Carolyn Keene - The Clue in the Jewel Box

“What are we to do?” Helen asked, sinking into a chair. “The dress can’t be mended.”

“I don’t appear in the show again until tomorrow afternoon. That gives us twenty-four hours. Couldn’t you duplicate the dress, Katherine? You had a good bit of material left over.”

“In so short time! No, no.”

“Maybe part of it could be saved,” Nancy added. “The sleeves are in perfect condition.”

“And so is all the back except the train,” Helen encouraged her. “Couldn’t you just make a new front and replace the train, Katherine?”

“I could sew all night, if necessary,” Nancy offered.

The designer made a hasty examination of the gown. A minute later her eyes lighted up. “I can do it!”

The girls hastened to Katherine’s shop. For two hours they sewed steadily. By then it was evident that the work could be finished in time.

“We go home now and rest,” Katherine urged. “I finish the dress tomorrow.”

The young designer locked the shop, and the three girls walked down the street. At the comer Nancy left the others to go to police headquarters. There she reported her suspicions regarding Dorrance and his double.

“It seems strange to me that those two men should always be in the same place at the same time,” she said to Chief McGinnis.

The officer gave her a friendly smile. “Do you think they are brothers-twins maybe?” he asked.

“They look enough alike,” Nancy replied. “At first I thought only one was a thief, but now I’m wondering whether Dorrance is really innocent.”

“I’m glad you’ve told me this,” said the chief. “As you know, my men haven’t been able to catch that pickpocket, or solve the mystery of the rash of thefts going on in River Heights. You’ve given us a new clue.”

When Nancy arrived home she found an urgent telephone message awaiting her from Anna. It requested her to come to the Alexandra house as soon as possible.

“Of course I’ll go,” Nancy said to Hannah Gruen, “but I hate to meet Michael.”

Nancy thought it best to go to the rear entrance and parked on a back street. Anna met her at the door, and they conversed in the kitchen.

“Is Mrs. Alexandra ill?” Nancy inquired anxiously. “Your note-”

“She is sick here.” Anna indicated the region of her heart. “Sick because of Michael.”

“What has he done now, Anna?”

“I learned something dreadful only yesterday. Madame Marie has given him many valuables to sell.”

“I knew Mrs. Alexandra had sent him once to Mr. Faber.”

“Not once, but many times. And he has gone to other shops. The prices paid have not been high. Much too low for their value.”

“How dreadful!” said Nancy.

“Something is wrong,” Anna declared. “I say it is time to ask questions of Michael. But Madame Marie will not do it!”

“Doesn’t he bring back signed receipts?”

“He gives her nothing, except a few dollars.”

Nancy’s mind was working fast. “Anna, can you give me a list of the pieces Mrs. Alexandra has sold through Michael? Also the amounts he gave her?”

“I have it all here,” the woman declared.

“Then I’ll check the items at once with the shopkeepers,” Nancy promised.

At that moment a door slammed and Michael’s whistle was heard in the hall.

“I must go quickly before he sees me,” Nancy whispered, opening the screen door.

She slipped through the garden to the back street, and drove at once to Mr. Faber’s shop. The antique dealer was looking out the front door.

“Oh, Mr. Faber,” she greeted him, running up, “may I talk with you a moment?”

“Certainly,” he replied, noting her agitation. “Is something wrong?”

“I don’t know,” Nancy replied. “Are you willing to tell me how much you paid Michael for the ring he sold to you?”

“Three hundred dollars. It would have bought more if he had been willing to wait for me to find a buyer. He insisted Madame Alexandra had to have cash at once.”

Nancy inspected the sales list she had brought with her. According to Anna’s notation, Michael had given his grandmother only one hundred dollars for the ring. Apparently he had kept the remaining money.

“Mr. Faber, I’m sorry to say this, but I think Michael is dishonest. Please examine this list.”

The antique dealer frowned as he read the amounts paid by various shopkeepers for other treasures.

“These objects are worth far more than Madame Alexandra received,” he said. “Come into the shop while I telephone.”

His anger aroused, Mr. Faber called one of the firms listed. He learned that a jade and enamel vase had been sold for a large amount, but Michael had given his grandmother only a small percentage of the money received. Another dealer reported he had paid the young man five hundred dollars for an antique tapestry. Yet only one-fifth of this had been turned over to Mrs. Alexandra!

“Michael has cheated his grandmother!” Mr. Faber exclaimed.

“It’s just possible Mrs. Alexandra intended Michael to have the rest as spending money, but did not wish to tell Anna,” Nancy suggested.

“It will kill Madame Alexandra if she finds out that her grandson is a common thief,” Mr. Faber declared.

“We must do nothing until we are sure,” said Nancy with determination.

It was dark when Nancy finally left the antique shop. She reached her own street and turned into the Drew driveway. The windows of the house were dark.

“Hannah must be in the basement and forgot to turn on the first-floor lights,” Nancy thought as she parked and walked toward the side door.

Suddenly, from behind some tall bushes, two men arose. Stocking masks hid their faces.

“All right!” muttered one of them.

Nancy started to scream, but a hand was clapped over her mouth, and she was held in a grip of steeL

As Nancy struggled vainly to free herself, one of the men spoke. His voice sounded disguised.

“Nancy Drew, I’m warning you that if you don’t do as we tell you, you’ll be sorry, and your father sorrier. You’ve got to mind your own business!”

Nancy squirmed sideways, trying to see her captors. The men’s masks made it impossible to distinguish their features.

The taller of the two gave her a rough shake. “Will you promise?”

“Promise what?” Nancy mumbled as the hand on her mouth was lifted slightly.

“Stop trying to be a detective!”

“Are you afraid I’ll have you arrested?” Nancy countered.

An automobile was coming down the street, its headlights cutting a path along the dark pavement. The engine had a familiar sound. Her father’s car! Nancy took heart. She must keep on sparring for time until he turned in.

She struggled to break free. “Take your hands off me!” she mumbled but the men paid no attention. They held on tighter and once more made their demand.

The car, which had been approaching slowly, turned into the Drew driveway. Nancy gave a quick jerk, freeing her mouth for a second.

“Help! Help!” she shouted.

The man who held her gave the girl a sudden push which sent her reeling into the steps of the side porch.

“Come on!” he snapped to his companion. “We’d better get out of here!”

Crouching low, they ran along the hedge, and disappeared into the protecting shadows of the garden next door.

Carson Drew leaped from his car and hurried to Nancy’s side. She fell into his arms, exhausted by the encounter.

“Why did you scream?” he demanded anxiously.

“Two men-” She pointed to where they had gone. “Oh, Dad, if you hadn’t come, I don’t know what would have happened.”