Тайна загадочной лестницы [with w_cat] - [29]

[868] "You bet I am," Helen responded. "Shall we start now or wait until after supper?"

[869] Although Nancy was eager to begin at once, she thought that first she should go upstairs and extend her sympathy to Miss Flora. She also felt that a delay in serving her supper while the search went on might upset the ill woman. Helen offered to go into the kitchen at once and start preparing the meal. Nancy nodded and went up the steps.

[870] Miss Flora had been put to bed in her daughter's room to avoid any further scares from die ghost, who seemed to operate in the elderly woman's own room.

[871] "Miss Flora, I'm so sorry you have to stay in bed," said Nancy, walking up and smiling at the patient.

[872] "Well, I am too," Mrs. Turnbull replied. "And I think it's a lot of nonsense. Everybody faints once in a while. If you'd ever seen what I did—that horrible face!"

[873] "Mother!" pleaded Aunt Rosemary, who was seated in a chair on the other side of the bed. "You know what the doctor said."

[874] "Oh, these doctors!" her mother said pettishly. "Anyway, Nancy, I'm sure I saw the ghost. Now you just look for a man who hasn't shaved in goodness knows how long and has an ugly face and kind of longish hair."

[875] It was on the tip of Nancy's tongue to ask for information on the man's height and size, but recalling the doctor's warning, she said nothing about this. Instead, she smiled and taking one of Miss Flora's hands in her own, said:

[876] "Let's not talk any more about this until you're up and well. Then I'll put you on the Drew and Company detective squad!"

[877] The amusing remark made the elderly woman smile and she promised to try getting some rest.

[878] "But first I want something to eat," she demanded. "Do you think you girls can manage alone? I'd like Rosemary to stay here with me."

[879] "Of course we can manage, and we'll bring you exactly what you should have to eat."

[880] Nancy went downstairs and set up a tray for Miss Flora. On it was a cup of steaming chicken bouillon, a thin slice of well-toasted bread, and a saucer of plain gelatin.

[881] A few minutes later Helen took another tray upstairs with a more substantial meal on it for Aunt Rosemary. Then the two girls sat down in the dining room to have their own supper. After finishing it, they quickly washed and dried all the dishes, then started for the parlor.

[882] "Where do you think we should look?" Helen whispered.

[883] During the past half hour Nancy had been going over in her mind what spot in the parlor they might have overlooked—one which could possibly have an opening behind it. She had decided on a large cabinet built into the wall. It contained a beautiful collection of figurines, souvenirs from many places, and knickknacks of various kinds.

[884] "I'm going to look for a hidden spring that may move the cabinet away from the wall," Nancy told Helen in a low voice.

[885] For the first time she noticed that each of the figurines and knickknacks were set in small depressions on the shelves. Nancy wondered excitedly if this had been done so that the figurines would not fall over in case the cabinet were moved.

[886] Eagerly she began to look on the back wall of the interior of the cabinet for a spring. She and Helen together searched every inch of the upper part but found no spring to move the great built-in piece of furniture.

[887] On the lower part of the cabinet were two doors which Nancy had already opened many times. But then she had been looking for a large opening.

Now she was hoping to locate a tiny spring or movable panel.

[888] Helen searched the left side, while Nancy took the right. Suddenly her pulse quickened in anticipation. She had felt a spot slightly higher than the rest.

Nancy ran her fingers back and forth across the area which was about half an inch high and three inches long.

[889] "It may conceal something," she thought, and pushed gently against the wood.

[890] Nancy felt a vibration in the whole cabinet

[891] "Helen! I've found something!" she whispered hoarsely. "Better stand back!"

[892] Nancy pressed harder. This time the right side of the cabinet began to move forward. Nancy jumped up from her knees and stood back with Helen. Slowly, very slowly, one end of the cabinet began to move into the parlor, the other into an open space behind it.

[893] Helen grabbed Nancy's hand in fright. What were they going to find in the secret passageway?

[ 894 ] CHAPTER XV. A New Suspect.

[895] THE GREAT crystal chandelier illuminated the narrow passageway behind the cabinet. It was not very long. No one was in it and the place was dusty and filled with cobwebs.

[896] "There's probably an exit at the other end of this," said Nancy. "Let's see where it goes."

[897] "I think I'd better wait here, Nancy," Helen suggested. "This old cabinet might suddenly start to close itself. If it does, I'll yell so you can get out in time."

[898] Nancy laughed. "You're a real pal, Helen."

[899] As Nancy walked along the passageway, she looked carefully at the two walls which lined it. There was no visible exit from either of the solid, plastered walls. The far end, too, was solid, but this wall had been built of wood.