Nancy was not so sure that the near accident was the fault of a careless workman. Nathan Comber had warned her that Mr. Drew's life was in danger. The threat might already have been put into action!
CHAPTER IIIA Stolen Necklace
"WE'D better get home in a hurry and change our clothes," said Mr. Drew. "And I'll call the contracting company to tell them what happened."
"And notify the police?" Nancy suggested.
She dropped behind her father and gazed over the surrounding ground for telltale footprints. Presently she saw several at the edge of the spot where the truck had stood.
"Dad!" the young sleuth called out. "I may have found a clue to explain how that truck started downhill."
Her father came back and looked at the footprints. They definitely had not been made by a workman's boots.
"You may think me an old worrier, Dad," Nancy spoke up, "but these footprints, made by a man's business shoes, convince me that somebody deliberately tried to injure us with that truck."
The lawyer stared at his daughter. Then he looked down at the ground. From the size of the shoe and the length of the stride one could easily perceive that the wearer of the shoes was not tall. Nancy asked her father if he thought one of the workmen on the project could be responsible.
"I just can't believe anyone associated with the contracting company would want to injure us," Mr. Drew said.
Nancy reminded her father of Nathan Comber's warning. "It might be one of the property owners, or even Willie Wharton himself."
"Wharton is short and has a small foot," the lawyer conceded. "And I must admit that these look like fresh footprints. As a matter of fact, they show that whoever was here ran off in a hurry. He may have released the brake on the truck, then jumped out and run away."
"Yes," said Nancy. "And that means the attack was deliberate."
Mr. Drew did not reply. He continued walking up the hill, lost in thought. Nancy followed and they climbed into the car. They drove home in silence, each puzzling over the strange incident of the runaway truck. Upon reaching the house, they were greeted by a loud exclamation of astonishment.
"My goodness!" Hannah Gruen cried out. "Whatever in the world happened to you?"
They explained hastily, then hurried upstairs to bathe and change into dry clothes. By the time they reached the first floor again, Hannah had placed sherbet glasses filled with orange and grapefruit slices on the table. All during the delicious dinner of spring lamb, rice and mushrooms, fresh peas and chocolate angel cake with vanilla ice cream, the conversation revolved around the railroad bridge mystery and then the haunted Twin Elms mansion.
"I knew things wouldn't be quiet around here for long," Hannah Gruen remarked with a smile. "Tomorrow you'll both be off on big adventures. I certainly wish you both success."
"Thank you, Hannah," said Nancy. She laughed. "I'd better get a good night's sleep. From now on I may be kept awake by ghosts and strange noises."
"I'm a little uneasy about your going to Twin Elms," the housekeeper told her. "Please promise me that you'll be careful."
"Of course," Nancy replied. Turning to her father, she said, "Pretend I've said the same thing to you about being careful."
The lawyer chuckled and pounded his chest. "You know me. I can be pretty tough when the need arises."
Early the next morning Nancy drove her father to the airport in her blue convertible. Just before she kissed him good-by at the turnstile, he said, "I expect to return on Wednesday, Nancy. Suppose I stop off at Cliffwood and see how you're making out?"
"Wonderful, Dad! I'll be looking for you."
As soon as her father left, Nancy drove directly to Helen Coming's home. The pretty, brunette girl came from the front door of the white cottage, swinging a suitcase. She tossed it into the rear of Nancy's convertible and climbed in.
"I ought to be scared," said Helen. "Goodness only knows what's ahead of us. But right now I'm so happy nothing could upset me."
"What happened?" Nancy asked as she started the car. "Did you inherit a million?"
"Something better than that," Helen replied. "Nancy, I want to tell you a big, big secret. I'm going to be married!"
Nancy slowed the car and pulled to the side of the street. Leaning over to hug her friend, she said, "Why, Helen, how wonderful! Who is he? And tell me all about it. This is rather sudden, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is," Helen confessed. "His name is Jim Archer and he's simply out of this world. I'm a pretty lucky girl. I met him a couple of months ago when he was home on a short vacation. He works for the Tristam Oil Company and has spent two years abroad. Jim will be away a while longer, and then be given a position here in the States."
As Nancy started the car up once more, her eyes twinkled. "Helen Corning, have you been engaged for two months and didn't tell me?"
Helen shook her head. "Jim and I have been corresponding ever since he left. Last night he telephoned from overseas and asked me to marry him." Helen giggled. "I said yes in a big hurry. Then he asked to speak to Dad. My father gave his consent but insisted that our engagement not be announced until Jim's return to this country."
The two girls discussed all sorts of delightful plans for Helen's wedding and before they knew it they had reached the town of Cliffwood.
"My great-grandmother's estate is about two miles out of town," Helen said. "Go down Main Street and turn right at the fork."
Ten minutes later she pointed out Twin Elms, From the road one could see little of the house. A high stone wall ran along the front of the estate and beyond it were many tall trees. Nancy turned into the driveway which twisted and wound among elms, oaks, and maples.
Presently the old Colonial home came into view. Helen said it had been built in 1785 and had been given its name because of the two elm trees which stood at opposite ends of the long building. They had grown to be giants and their foliage was beautiful. The mansion was of red brick and nearly all the walls were covered with ivy. There was a ten-foot porch with tall white pillars at the huge front door.
"It's charming!" Nancy commented as she pulled up to the porch.
"Wait until you see the grounds," said Helen. "There are several old, old buildings. An icehouse, a smokehouse, a kitchen, and servants' cottages."
"The mansion certainly doesn't look spooky from the outside," Nancy commented.
At that moment the great door opened and Aunt Rosemary came outside. "Hello, girls," she greeted them. "I'm so glad to see you."
Nancy felt the warmness of the welcome but thought that it was tinged with worry. She wondered if another "ghost" incident had taken place at the mansion.
The girls took their suitcases from the car and followed Mrs. Hayes inside. Although the furnishings looked rather worn, they were still very beautiful. The high-ceilinged rooms opened off a center hall and in a quick glance Nancy saw lovely damask draperies, satin-covered sofas and chairs, and on the walls, family portraits in large gilt frames of scrollwork design.
Aunt Rosemary went to the foot of the shabbily carpeted stairway, took hold of the handsome mahogany balustrade, and called, "Mother, the girls are here!"
In a moment a slender, frail-looking woman with snow-white hair started to descend the steps. Her face, though older in appearance than Rosemary's, had the same gentle smile. As Miss Flora reached the foot of the stairs, she held out her hands to both girls.
At once Helen said, "I'd like to present Nancy Drew, Miss Flora."