key turn in the lock and then a bolt shot back. Quickly she pushed the
closet door open and stepped out into the light.

She stood face to face with Jeff Tucker, the colored caretaker employed
by the Tophams. The robbers had led her to believe that they had harmed
the old fellow, and Nancy was glad to see him well and happy--albeit
a little too happy, for Jeff Tucker plainly had had a bit too much to
drink.

Jeff still knew very well what was going on about him, but a certain
alcoholic glitter in his eyes and his somewhat unsteady stance informed
Nancy that he was not just as sober as the proverbial judge. She
suspected that while he had been absent on his convivial celebration,
the robbers had made off with the Topham furniture, for even in his
condition of semi-inebriety Jeff seemed to realize that something was
amiss. He stared at Nancy, then his eyes roved about the topsy-turvy
room.

"Say, white gu'l, you tell me wheah all dis heah fu'niture is at!"

Nancy smiled in spite of herself at the old caretaker's bewilderment,
for try as he might, he evidently could not rationalize the situation.

"The most definite information I can give you," she said, "is that some
robbers carted it away. If you had been here attending to your duty, it
would never have happened."

"'At's right! 'At's right! Blame me! I ain't s'posed to be no standin'
ahmy--I's just a plain culled man with a wife and seven chillun
a-dependin' on me. No mom! I ain't havin' no truck wit' dem machine-gun
boys!"

Jeff paused and passed his hand over his forehead as if he were trying
to wipe away the alcoholic cobwebs that were accumulating about his
perceptive faculties. Then suddenly he pointed a bony finger at Nancy
and demanded:

"How come you heah?"

"That's a fine question for you to ask!" replied Nancy indulgently.
"But I don't mind telling you. I arrived just as the robbers were
hauling off the last of the furniture. They locked me in the closet. I
must have been there for hours."

"You was in dat dah closet all dat time!" Jeff's voice suddenly took
on a pathetic tone. "You po'h chile! Suppose you had o' stahved to
death in dah, or da house had burned down, or you was scared into fits,
or----"

"There now, Jeff. Don't take on about what might have happened to me.
I'm all right."

Nancy determined to try persuasion on the old fellow in order to find
out what had happened to him.

"Tell me where you were last night," she suggested gently.

"Well, Miss, it was dis heah way: I was out in dah yard a-chorin'
around last night and a-thinkin' how I wished I was some place whah
I wasn't--just any place, I didn't mind wheah. I was just all fed up
bein' a caih-taker and takin' caih o' all dis truck from mornin' till
night. It ain't such an excitin' life, Miss, and while I's done sowed
all mah wild oats, I still sows a little rye now and den."

"Yes, Jeff--I can smell that on your breath right now."

Jeff wiped the back of his hand over his mouth in an apparent effort to
keep his rye-laden breath from being propagated into the atmosphere.

"You cain't blame me, Miss," he protested. "_He_ give it to me."

"Who is this 'he'?"

"Why, dat white man who drives up in de big see-dan. He sees me out
thah and knows how lonesome and useless I feels, so he says: 'Jeff, hop
in. I know a place where!' So in I hops. Course I locked up dis heah
house and de bahn and seen dat everything was safe."

"Safe! From the looks of this room one could hardly call it that!"

"Oh, well, Miss, it looked safe and I felt safe too when we whizzed off
in dat big cah. Den dis white man he says: 'Jeff, how about a little
drink?' An' I says, 'I don't mind, seein' it's you.' Den I had one
and some mo' too I guess, cause aftah while I didn't feel like I was
ridin' in no automobeel at all. I thought dat de chariot had done gone
an' swung low an' I was a-bein' wafted off to some place in de gen'ral
direction o' heaven!"

"Well, that was a fine thing to do, I must say," Nancy commented. "Then
what happened?"

"I comes to. I sees I ain't in no chariot no mo' but I's in a ho-tel.
And I's in bed and I's feelin' pow'ful sickish-like and discouraged.
Well, I gets my clo'es on and I sees mah keys to de house is done been
pilfehed. Den I tries to recollect what done come to pass and I gets
s'picious. I says to myself, 'Jeff, how come dat white man so friendly?
How come he give you drinks dat costs fo' dollars a pint. How come you
ain't got no keys? Black boy, bestir yo'self. And here I is!"

"Oh, yes, you're here all right," Nancy returned severely. "And a fine
mess you've made of it, too. What do you think Mrs. Topham will say
when she learns?"

Jeff rolled his eyes.

"Lawdy, Miss! What _will_ she say? I reckon I's done gone and
discharged myself."

"It would be only what you deserve, Jeff. You were unfaithful to your
trust."

"What you mean, Miss, trust? I don't trust nobody no mo'--especially no
foot-loose white boys a-travelin' around in see-dans."

"You don't understand. I mean you didn't treat Mrs. Topham right in
going off."

"I reckon you's right, Miss. Ole Jeff done gone and made a fool of
himself. I realize dat whatever I gets, I's got it a-comin'."

A tear rolled out on Jeff's black, furrowed old cheek, and he wiped it
away with his handkerchief.

"There, Jeff," Nancy said consolingly. "Let's forget about what has
been done and think about what we can do to straighten things out. I'll
try to help you. We must report the robbery to the police right away.
Is there a telephone in the house?"

"No, Miss. We ain't got no telephone heah. We always uses de R. F. D."

"Then we shall have to go to town as quickly as we can in my car. Do
you suppose that you would recognize the man who enticed you away,
Jeff?"

"Say, would I 'member him? I'd recognize dat man in a bootleggah's
convention. He was tall an' slick-lookin' with a kind of a 'gimme' look
in his eyes. Yes mom! I suah would know dat baby!"

Before leading the way to her roadster, Nancy Drew thought of the old
Crowley clock again and all that it might mean in the solving of the
mystery of the will. Jeff, as caretaker, would surely know whether or
not it was in the bungalow before the robbery.

"Tell me something, Jeff," she said. "Was there an old clock in the
house--a tall, square-faced, mantel clock?"

"Yes, Miss. But all I ever done to it was dust it. I never wound it up
to see if it would run. I's got a watch o' my own." Jeff punctuated his
remarks by taking a large, silver, open-face watch from his pocket and
holding it to his ear. "She's done run down too. I reckon dat I was in
dat ho-tel when I should o' been tendin' to dis watch."

"Never mind the watch, Jeff. You're sure there was a clock in the house
then?"

"Oh, I's dead rights on dat, Miss. Dar suah was! I recollects dat clock
just as plain as day. I wouldn't fohget dat clock. No, mom, never!"

Nancy now felt almost certain that this was the clock which contained
the notebook telling of what disposal had been made of the Crowley will
and that it had been stolen by the robbers.

She must recover the clock! And there was only one way. The thieves
must be apprehended and the stolen good returned. With this thought in
her mind, she rushed out toward her roadster, calling to Jeff to follow.

"I's a-comin', Miss," Jeff called. "Just a minute!"

He half-hobbled off behind the house out of Nancy's sight, while she
sat waiting impatiently in her roadster. She started the engine and
warmed it up, but Jeff still failed to return.

She called to him, but there was no response. Finally, she could stand
the suspense no longer. Jumping to the ground, she set off to find out
what had become of the old scamp.

She found Jeff leisurely performing an elaborate facial ablution at the
cistern pump. He would pump his hands full of water and then, with a
great spluttering noise, dash it against his face.

"For goodness's sake, Jeff," said Nancy, provoked, as she came upon
him. "Don't you realize I've been waiting for you? Those robbers will
probably be in the next state before we even succeed in notifying the
police."

"'Scuse me, Miss, but I's takin' a little wash."

"I see you are. But can't that wait?"

"But dis heah wash is impohtant. I just wants to git good and sober
befo' I goes into dat po-lice station, and dis cold water is good fo'
what ails me."

Coax, wheedle or threaten, Nancy was unable to hurry Jeff a minute. But
at last he had finished, and Nancy, with a sigh of relief, loaded him
into the waiting roadster.

As she stepped upon the accelerator and the car moved slowly out onto
the highway, she wondered where the old Crowley clock was now and
whether she would ever be able to recover it from the thieves.




                             CHAPTER XVIII

                         NOTIFYING THE POLICE


It was probably fortunate for Nancy Drew that the traffic police were
not patrolling the road, for as she opened the throttle wider and
wider, her roadster responded with a surge of power that sent the car
along at breath-taking speed.

"Dis ole bus can suah step," observed Jeff. "'Spose it turns turtle?"

"Don't worry, Jeff. It won't. I know this roadster."

Nancy Drew did know the limit to which she dared go. She guided the
car skillfully and in a short time they were entering the outskirts of
Melborne, the nearest town to the Topham bungalow.

"Bettah slow down now, Miss," Jeff cautioned. "De marshal of dis town
is mighty persnickitty about how folks acts. He's run me in mo'n once."

"For speeding?"

"No, just fo' enjoyin' myself."

"Then I suppose you can tell me where the jail is."

"'Deed I can, Miss. I suah can! Fact is, dis is my favorite jail. You
goes right down Central Avenue to Maple Street and turns to de left,
and dar you is."

The roadster stopped in front of the building with a lurch, and Nancy
stepped out briskly, with Jeff following at a more leisurely gait.

"I must see an officer," Nancy announced as she entered the office. "I
want to report a robbery."

A buzzer rang and soon a marshal, followed by several men, entered.
Nancy quickly told them all she know about the Topham robbery, and to
corroborate what she had said, she called Jeff for his version.

"She speaks de troof," testified Jeff, "'cept she don't make it strong
enough. First thing dey kidnaps me so I won't be around to raise no
ruckus. Den dey gives me some kind of a sleepin' powdah and pahks me in
a ho-tel. But I comes to and goes back, and dar I find dis gu'l cooped
up in a closet just as she told you. And dey wrecked Mis' Topham's
house and stole all de furniture."

The marshal and his men listened attentively, and plied Nancy with
questions to clear up certain points.

"Have you any idea which road they took?" the marshal asked her.

"Yes, sir. I examined the tire tracks where the thieves had backed a
truck up to the house and noticed the pattern they made in the turf.
When we passed the road-crossing a few miles out of town, I saw the
same tracks just off to the side of the road where they had slipped off
in turning their truck northward."

"Can you lead the way?"

"Yes, I'll do everything in my power to help."

The marshal terminated the interview by giving curt orders to his
deputies.

"Get your automobile started," he directed Nancy. "We'll follow in the
police car."

"Hurry!" Nancy begged as she turned toward the door. "Those men have
nearly an hour's start of us now!"

Hastily, she ran to the street and sprang into the roadster. Starting
the motor, she waited impatiently for the marshal and his men to
appear. After a seemingly interminable wait, they came out, buckling on
holsters.

They piled into the "police car" which stood at the curbing and the
marshal took the wheel. After several unsuccessful attempts he started
the motor. Jeff Tucker, who had followed the men from the office, would
have inflicted his person upon the already overburdened car, but as he
attempted to gain the running board, he was forced gently but firmly
back upon the sidewalk.

"Follow me!" Nancy cried to the marshal.

Shifting gears, she started off down the road. At the corner she looked
back to see that the police car was following, and caught a glimpse of
Jeff Tucker who stood gazing mournfully after the departing automobiles.

At the edge of town, Nancy selected the road which she felt certain the
robbers had taken. Her high-powered roadster was built for speed and
several times she was forced to slow down in order that the marshal and
his men might keep her in sight.

Nancy had gone perhaps eight or nine miles when unexpectedly she came
to a fork in the road. Uncertain which branch-off to take, she brought
the roadster to a halt. The police car pulled up alongside.

"What's the matter now?" the marshal called out.

"I don't know which way to go."

The marshal and his deputies sprang from their automobile and began to
examine the tracks in the road. But if a moving van had passed that
way, the tire marks had been obliterated by other vehicles. There was
no clue to indicate which route the robbers had selected.

"They must have taken the righthand fork," the marshal hazarded.

Nancy shook her head doubtfully.

"Doesn't the lefthand road lead to Garwin?"

The marshal nodded.

"Then it strikes me the robbers would have taken that road. It seems
reasonable that they would head for a large city where they could
dispose of the stolen goods."

"Maybe you're right," the marshal admitted reluctantly.

"I'll tell you what we'll do," Nancy proposed, as she had an
inspiration. "You take the righthand road and I'll head for Garwin."

"And if you should overtake those rascals, what would you do?" the
marshal demanded in some amusement. "You couldn't expect to stop them
single-handed."

"I wouldn't try. I'd race back and give the alarm. Hurry! Every minute
that we delay gives them just that greater advantage!"

Without waiting until the marshal had returned to his automobile, Nancy
Drew backed her car and headed down the lefthand road. The highway was
smooth, and as there was a clear stretch ahead, she drove rapidly. She
realized that already the robbers had a big start, and that if once
they reached Garwin she could not hope to overtake them.

"I'm sure I'm on the right trail," she told herself, "That other road
doesn't lead anywhere in particular."

After she had traveled several miles, Nancy became less confident.
Although she had passed a number of side roads, she had kept to the
main highway, and she realized that it would have been easy for the
moving van to elude pursuit by taking any one of the branches.

"Still, the robbers can't know that they are being followed," she
reasoned. "It's likely they'll be off their guard."

Fifteen minutes passed, and Nancy began to fear that after all she had
selected the wrong road at the fork. Presently, as she noticed a man
with a team of horses approaching, she determined to question him.

"Have you seen a large moving van on this road?" she called out as she
stopped the roadster alongside the wagon.

"A truck passed me about twenty minutes ago," the farmer told her. "The
big road hog tried to push me into a ditch!"

Highly elated at the information, Nancy thanked the farmer and drove on.

"At the rate I'm going I should overtake the robbers in a few minutes,"
she thought. "Oh, if only I could get my hands on the Crowley clock
before the police confiscate the stolen goods!"

Ten minutes passed and then another ten. As Nancy gazed anxiously down
the road she could see no sign of the moving van.

"I've missed them somewhere," she decided, in disappointment. "There's
nothing to do but go back."

Nancy Drew recalled the fact that she had passed a roadhouse less than
a mile back, and it occurred to her that possibly the robbers had
stopped there.

"I'll go back there and make inquiry," she thought. "I haven't gone by
a single cross road since I talked with that farmer, so if the robbers
didn't stop at the roadhouse I can't imagine what became of them. If
they were on this road I am certain I would have passed them by this
time."

Dusk was approaching, and Nancy Drew knew that if she were ever to find
the robbers it must be within the next hour. Skillfully, she turned the
roadster around in the road. A few minutes of fast driving brought her
within sight of the roadhouse.

The place was of disreputable appearance, and Nancy suspected that it
might be a bad resort to visit. It stood back from the road a short
distance, and was half-hidden by tall trees. The building was large and
rambling, but rather old and sadly in need of paint. A sign on the
gate read: "The Black Horse." Beyond the inn, Nancy caught a glimpse of
a garage and a large stable.

She did not enter the private driveway which led to the inn, but
stopped her car at the side of the road. Before starting to walk toward
the roadhouse, she hesitated.

"I don't like to go in there, but there's no other way," she decided.

She walked briskly up the path, glancing about in all directions for a
sign of a moving van. The door of the garage was closed as was the door
of the barn, and the thought occurred to her that perhaps the robbers
had parked their van inside one of the buildings.

As she drew near the inn, Nancy approached cautiously. As she stepped
upon the veranda, coarse laughter reached her ears. She tiptoed to a
window and peered inside. What she saw caused her to start in surprise.

In a dingy, dimly lighted room, three men were seated about a table,
obviously engaged in a drinking orgy. They were the three men who had
robbed the Topham bungalow!




                              CHAPTER XIX

                          A RISKY UNDERTAKING


"I must notify the marshal at once!" Nancy Drew told herself as she
recognized the three robbers.

Turning away from the window, she crept noiselessly from the porch and
as soon as she was a safe distance from the inn, broke into a run. As
she stepped into her roadster, a sudden thought occurred to her.

"Those robbers must have parked their van in the garage back of the
inn. If only I could get my hands on the clock before I notify the
police! Once the marshal takes charge of the stolen goods, I'll have no
opportunity."

Motivated by the impulse, Nancy drove on down the road a short
distance, and, rounding a bend, came up on another side road which led
into the woods directly behind the inn. Stopping the roadster where
it would be hidden by the trees, she got out and hurried through the
timber. Before leaving the car, she had secured her flashlight, for
already it was growing dark.

Cautiously, she approached the inn from the rear. Reaching the garage,
she found the doors closed, but investigation disclosed that they had
not been locked.

She opened one of the doors and looked inside. There was no sign of a
truck--only a battered old Ford car.

"They must have parked the van in the barn," she decided.

As she opened the stable door, it squeaked in an alarming fashion.
Anxiously, she glanced toward the inn, but so far as she could tell her
actions were unobserved. There was no one in sight.

Flinging the door wide, the girl peered hopefully into the dark
interior. A low cry escaped from her lips.

There in front of her stood the moving van!

"What a piece of luck!" she exclaimed, as she viewed the truck which
the robbers had left in the barn. "Now if I can only find the clock!"

With a last cautious glance in the direction of the roadhouse, she
hastily closed the barn door lest it swing in the wind and attract
attention. With the doors shut, the interior of the barn was dark.

As Nancy switched on her automobile flashlight and played it over the
moving van, she was disappointed to note that it was a covered one.
The rear doors were closed. Nevertheless, although she could not see
inside, she was certain the track contained the goods stolen only a few
hours before from the Topham bungalow.

Securing a firm grip on the door handle, she gave it a quick turn. To
her surprise, the door did not open.

With an exclamation of disappointment, Nancy turned her flashlight on
it and for the first time noticed the keyhole. The robbers had locked
the van!

"Oh, dear, now what shall I do?" she questioned frantically. "I'll
never be able to break the lock."

Desperately, she glanced about. She dared not remain many minutes in
the barn lest the robbers return and find her there. Yet she could not
admit defeat.

"Perhaps the keys were left in the ignition switch," she thought
hopefully.

She rushed to the front of the van and clambered into the driver's
seat. An examination of the dashboard did not reveal the keys hanging
from the ignition switch.

"The robbers must have taken the keys with them," she told herself.

Nancy was discouraged. She was on the point of admitting defeat when a
thought came to her.

Among her acquaintances there were a number of persons who upon
occasion hid their automobile keys under the front seat. It was barely
possible that the robbers had done likewise.

Nancy hastily pulled up the leather seat and looked underneath. A ray
of her flashlight illuminated a small object in one corner. Eagerly,
she snatched it up and saw that it was a key ring.

"Luck was with me once," she murmured, as she ran back to the rear of
the van.

After trying several of the keys, she at last found one which would
fit the lock. Turning it, she jerked open the door. As she flashed her
light about inside the truck she saw that she had made no mistake. The
van contained the stolen goods and it was loaded nearly to the top.

[Illustration: AS SHE FLASHED HER LIGHT ABOUT SHE SAW THAT SHE HAD MADE
NO MISTAKE.]

"What shall I do if the clock is on the bottom?" Nancy groaned as
another problem occurred to her. "I'll never find it."

Dexterously, she swung herself up on the load. She flashed the light
about on chairs, tables, rugs and boxes. There was no sign of the
Crowley clock.

Then the beam rested for a moment upon an object in a far corner, and
with a low cry of delight Nancy saw that her search had been rewarded.
Protected by a blanket, an old-fashioned mantel clock rested on top of
a center table in the very front of the van!

She scrambled laboriously over odd pieces of furniture as she tried
to reach the clock. Her dress caught on something sharp and tore, but
Nancy did not heed it. She snatched at the blanket and swept the clock
toward her.

One glance at the timepiece assured her that it fit the description
Abigail Rowen had given her. It had a square face and the top was
ornamented with a crescent. Nancy was almost certain that it was the
Crowley clock.

But as she stood staring at it, her keen ears detected the sound of
voices outside the barn. The robbers were coming back!

"I'm lost!" flashed through her mind.

Clutching the blanket and the clock tightly in her arms, Nancy Drew
partly crawled and partly fell over objects as she struggled to get out
of the truck before it was too late. She was afraid to think what would
happen to her if the robbers discovered her in the van.

Reaching the door, she leaped lightly to the floor. She could now hear
heavy footsteps coming closer and closer.

Nancy slammed the truck doors shut and searched wildly for the keys.

"Oh, what did I do with them?" she thought frantically.

She saw that they had fallen from the door to the floor and snatched
them up. Hurriedly inserting the right key in the lock, she secured the
doors.

The deed was not accomplished a minute too soon. As Nancy wheeled about
she distinctly heard the murmur of angry voices outside. The robbers
were quarreling among themselves, and already someone was working at
the fastening of the barn door.

Escape was cut off. Nancy felt that she was cornered.

"Oh, what shall I do?" she thought in despair.




                              CHAPTER XX

                           WHAT NANCY FOUND


While Nancy Drew hesitated, uncertain which way to turn, her mind
worked more clearly than ever before.

She realized instantly that she could not hope to run to the front of
the car and place the keys under the seat where she had found them.
Instead of attempting the impossible, she flung them upon the floor.

Then glancing frantically about for a hiding place, she saw an empty
manger. Running to it, she scrambled inside and dropped the blanket
over her head just as one of the barn doors swung open.

Three men came in, closing the door after them, and, as Nancy had
suspected, they were the robbers. Evidently, they had been drinking,
for they were quarreling among themselves over the division of spoils.

"Aw, shut up," the leader growled. "Get in and let's be getting out of
here before we have the cops down on our heads."

Nancy heard him rummaging under the seat of the car.

"Say, what did you do with them keys?" he demanded harshly of one of
his men.

"What do you suppose?" came the unpleasant response. "I put 'em under
the seat."

"Then come and find them, and don't be all day about it, either!"

"All right. Get out of the way and give me a chance!"

As the second robber went to the truck and began a careful search for
the keys, Nancy Drew crouched fearfully in her hiding place.

"I don't see what could have happened to them keys," the robber
complained after an unsuccessful search. "I put 'em right under this
seat."

"Say, if you've lost 'em--" the leader did not finish the threat, for
at that moment the third robber stooped over and picked up something at
his feet.

"Here they are on the floor! You must have put 'em in your pocket and
dropped 'em out."

"I didn't!" the other retorted. "I never had them keys in my pocket."

The robbers were in a quarrelsome mood and would have engaged in a
battle then and there had not the leader interposed.

"Say, cut out the comedy! We ain't got no time for a fight unless we
want to land behind the bars!"

"And if we do, it will be your fault! You left that girl to starve----"

"Shut up!" the leader snarled. He rattled the rear door of the van and
found it locked. "There's no harm done this time. No one has meddled
with the truck. Now get in before I give you a swift kick!"

After a few more angry words, the three robbers climbed into the front
seat and started the engine. Due to their inebriated condition they had
overlooked the barn doors, and before the van could be backed from the
building, it was necessary for one of the men to get out and fasten
them back.

In relief Nancy watched the men go. The moment they were a safe
distance from the barn, she scrambled out of the manger.

She paused long enough to make certain that the van had taken the road
to Garwin. Then, clutching the precious clock in her arms, she turned
and ran.

As Nancy darted into the woods, she cast an anxious glance over her
shoulder, but to her intense relief she saw that she was not being
followed. There was no one to be seen in the vicinity of the roadhouse,
and the big moving van was proceeding slowly on its way toward Garwin,
the occupants oblivious that their whereabouts had been discovered.

"I had a narrow escape that time," Nancy told herself as she ran. "I
hate to think of my fate if I had been discovered." She chuckled softly
at her own bravado and clutched the mantel clock more tightly in her
arms. "Oh, well, it was worth the risk I took!"

It was dark in the woods and Nancy could see only a few feet ahead of
her. To her chagrin she discovered that she had left her automobile
flashlight somewhere in the barn, probably in the manger. There was no
time to go back after it. Confident that her sense of direction was
good, she plunged through the bushes toward the place where she had
parked her roadster.

"I'm sure the clock is the right one," she thought. "Now, if it only
contains Josiah Crowley's notebook!"

In the timber there was insufficient light for her to examine the
clock, but from the hasty glance she had given it in the barn, she was
almost certain it was the timepiece Abigail Rowen had described to her.
If the old woman's story was correct, she would find Josiah Crowley's
notebook inside.

Reaching the roadster and finding it exactly as she had left it, the
girl sprang inside.

"I'll go for the police as fast as I can and send them after the
robbers," she decided. "The Tophams don't deserve any consideration,
but I couldn't be mean enough to sit quietly by and let them lose their
household goods."

Then, as she was about to start the motor, her glance fell upon the
Crowley clock which she had placed on the seat beside her. She was
fairly overcome with curiosity to learn what it would reveal. As
she hesitated, she found it impossible to resist the temptation of
investigating it immediately, even at the cost of a few minutes delay.

Impulsively, she opened the glass door and ran her hand around the
walls. There was nothing inside.

"Gone!" Nancy groaned.

Could it be that the Tophams had discovered the notebook only to
destroy it? Nancy discarded the thought as quickly as it came to mind,
for she recalled the conversation she had overheard between Ada and
Isabel. No, they were as ignorant as herself concerning the location of
the will.

It was more likely that Abigail Rowen had been confused in her story.
After all, she had not declared that the notebook would be found inside
the clock. Nancy had made the deduction herself.

"I was almost certain I'd find the notebook," she murmured in
disappointment. "It must be here somewhere."

Turning the clock upside down, she gave it a hard shake. Something
rattled. Hopefully, she repeated the action. Unquestionably, there was
something bulky inside.

"It must be the notebook!" Nancy thought in excitement. "Unless I'm
wrong, it's behind the face! How can I get it off?"

After a vain attempt to remove the heavy cardboard face with her
fingers, she lifted the automobile seat and found a small tool with
which she could pry. It then required but an instant to remove the two
hands of the clock and jerk off the face.

As the cardboard fell to the floor, Nancy peered hopefully inside and
gave a low cry of delight.

"Eureka!"

There, at one side of the clock, attached to a hook in the top, dangled
a tiny blue notebook!




                              CHAPTER XXI

                         CAPTURING THE ROBBERS


Eagerly, Nancy Drew tore the little notebook from the hook. The light
was dim, but by holding the book directly under the dash-light, she
could make out the words on the cover: "The Property of Josiah Crowley."

"I've found it at last!" she cried.

Quickly turning the first few pages, she saw that they were yellowed
with age. The writing was fine and cramped, and the ink had faded.
These pages were crowded with business notations, but in the poor light
it was next to impossible to make out the words.

Nancy was excited, for she was positive that the notebook would
disclose what Josiah Crowley had done with his will. Yet, she realized
that she could not hope to read through the book without a considerable
loss of precious time. If she were to report the whereabouts of the
robbers to the police, she must not delay another instant.

"I'll read the notebook later," she decided.

Hurriedly replacing it on the hook inside the clock, she tacked on the
face again. Then dropping the timepiece on the seat beside her, she
covered it with a blanket.

Starting the engine, she skillfully backed the roadster and headed for
the main road. Reaching the highway, she cast an anxious glance in the
direction the robbers had taken. There was no sign of a light on the
road. The moving van had disappeared.

"I must travel some now," Nancy told herself grimly. "Those robbers
have at least ten minutes start, and I may have trouble finding the
marshal and his deputies."

Bending low over the steering wheel, she deliberately stepped hard
on the accelerator. The roadster leaped forward as though it, too,
comprehended the need for haste.

"If those men reach Garwin before the marshal overtakes them, there
won't be one chance in a hundred of capturing them," Nancy thought. "It
was foolish of me to take time to look at the clock."

Presently reaching the fork in the road, she selected the right hand
turn, and with undiminished speed rushed on. She had gone several
miles beyond the fork when far ahead she caught sight of an automobile
headlight. Nancy promptly reduced the speed of the car.

"The marshal and his deputies may have given up the search and are
coming back," she reasoned. "I must be careful not to pass them."

As the automobile approached, Nancy slowed her roadster practically to
a standstill. Then as she recognized the police car, she brought her
own automobile to a halt. As the marshal and his deputies flashed by,
she cried out for them to stop.

There was a loud screeching of brakes as the police car came to an
abrupt halt. Springing from the roadster, Nancy ran forward.

"Quick!" she called to the marshal. "The robbers have taken the road to
Garwin! If you hurry you can overtake them! Go on and I'll follow!"

Without waiting for more, the marshal and his deputies drove off at top
speed. The automobile rounded a bend and was lost to view.

For an instant Nancy Drew stood looking after it. Then, springing into
her roadster, she, too, was off.

Following close behind the police car, the girl sped down the road in
pursuit of the robbers. The two automobiles passed the roadhouse beyond
the fork and raced toward Garwin.

"We should have overtaken the robbers by this time," Nancy told herself
anxiously, after a number of miles had been traversed and still there
was no sight of a moving van. "They can't have gone very far."

Ten minutes passed. Then, unexpectedly, she caught a glimpse of a red
tail light on the road far ahead.

"It must be the van!" Nancy thought. "The light doesn't appear to be
moving fast enough for an automobile."

Evidently, the marshal and his deputies were of the same opinion, for
at that moment the police car slowed down.

"Don't fire unless it's necessary," the marshal ordered his men. "But
if they resist, pepper them!"

Cautiously, the police car approached. As the headlight played upon the
rear of the van, Nancy saw the license plate clearly and recognized the
numbers.

Then as the van pulled over to the side of the road, the police car
drove alongside.

"Halt!" came the order.

The van did not stop. Instead, it put on additional speed and crowded
the police car toward the ditch. Nancy's heart was in her mouth as she
watched, for it seemed certain that the marshal and his deputies were
doomed.

At the very edge of the road, the police car by a sudden spurt of
speed forged ahead and averted disaster.

"Halt!" rang out the warning cry a second time. "Halt or we'll fire!"

There was a sharp crack of a revolver as the robbers fired the first
shot.

The marshal and his deputies answered with a quick volley. One of the
shots found its mark--the front tire. The van swerved in the road, and
as the two side wheels went off into a steep ditch, toppled over.

In an instant the marshal and his men were out of the police car and
had covered the three robbers. So easily had the van tipped on its side
that the men were not injured, but the unexpected jar had thrown them
off their guard.

"Take their guns!" the marshal ordered.

A deputy relieved the three men of their revolvers and searched their
pockets for other dangerous weapons. Another deputy handcuffed them.

By this time Nancy, who had stopped her roadster at the side of the
road, reached the scene. As she came running up, the marshal turned to
her.

"Can you identify these men?"

As a light was flashed upon each of the robbers in turn, Nancy nodded.

"There is the man who locked me up and left me to starve," she
declared, pointing to the leader of the robber band. "And the stolen
goods are in the van."

"They'll get ten or twenty years for this," the marshal promised.
"We'll hold them on several charges. You are willing to testify against
them, I suppose?"

"Yes, if it is necessary," Nancy promised reluctantly. "But I don't
live in this county and I'm anxious to get home right away. It seems to
me you have enough evidence to convict them."

"Well, if you don't want to I guess there's no need for you to go back
with us," the marshal admitted. "I'll take your address and if your
testimony should be required later I'll get in touch with you."

As Nancy told the marshal her name and address, he glanced at her with
new interest.

"So you're the daughter of Carson Drew! I see you're following in his
footsteps. Starting in young, aren't you?"

Nancy laughed.

"It was only an accident that took me to the Topham bungalow at the
critical moment," she protested modestly. "I don't deserve any credit
for the round-up."

"Not many girls would have used their brains the way you did," the
marshal observed. "Unless I'm mistaken, these robbers are old hands
at the game. They have been plying their trade around Moon Lake for
a number of seasons. The residents will be mighty grateful for what
you've done. And that Mrs. Topham you spoke of--she ought to give you a
liberal reward for saving her household goods."

Nancy shook her head.

"I don't want a reward."

"Just the same you've earned one," the marshal insisted. "If you're
shy about blowing your own horn, I'll take it up with this Mrs. Topham
myself."

"You don't know her as well as I do," Nancy remarked. "She'll not offer
a reward, and even if she did I wouldn't accept it. In fact, I must ask
you not to mention my name to her at all."

"You don't want any credit for capturing the robbers?" the marshal
gasped in astonishment.

"No, I would prefer that my name not be mentioned in connection with
the affair. I have a particular reason for making the request."

"Well, you're a queer one," the marshal remarked. "You're the first
person I ever saw who didn't want to take all the glory that was coming
to him."

"You'll not mention my name?"

"No, I'll keep it mum," the marshal promised. "And if you're anxious
not to figure in the case, I guess we can get along without your
testimony." He turned toward the moving van. "I'll just have a look
inside and see if everything is here."

Taking the keys which one of the deputies had turned over to him, the
marshal unlocked the rear doors of the van and carelessly glanced
inside.

"It's all here," he announced.

Nancy smiled and thought of the clock which at the moment was hidden
under a blanket in her roadster less than a dozen yards away.

"Let's be getting away from here," the marshal directed briskly. He
singled out one of the deputies. "You stay here and guard the stolen
goods until we can send another truck after it. I'll see to it that
these robbers land behind bars, and then I'll come back."

"Just a minute," Nancy interposed as the marshal was about to escort
the three robbers to the police car. "I want to ask a few questions."

She turned to the leader of the robbers.

"It was you who stole the keys from Jeff Tucker after getting him
drunk, wasn't it?"

"What if I did?" the robber growled. "I wish I'd finished him!"

Unceremoniously, the three prisoners were crowded into the police car.
One of the deputies took the steering wheel and another stood on the
running board, covering the robbers with his revolver. There was no
room left for the marshal.

"Are you going back through town?" he asked Nancy.

"Yes, it's right on my way to River Heights," she responded without a
thought as to the purpose of the question.

"Then if you don't mind I'll ride back with you. There isn't room in
the police car."

"Why--why, of course," Nancy stammered.

At once she thought of the clock which she had left on the seat of the
roadster. What if the marshal should discover it?

Even as the thought came to her, the marshal started toward the
roadster.




                             CHAPTER XXII

                      WHAT THE NOTEBOOK REVEALED


"Just--a--minute," Nancy Drew stammered as she darted toward the
roadster, blocking the marshal's path. "There's a package in the seat.
I'll put it in the back."

Hastily, she picked up the clock which was covered with a blanket.

"Never mind that," the marshal interposed. "I can hold it."

"Oh, it's no trouble to put it in the catch-all at the back," Nancy
assured him. "Then it will be out of your way."

Before the man could offer to do it for her, she had carried the clock
to the rear of the car. Lifting the cover, she placed it on the floor.

During the ride back to town Nancy Drew was anything but easy in her
mind, but she gave no indication that she was nervous. It was not until
she had said good-bye to the marshal at the jail that she felt entirely
safe.

"That was a narrow escape," she laughed, as she drove away. "It might
not have gone so well with me if the marshal had discovered stolen
goods in my car. It certainly wouldn't have been easy to explain how I
came by that clock."

Although it was late, Nancy was determined to return to River Heights
that night. She was anxious to examine the notebook and learn whether
or not it would disclose the hiding place of Josiah Crowley's second
will.

"Oh, I'm so eager to get home and have a chance to dig into the
notebook!" she thought as she drove along the road. "I went through a
lot to get it and I'll be disappointed if it doesn't contain good news.
It will mean so much to the Horner girls and poor old Abigail if the
will is found."

It was nearly ten o'clock that night when Nancy, tired and worn from
the long automobile ride, reached her home in River Heights. As she
drove into the double garage, she noticed that her father's car was
gone. A glance at the house disclosed that the windows were dark.

"I wonder where father can be?" she questioned herself. "I wanted to
tell him about my discovery right away."

She removed the Crowley clock from the back of the roadster and paused
an instant to gloat over it. She was well satisfied with the result of
her detective work.

Locking the garage door, she went inside and switched on the electric
light. The house seemed deserted, for Hannah, the maid, had already
retired.

"Father is probably working late at the office," Nancy decided. "Oh,
well, I may as well stay up. And while I'm waiting I'll have a look at
the notebook!"

During the long ride from Moon Lake she had been impatient for an
opportunity to examine the Crowley notebook, and now she lost no time
in finding a screwdriver. She took off the face of the clock, and from
the hook removed the notebook.

"Now to find what became of the will," she declared, as she curled up
in a comfortable chair near a reading lamp. "Oh, I hope everything
turns out right for Allie and Grace and for Abigail Rowen!"

Carefully, Nancy thumbed over the pages for they were yellowed with age
and she was afraid they might tear. Evidently, Josiah Crowley had used
the same notebook for many years.

Page after page the girl read, perusing inconsequential memoranda and
numerous notations of property owned by Josiah Crowley, as well as
various business transactions made by him. Nancy was surprised at the
list of stocks, bonds, and notes which apparently belonged to the
estate. The amount reached well over three hundred thousand dollars.

"I had no idea Josiah Crowley had that much money," she murmured.

After a time she grew impatient of the seemingly endless list, and
skipping many pages, turned ahead.

Suddenly, the phrase, "my will," caught and held her attention.
Eagerly, Nancy pounced upon it and began to read.

"I've found it at last!" she told herself in excitement.

The notation was brief and written in Josiah Crowley's cramped hand.

    "To whom it may concern: My last will and testament will be found
    in safety deposit box number 148 in the Masonville National Bank.
    The box is under the name of Josiah Harkston."

The date of this entry was recent and the ink had not faded as in the
earlier entries in the notebook.

"Then there was another will!" Nancy exclaimed aloud. "Oh, I'm sure it
must be in favor of the Horner girls, too!"

She hurriedly read on, but although she carefully examined every page
in the book, there was no other mention of the will.

"No wonder the will never came to light," Nancy mused. "Who would have
ever thought of looking for it in a safety deposit box under the name
of Josiah Harkston? In his zest for safety, Josiah Crowley nearly
defeated his own purpose."

Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard an automobile turning in at
the drive. Rushing to the window, Nancy saw her father drive into the
garage. As he opened the front door she ran to meet him.

"Why, hello, Nancy," he greeted her in surprise. "If I had known you
were here, I'd have come home sooner. I was doing some special work on
a case. Back from Moon Lake early, aren't you?"

"Yes," Nancy admitted, trying to hide her excitement. "But for a good
reason."

Before her father could remove his hat, she plunged into the story of
her adventures and ended by showing him the notebook which she had
found inside the mantel clock. When she had finished, Carson Drew
stared at her with mingled pride and amusement.

"You're a regular detective, Nancy."

"You're making fun of me."

Carson Drew's face sobered.

"No, I'm proud of what you've done, Nancy. I couldn't have done better
myself--perhaps not so well. You took a real risk when you encountered
those robbers, but so long as you are back home safe and sound, it
doesn't matter."

"The Tophams aren't going to thank me when they find out what I have
done."

"Hardly. They may accuse you of stealing their clock, although so long
as their house was open when you entered they can't claim that you
broke in. However, if we can manage to keep the knowledge from them, it
will be just as well that they don't learn the details of how the will
was found."

Carson Drew picked up the notebook and glanced through it with interest.

"The fortune will make a nice nest egg for someone," he commented, as
he looked over the lists of stocks and bonds owned by Crowley. "These
securities are of the best, too. All gilt edge."

"I hope the Tophams will be cut off without a cent," Nancy declared.

"It's likely they will be; but of course you never can be certain until
the will is read. Unless I am mistaken, your discovery will strike the
Tophams at an especially awkward time."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, there's a rumor going the rounds to the effect that Richard
Topham has been losing heavily in the stock market this last month. He
has been getting credit at a number of the banks on the strength of
the inheritance, and I suspect he is depending on Crowley's money to
pull him through a tight place. At least he has made every effort to
speed up the settlement of the estate."

"It would serve the Tophams right if they lose everything," Nancy said
decisively. "They never had a particle of charity for anyone. They
would let their relatives starve before they would help them."

Carson Drew glanced again at the notebook in his hand.

"Now that you have found this, the thing to do is locate the will at
once before Richard Topham gets wind of what is up," he advised. "We
want to administer the _coup de grâce_ before the Tophams have a chance
to get the fortune into their hands. Once the estate is settled, it
will not be easy to wrest it away from them."

"I'd like to turn the matter over to you," Nancy responded promptly.
"I'm not familiar with legal procedure and you know exactly what should
be done."

"I'll be glad to help you if I can, Nancy. The first thing of course is
to get our hands on the will."

"That should be easy. We can drive over to the Masonville National Bank
the first thing in the morning."

"Yes, but we haven't authority to open the safety deposit box. It may
be necessary to get a court order," Carson Drew reminded his daughter.

"That's so. I hadn't thought of that. But you can manage it, can't you?"

Carson Drew chuckled.

"Well, I know the judge. Yes, I think I can arrange it all right. I'll
tell him I am acting as counsel for the Horner girls. I really am,
because I promised I'd help them if I could."

"I'm sure everything is going to turn out just as I hoped!" Nancy cried
enthusiastically. "The deserving relatives will get the money and the
Tophams will be left out in the cold! Abigail Rowen will be able to
have the medical attention she needs, and Allie and Grace will be fixed
for life!"

"Don't build your hopes too high," Carson Drew advised her wisely.
"There may be a slip, you know. We may fail to find the will in the
deposit box, and of course there is a chance that Josiah Crowley didn't
dispose of the fortune as it was expected that he would. If I were you
I wouldn't say anything to the Horner girls until we are certain."

"I won't," Nancy promised, as she turned toward the stairs. "But I
can't help hoping. I'm going to bed now and get a good night's rest.
Then to-morrow we'll start off on the big adventure! Oh, I can
scarcely wait to find out what the will contains!"

Half way up the stairs, she hesitated and then returned to the living
room and picked up the notebook which rested on the table.

"After all I've gone through to get my hands on this, I'm not going to
take any chances!" she laughed. "To-night I'm going to sleep with it
under my pillow!"




                             CHAPTER XXIII

                         LOOKING FOR THE WILL


When Nancy Drew awoke the following morning, the bright sunlight was
streaming in at her open bedroom window. As her eyes turned toward the
little clock on her dresser, she was alarmed to see that it was after
nine o'clock.

"How could I oversleep on a morning like this?" she asked herself.

Quickly running her hand under the pillow, she brought out the Crowley
notebook and surveyed it with satisfaction.

"Oh, what a surprise the Tophams are going to get!" she chuckled softly.

Hastily dressing, Nancy hurried downstairs. She found that her father
had already left for the office.

"Oh, dear," she thought. "I wonder if he forgot?"

At that moment Hannah appeared from the kitchen bearing a plate of
crisp, steaming waffles.

"Your father said I was to tell you to go to his office just as soon
as you finish your breakfast," she informed Nancy. "He said you were to
bring your notebook."

"My notebook--Oh, yes, I know what he meant! It won't take long to eat
breakfast," she predicted, as she seated herself at the table.

After a hasty meal, she climbed into the roadster and drove to her
father's office. She found him alone in the inner office.

"I'm sorry I overslept this morning," Nancy apologized. "Have I kept
you waiting?"

"Not at all," her father assured her pleasantly. "I told Hannah not
to awaken you because I knew you needed rest after your hard day
yesterday. And, anyway, we couldn't do anything about the will without
an order from the court."

"Did you get it?"

"Yes, I saw the judge early this morning. After explaining everything
to him he gave me the paper. I have it here." Carson Drew tapped an
inside pocket.

"I brought the notebook with me. You wanted it, didn't you?"

"Yes, I thought it might be necessary to show it to the judge, but we
won't need it now. However, it may be well to put it in the safe. I'll
do it now."

Carson Drew took the notebook from Nancy and after placing it inside a
small safe closed and locked the door.

"When shall we start for Masonville?" Nancy asked somewhat impatiently.

"Right now if you are ready."

After leaving a number of instructions with his private secretary,
Carson Drew followed his daughter from the office. He took his place
beside her in the roadster.

"I'll never get over it if we don't find the will," she declared, as
they drove along. A flush of excitement had tinted her cheeks and her
eyes were bright.

"You must remember one thing, Nancy," returned her father calmly.
"Crowley was a queer character and did things in a queer way. So the
will may be there, and again it may not be. Perhaps he left only
further directions in a box. I remember one case in Canada many years
ago. An eccentric Frenchman died and he left directions to look in
a trunk of old clothes. In the pocket of a coat were found further
directions to look in a closet of his home. There his family found
directions to look in a copper boiler. The boiler had disappeared and
was finally located in a curiosity shop. Inside, on the bottom, was
pasted what proved to be a word puzzle. The old Frenchman's heirs were
about to give up in despair when a puzzler solved the puzzle and the
man's bag of gold was found--under a board in his bedroom!"

"Oh, but they found it, anyway," breathed Nancy.

The trip to Masonville was quickly accomplished, and in a short time
Nancy stopped the roadster in front of the Masonville National Bank.

"You may as well come, too," Carson Drew said, as Nancy hesitated.

Parking the car at the curbing, the two entered the bank. Mr. Drew
offered his professional card and asked to see the president. After a
few minutes' wait, they were ushered into a private conference room. An
elderly man arose to greet them.

The introductions accomplished, Mr. Drew hastened to state his mission.
Before he could finish the story, the bank president cut him short.

"I am afraid you have come to the wrong place. To my knowledge we have
never had dealings with a man by the name of Josiah Crowley."

"Perhaps you did not know him by that name. I believe he had a deposit
box here under the name of Josiah Harkston."

"Josiah Harkston?" the banker repeated thoughtfully. "It seems to me
we have been trying to get in touch with a man by that name. If I
remember correctly the rent on his safety deposit box has not been paid
for some time. If you will wait a moment I will find out."

The banker left the room. He returned in a few minutes with a sheet of
paper in his hand.

"According to our record a Josiah Harkston rented box 148 from us, but
the past year the rent has not been paid. Here is his signature if you
care to look at it."

Eagerly Nancy and her father examined the sheet of paper which the
banker handed them. At a glance they saw that the writing was in the
cramped hand of Josiah Crowley.

"It may be that Crowley and Harkston were the same person, as you
say," the banker continued. "But we have no authority to permit you to
examine the contents of the safety deposit box."

"I have an order from the court," Mr. Drew said quietly.

"Oh, that is different." The banker's attitude underwent a sudden
change. "May I see the document please?"

"Certainly."

Mr. Drew removed the paper from his pocket and handed it to the banker.
After examining it for a minute, the president returned it.

"You find it satisfactory?" Mr. Drew asked.

"Perfectly. You are welcome to open the safety deposit box--of course
in the presence of a bank official. I suppose you have the key?"

Nancy's face fell. She had never once thought of the key.

"We have no key," Mr. Drew admitted. "Isn't there one in the bank which
will fit the box?" He knew some small banks had this.

"No, we did away with that when we got our regular vault," said the
banker. "But--wait a minute," he added suddenly. "I think I can help
you out."

He disappeared into another part of the bank and presently came back
holding up a sealed envelope.

"That man had two keys for his box and he left one here in my
possession, sealed up as you can see. As you have a court order I feel
you are entitled to this key," and he handed the envelope to Mr. Drew.

The envelope was marked with Josiah Crowley's assumed name, also the
number of his box. It contained a small, flat key, nothing more.

"Now we will go to the boxes," said the bank official.

Nancy and her father followed the president into the main part of the
bank. They were then admitted into a small room which was protected by
heavily barred doors. Finally, they entered the vault which contained
the safety deposit boxes.

The president inserted a small key in a lock, then used the key given
to Mr. Drew and finally pulled out a metal box which bore the number
148. Politely, he handed the box to Mr. Drew, who quickly lifted the
lid and peered inside. Unable to resist the temptation, Nancy peeped
over her father's shoulder.

The box was empty save for one document in the bottom.

"Oh, it must be the will!" Nancy cried before Mr. Drew could examine
the paper.

"It is the will," her father announced, after a hasty glance at the
document.

"A will, eh?" said the bank official, with keen interest.

"Yes, and I will ask you to do me a favor. Kindly place your initials
on each page--so you can later on identify it if necessary--and I will
do the same."

"Certainly, Mr. Drew. I've done that before."

Mr. Drew thanked the president for the help he had given, and with
Nancy left the bank. Once they had gained the comparative privacy
of the roadster, they grinned at each other like two mischievous
youngsters.

"Well, we put it over, eh, Nancy?"

"We certainly did. But read the will! I'm dying to find out what it
says. I can't stand the suspense another minute!"

The will comprised several pages, all written in Josiah Crowley's
cramped style. Mr. Drew spread the pages out before him, and Nancy
pored over them. Not only was the fine writing difficult to make out,
but the legal terms were confusing.

"It's going to be a terrible task to study it all out," Nancy
complained.

"Yes, I think we had better take it to the office," Mr. Drew suggested.
He picked up the last page of the will and studied it closely. "I see
Doctor Nesbitt signed as a witness. No wonder the will never came
to light. If you remember, he died a few days after Crowley. Thomas
Wackley, the other witness, I never heard of."

"Oh, I don't care who witnessed the will," Nancy said impatiently. "I
want to find out if Allie and Grace and poor Abigail got anything. I
can't make head nor tail out of it."

"I see their names are mentioned," Mr. Drew told her, pointing to one
of the pages.

"Oh, I'm so glad! So long as I know they're taken care of I suppose I
can wait until we get to your office to find out the details. We can
have the will copied in typewriting."

"Yes, I want to go over the document carefully. It is evident that
Crowley drew it up himself, and I want to make certain it is legal."

"Oh, do you think there is any danger it won't be?" Nancy questioned
anxiously.

"I can't tell until I go over it in detail, Nancy. But from a hasty
examination it appears that the Tophams aren't mentioned, and they are
certain to make trouble if they can. I want to make sure there is no
way for them to break the will before I notify them we have it in our
possession."

Mr. Drew folded the papers and placed them carefully in his pocket. As
Nancy started the motor in preparation for the return trip to River
Heights she began to chuckle.

"If the will does prove to be legal, won't it be a blow for the
Tophams? I'd give a lot to see how they take it. I think it would be a
splendid idea to call a meeting of all the relatives and read the will
aloud!"

"I'm afraid you have a dark motive behind that idea," Mr. Drew laughed.
"But I'll try to humor you this time. What's more, I'll promise that
you may be present when the _coup de grâce_ is administered to the
Tophams!"




                             CHAPTER XXIV

                           THE COUP DE GRÂCE


"Oh, father, it's nearly two o'clock now. The relatives should be
coming in a few minutes! I'm so excited!"

Carson Drew, who stood in the living room of the Drew home, smiled
indulgently at his daughter as she fluttered about, arranging chairs.

"I believe you're more thrilled than if you were inheriting the fortune
yourself," he remarked.

"I am thrilled," Nancy admitted. "I can scarcely wait until the will is
read aloud. Won't everyone be surprised? Especially the Tophams. Do you
think they will come?"

"Oh, yes, the Tophams will be here. And, unless I am mistaken, they
will bring a lawyer with them. Just as soon as they learned that
another will had come to light, they began to worry."

"Are you certain the will can't be broken?" Nancy inquired anxiously.

"Of course I can't be certain, Nancy. But I have gone over it
carefully, and so far as I can tell it is technically perfect. Josiah
Crowley was peculiar in some ways, but he was no one's fool. I'll
promise you the Tophams will have a difficult time of it if they try to
break the will."

After locating the Crowley will in a safety deposit box at the
Masonville National Bank in the town of Masonville, Carson Drew and
his daughter had read it carefully. Without disclosing the contents to
anyone, they had called a special meeting of the relatives at the Drew
home.

With the exception of Abigail Rowen, who was confined to her bed,
all had promised to be present. Grace and Allie Horner, although not
relatives, had also been invited to attend the meeting.

"It's too bad Abigail Rowan can't come," said Nancy. "But we'll get the
news to her fast enough."

"It will probably be a great surprise all around," said her father,
with a little smile. "Nancy, you have done a remarkable piece of work."

"Oh, I can hardly wait to have it all cleared up," cried the happy girl.

"We may have some hard minutes with the Tophams, Nancy."

"Yes, I suppose so. I suppose anybody would be sorry to see a fortune
slipping away."

"Well, we'll see what happens," returned the lawyer.

"The Horner girls are coming up the walk now," Nancy announced,
glancing out of the window. "I'm dying to tell them the news, but I'll
wait."

She greeted Allie and Grace cordially and escorted them to comfortable
chairs in the living room.

"Is it true the will has been found?" Allie whispered.

"You and Grace have no cause to worry," Nancy assured her, with a
mysterious smile.

No sooner had she seated the Horner sisters than the doorbell rang
again. This time she admitted Edna and Matilda Turner, who were dressed
in their best black silk gowns. A few minutes later, the Mathews
brothers, William and Fred, arrived.

"I guess everyone is here now except the Tophams," Carson Drew
commented. "We had better wait for them a few minutes."

There was no need to wait, for at that moment the doorbell jangled
sharply. Nancy opened the door and the four members of the Topham
family sailed grandly in. As Carson Drew had predicted, they were
accompanied by a lawyer.

"Why have we been called here?" Mrs. Topham demanded, addressing Mr.
Drew. "Have you the audacity to claim that another will has been found?"

"I have the will here, Mrs. Topham," Carson Drew replied politely.

"It's preposterous!" Mrs. Topham stormed. "Josiah Crowley made only one
will and in that he left everything to us!"

"It looks like a conspiracy to me," Ada added tartly, as she gazed
coldly upon the relatives who were seated about the room.

Isabel did not speak, but tossed her head contemptuously. Richard
Topham likewise did not offer a comment, but uneasily seated himself
beside the lawyer who had accompanied him.

"If you will kindly be seated, Mrs. Topham, we will read the will," Mr.
Drew suggested.

Reluctantly, Mrs. Topham obeyed.

"As you have probably learned by this time," Mr. Drew began, "a second
will of the late Josiah Crowley has been found in a safety deposit
box in a Masonville bank. The will is unusually long, and with your
permission I will read only the portions which have to do with the
disposal of the property."

Mr. Drew picked up several sheets of typewriting from the table, and
after a moment's hesitation began to read in a clear voice:

"'I, Josiah Crowley, do make this my last will and testament, hereby
revoking all former wills by me at any time made. I give and bequeath
all my property, real and personal, as follows:

"'To my beloved friends and neighbors, Allie and Grace Horner, the sum
of seventy-five thousand dollars each.'"

"Oh, I can't believe it!" Allie gasped.

"Neither can I!" Mrs. Topham snapped. "One hundred and fifty thousand
dollars when they aren't even relatives. Why, that's nearly half of the
estate. The will is a fraud!"

"There is no mistake," Mr. Drew told her quietly. Again he picked up
the will and began to read:

"'To Abigail Rowen, in consideration of her kindness to me, the sum of
seventy-five thousand dollars.'"

"Oh, I'm so glad," Grace murmured.

"Now, she'll be able to get the medical attention she needs," Allie
added.

"I wish she could have been here," Nancy said quietly. "But I'll see to
it that she is notified before the day is over."

"That old lady gets seventy-five thousand dollars?" Ada Topham demanded
harshly. "What did she ever do for Crowley?" Angrily, she turned to her
mother. "We kept him for years. And this is the pay we get!"

"'To my nephews, Fred and William Mathews, the sum of twenty thousand
dollars each,'" Mr. Drew read.

"We didn't expect that much," the Mathews brothers declared, in genuine
surprise.

"'To my cousins, Edna and Matilda Turner, the sum of twenty thousand
dollars each.'"

"Oh, how generous!" Edna murmured.

"Aren't we mentioned at all?" Mrs. Topham broke in sharply.

Mr. Drew smiled.

"Yes, you are mentioned, but perhaps not in the way you anticipate. I'm
coming to that now.

"'To Grace and Allie Horner, my household furniture now in the
possession of Mrs. Richard Topham.'"

There was a gasp of surprise from everyone in the room, and Mrs. Topham
half-arose from her chair. It was generally known about River Heights
that the Tophams had practically confiscated Josiah Crowley's furniture
at the time they induced him to make his home with them.

"How insulting!" Mrs. Topham cried. "Does Josiah Crowley dare hint that
I took his furniture?"

"I'm sure I don't know what was in his mind at the time he wrote the
will," Carson Drew told her, with a smile.

"Oh, we have enough without the furniture," Grace interposed quickly.
"Haven't we, Allie?"

Allie nodded.

"We'll not take the household goods from you, Mrs. Topham."

Carson Drew carefully folded the document he had been reading, and
after placing it in a drawer, turned to the relatives.

"That is all there is except that there is a proviso to pay all his
just debts, including his funeral expenses and that what little balance
is left--maybe three or four thousand dollars--goes to the Manningham
Old Men's Home. Fortunately, Josiah Crowley kept his assets in a liquid
state. It will not be difficult to convert the estate into cash.
For that reason I should think it would be possible to draw on your
inheritances at once."

"We're actually cut off without a cent?" Richard Topham asked in
disbelief. His face was unusually white.

"I am afraid you are," Mr. Drew replied.

"But it can't be," Mr. Topham returned. "You don't understand. I must
have the money!"

"I can't help you. I did not make the will."

"It's a conspiracy!" Ada cried bitterly. She wheeled upon Nancy, her
face convulsed with anger. "You had something to do with this, Nancy
Drew," she said bitterly.

"Perhaps I had," Nancy admitted pleasantly.

"We'll break the will!" Mrs. Topham announced firmly.

"Of course you may drag the matter into court if you like," Mr. Drew
responded. "But I warn you it will be only a waste of your time and
money. If you don't wish to accept my judgment, ask your own lawyer."

"Mr. Drew is right," the lawyer said promptly, without waiting for Mrs.
Topham to question him.

"Oh, he is, is he?" Mrs. Topham retorted. "If that's all you know about
law, you're discharged! We'll get another lawyer and we'll fight to the
last ditch!"

With that she arose and stalked grandly from the room. Isabel and Ada
followed, after bestowing a withering glance upon Nancy. Mr. Topham
brought up the rear. As soon as the door had closed behind them, their
lawyer arose and picked up his brief case.

"Well, I can't say I'm sorry to lose the case," he remarked to Mr.
Drew, as he, too, took his leave.

At once the atmosphere became less strained. Everyone began to talk at
once.

"Oh, Nancy, I can hardly believe it yet!" Allie declared happily. "The
money means so much to Grace and me! And we owe it all to you, Nancy
Drew! You haven't told us how you came to find the will, but I know you
were responsible."

As the Horner girls and Mr. Crowley's relatives begged her for the
details, Nancy Drew told of her adventure with the robbers at Moon
Lake. When she had finished the story, they praised her highly for what
she had done.

"We'll never be able to thank you enough," Grace said quietly. "But
after the estate has been settled, we'll try to show our appreciation."

It was on the tip of Nancy's tongue to say that she did not want a
reward when Mr. Drew turned the conversation into a different channel.

"The Tophams will not give up the money without a fight," he said. "My
advice would be to ask the court to appoint an administrator at once."

"We all want you, I'm sure," Grace Horner declared quickly. She
regarded the others questioningly.

Everyone nodded assent.

"And of course we want you to act as our lawyer," Grace added.

"I'll be glad to assist you," Mr. Drew promised. "If the Tophams bring
the matter into court, I'll give them a battle they'll never forget!"

After thanking Mr. Drew and Nancy for what they had done, the relatives
at last took their departure. Allie and Grace were the last to leave.
As they turned to say good-bye to Nancy, Carson Drew opened a closet
and took out the Crowley clock.

"I guess this belongs to you now," he remarked, handing the clock to
Allie. "It was included in Crowley's household goods."

"I don't know what we'll do with it," Allie laughed.

Presently, the Horner girls departed with the clock. On the porch they
paused to whisper significantly to Nancy:

"You'll hear from us again."

After everyone had left the house, Mr. Drew turned to his daughter with
a smile.

"Well, we administered the _coup de grâce_ to the Tophams all right."

"Yes, wasn't it funny to watch their faces when they learned they were
cut off without a cent?"

"They took it hard. It's my opinion the Tophams won't be able to hold
their heads so high after this. Richard Topham looked rather sick when
he left. I suspect he's desperately in need of ready cash."

"The Tophams deserved to be cut off without a cent," Nancy Drew
declared. "I'm so glad everything came out right and that Allie and
Grace received the bulk of the fortune."

"Yes, they are charming girls. Unless I am mistaken they intend to
reward you for what you did, Nancy."

"It wouldn't surprise me. But of course I'll not take money from them.
However, if they should offer me a reward, I know what I shall ask for!"

"What is that?"

"Oh, you must wait and see," and Nancy laughed mysteriously. "They
haven't offered me anything yet."

Before Carson Drew could quiz her, she skipped out the side door and
vanished.




                              CHAPTER XXV

                               A REWARD


"I suppose you've heard about the Tophams," Carson Drew remarked to his
daughter, one morning some months after the reading of the Crowley will.

"Why, no, what about them?"

"They're practically in bankruptcy. Richard Topham has been losing
steadily on the stock market of late. After his failure to recover the
Crowley fortune, the banks reduced his credit. He's been forced to give
up his home on the avenue."

"No, really? How that must hurt Mrs. Topham and the two girls."

"Yes, it's undoubtedly a bitter pill to swallow. They are moving into
a small house this week, and from now on they'll not be able to carry
themselves so high."

"I hope they don't try to make any more trouble about the will," Nancy
commented. "Goodness knows, they've made enough already."

The Tophams had not given up the Crowley estate without a bitter
battle. They had put forth the claim that the will Nancy had unearthed
was a forged document, but they had been unable to prove their
statement. The case had finally been thrown out of court.

As administrator of the estate, Carson Drew had advanced the Horner
girls and Abigail Rowen a portion of their inheritance. Several weeks
before, Nancy had visited Abigail and was delighted to find her in
surprisingly good health. She had secured medical attention, and a
trained nurse was in constant attendance.

"I believe I'll run out into the country to-day and visit the Horner
girls," Nancy told her father. "They telephoned yesterday and asked me
to come. They hinted they had something special to tell me."

"Perhaps they're going to reward you for finding the will," Mr. Drew
suggested.

"Oh, it's been nearly a month since they said anything about it," Nancy
returned carelessly. "By this time they've probably forgotten all about
it."

After luncheon, she set off for the farmhouse in her blue roadster. It
was a beautiful autumn and Nancy Drew thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

As she came within sight of the farmhouse, Nancy was astonished at the
transformation which had taken place. The house had been given a fresh
coat of white paint and a bright green roof replaced the old one. The
yard was well kept and beds of hardy plants had been set out.

In the barnyard, many new hen houses were going up. Perhaps the most
surprising thing was the large number of chickens in evidence.

"Welcome to the chicken farm!" Allie Horner cried enthusiastically, as
she ran from the house to greet Nancy.

"I never saw so many chickens in all my life," Nancy declared.

"All Leghorns too," Allie told her proudly.

By this time Grace Horner had reached the roadster and she too gave
Nancy a hearty welcome.

"Allie is in her element these days," she laughed. "She's putting in
incubators, and from now on will raise nothing but high-grade fowls."

"You must see everything!" Allie insisted.

Nancy was piloted from one place to another. She saw the new chicken
houses which were being built and the incubators. But the thing which
pleased her the most was the realization that Allie and Grace were
happy in their work.

"Well, I must be getting back to River Heights," she remarked after a
time.

"Oh, you can't go yet!" Allie interposed with a quick glance at her
sister. "You tell her, Grace."

"We asked you here to-day for a special reason," Grace began a trifle
awkwardly. "You see, we've been thinking for a long time that we've
never done a thing to show our appreciation for what you did. We've
talked with the others and everyone is agreed that we should reward----"

"Oh, I don't want a reward," Nancy broke in. "I wanted to help. And,
anyway, it was fun for me."

"But we wanted to do something really handsome," Allie cried in
disappointment. "It doesn't seem fair not to give you a reward."

"There's one way you can reward me if you really want to," Nancy said
after a little hesitation.

"How?" Allie and Grace demanded in one breath.

"Well, it may sound silly, but I would like to have the Crowley clock
for my very own."

"And is that all you want?" Grace questioned in disappointment. "We'll
be glad to give you a hundred clocks if you will only take them."

"Just the old Crowley clock--that's all I care for. And if you
particularly want it yourself----"

"Oh, goodness, no," Grace assured her quickly. "It doesn't keep
particularly good time and we have more heirlooms now than we know what
to do with. Wait a minute and I'll get it for you."

She disappeared inside the farmhouse, returning in a few minutes with
the old-fashioned timepiece. She handed it to Nancy.

"You're more than welcome to it," she declared warmly, "but it isn't a
reward at all."

"It's the only reward I want," Nancy replied, smiling at the two Horner
girls.

"I don't see what you want with the thing," Allie commented. "It's not
much to look at."

Nancy did not reply at once, but gazed meditatively at the clock.
Truly, it was not handsome; but for her it had a peculiar appeal. She
could not explain to Allie and Grace just why she prized it, for her
feeling was something she could not put into words. Certainly she was
attached to it because of its suggestion of her recent adventure.

"I wonder if I'll ever have another half so thrilling?" Nancy thought.

As she stood gazing wistfully at the old clock she could not know that
before many months had passed, she would be involved in a mystery
far more baffling than the one she had just solved. Her adventures,
recounted in the next volume of this series, "The Hidden Staircase,"
were before her. Nancy Drew did not have the power of projecting
herself into the future, and yet as she looked down at the timepiece,
she seemed to know that exciting days were soon to come.

"I'll always prize this clock as a trophy of my first venture as a
detective," she said quietly, turning to Allie and Grace. "It will
serve as a pleasant reminder of a thrilling adventure--and, who knows?
perhaps as a promise for the future!"


                                THE END



*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK ***


    

Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will
be renamed.

Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright
law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works,
so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United
States without permission and without paying copyright
royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part
of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project
Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™
concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark,
and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following
the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use
of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything for
copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is very
easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation
of derivative works, reports, performances and research. Project
Gutenberg eBooks may be modified and printed and given away—you may
do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks not protected
by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the trademark
license, especially commercial redistribution.


START: FULL LICENSE

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK

To protect the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting the free
distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase “Project
Gutenberg”), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full
Project Gutenberg™ License available with this file or online at
www.gutenberg.org/license.

Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg™
electronic works

1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg™
electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all
the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or
destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in your
possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a
Project Gutenberg™ electronic work and you do not agree to be bound
by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person
or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.

1.B. “Project Gutenberg” is a registered trademark. It may only be
used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few
things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg™ electronic works
even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See
paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project
Gutenberg™ electronic works if you follow the terms of this
agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg™
electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below.

1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (“the
Foundation” or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection
of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works. Nearly all the individual
works in the collection are in the public domain in the United
States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the
United States and you are located in the United States, we do not
claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing,
displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as
all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope
that you will support the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting
free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg™
works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the
Project Gutenberg™ name associated with the work. You can easily
comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the
same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg™ License when
you share it without charge with others.

1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are
in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States,
check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this
agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing,
distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any
other Project Gutenberg™ work. The Foundation makes no
representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any
country other than the United States.

1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:

1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other
immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg™ License must appear
prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg™ work (any work
on which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” appears, or with which the
phrase “Project Gutenberg” is associated) is accessed, displayed,
performed, viewed, copied or distributed:

    This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most
    other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
    whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms
    of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online
    at www.gutenberg.org. If you
    are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws
    of the country where you are located before using this eBook.
  
1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ electronic work is
derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not
contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the
copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in
the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are
redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase “Project
Gutenberg” associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply
either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or
obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg™
trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ electronic work is posted
with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any
additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms
will be linked to the Project Gutenberg™ License for all works
posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the
beginning of this work.

1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg™
License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg™.

1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
Gutenberg™ License.

1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including
any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access
to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg™ work in a format
other than “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other format used in the official
version posted on the official Project Gutenberg™ website
(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense
to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means
of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original “Plain
Vanilla ASCII” or other form. Any alternate format must include the
full Project Gutenberg™ License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.

1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg™ works
unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
access to or distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works
provided that:

    • You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
        the use of Project Gutenberg™ works calculated using the method
        you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed
        to the owner of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark, but he has
        agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project
        Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid
        within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are
        legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty
        payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project
        Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in
        Section 4, “Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg
        Literary Archive Foundation.”
    
    • You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
        you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
        does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg™
        License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all
        copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue
        all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg™
        works.
    
    • You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of
        any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
        electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of
        receipt of the work.
    
    • You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
        distribution of Project Gutenberg™ works.
    

1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project
Gutenberg™ electronic work or group of works on different terms than
are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing
from the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the manager of
the Project Gutenberg™ trademark. Contact the Foundation as set
forth in Section 3 below.

1.F.

1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project
Gutenberg™ collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg™
electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may
contain “Defects,” such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate
or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other
intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or
other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or
cannot be read by your equipment.

1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the “Right
of Replacement or Refund” described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
Gutenberg™ trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
Gutenberg™ electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGE.

1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you
received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium
with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you
with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in
lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person
or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second
opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If
the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing
without further opportunities to fix the problem.

1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you ‘AS-IS’, WITH NO
OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.

1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of
damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement
violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the
agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or
limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or
unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the
remaining provisions.

1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
providing copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in
accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the
production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg™
electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses,
including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of
the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this
or any Project Gutenberg™ work, (b) alteration, modification, or
additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg™ work, and (c) any
Defect you cause.

Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg™

Project Gutenberg™ is synonymous with the free distribution of
electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of
computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It
exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations
from people in all walks of life.

Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg™’s
goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg™ collection will
remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
and permanent future for Project Gutenberg™ and future
generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see
Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org.

Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation

The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non-profit
501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
Revenue Service. The Foundation’s EIN or federal tax identification
number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by
U.S. federal laws and your state’s laws.

The Foundation’s business office is located at 809 North 1500 West,
Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up
to date contact information can be found at the Foundation’s website
and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact

Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation

Project Gutenberg™ depends upon and cannot survive without widespread
public support and donations to carry out its mission of
increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
freely distributed in machine-readable form accessible by the widest
array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations
($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
status with the IRS.

The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations
where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND
DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular state
visit www.gutenberg.org/donate.

While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
approach us with offers to donate.

International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.

Please check the Project Gutenberg web pages for current donation
methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other
ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To
donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate.

Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg™ electronic works

Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project
Gutenberg™ concept of a library of electronic works that could be
freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and
distributed Project Gutenberg™ eBooks with only a loose network of
volunteer support.

Project Gutenberg™ eBooks are often created from several printed
editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in
the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not
necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper
edition.

Most people start at our website which has the main PG search
facility: www.gutenberg.org.

This website includes information about Project Gutenberg™,
including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.