Тайна загадочной лестницы [with w_cat] - [30]

[900] Nancy felt it might have some significance. At the moment she could not figure it out and started to return to the parlor. Halfway along the narrow corridor, she saw a folded piece of paper lying on the floor.

[901] "This may prove something," she told herself eagerly, picking it up.

[902] Just as Nancy stepped back into the parlor, Aunt Rosemary appeared. She stared in astonishment at the opening in the wall and at the cabinet which now stood at right angles to it.

[903] "You found something?" she asked.

[904] "Only this," Nancy replied, and handed Aunt Rosemary the folded paper.

[905] As the girls looked over her shoulder, Mrs. Hayes opened it. "This is an unfinished letter," she commented, then started to decipher the old-fashioned handwriting. "Why, this was written way back in 1785—not long after the house was built."

[906] The note read:

[907] My honorable friend Benjamin:

[908] The disloyalty of two of my servants has first come to my attention. I am afraid they plan to harm the cause of the Colonies. I will have them properly punished. My good fortune in learning about this disloyalty came while I was at my listening post. Every word spoken in the servants' sitting room can be overheard by me.

[909] I will watch for further—

[910] The letter ended at this point Instantly Helen said, "Listening post?"

[911] "It must be at the end of this passageway," Nancy guessed. "Aunt Rosemary, what room would connect with it?"

[912] "I presume the kitchen," Mrs. Hayes replied. "And it seems to me that I once heard that the present kitchen was a sitting room for the servants long ago. You recall that back in Colonial days food was never cooked in a mansion. It was always prepared in another building and brought in on great trays."

[913] Helen smiled. "With a listening post the poor servants here didn't have a chance for a good chitchat together. Their conversations were never a secret from their master!"

[914] Nancy and Aunt Rosemary smiled too and nodded, then the young sleuth said, "Let's see if this listening post still works."

[915] It was arranged that Helen would go into the kitchen and start talking. Nancy would stand at the end of the corridor to listen. Aunt Rosemary, who was shown how to work the hidden spring on the cabinet, would act as guard if the great piece of furniture suddenly started to move and close the opening.

[916] "All ready?" Helen asked. She moved out of the room.

[917] When she thought Nancy was at her post, she began to talk about her forthcoming wedding and asked Nancy to be in the bridal party.

[918] "I can hear Helen very plainly!" Nancy called excitedly to Aunt Rosemary. "The listening post is as good as ever!"

[919] When the test was over, and the cabinet manually closed by Nancy, she and Helen and Aunt Rosemary held a whispered conversation. They all decided that the ghost knew about the passageway and had overheard plans which those in the house were making. Probably this was where the ghost disappeared after Miss Flora spotted him.

[920] "Funny that we seem to do more planning while we're in the kitchen than in any other room," Aunt Rosemary remarked.

[921] Helen said she wondered if this listening post was unique with the owner and architect of Twin Elms mansion.

[922] "No, indeed," Aunt Rosemary told her. "Many old homes where there were servants had such places. Don't forget that our country has been involved in several wars, during which traitors and spies found it easy to get information while posing as servants."

[923] "Very clever," Helen remarked. "And I suppose a lot of the people who were caught never knew how they had been found out."

[924] "No doubt," said Aunt Rosemary.

[925] At that moment they heard Miss Flora's feeble voice calling from the bedroom and hurried up the steps to be sure that she was all right. They found her smiling, but she complained that she did not like to stay alone so long.

[926] "I won't leave you again tonight, Mother," Aunt Rosemary promised. "I'm going to sleep on the couch in this room so as not to disturb you. Now try to get a little sleep."

[927] The following morning Nancy had a phone call from Hannah Gruen, whose voice sounded very irate. "I've just heard from Mr. Barradale, the railroad lawyer, Nancy. He lost your address and phone number, so he called here. I'm furious at what he had to say. He hinted that your father might be staying away on purpose because he wasn't able to produce Willie Wharton!"

[928] Nancy was angry too. "Why, that's absolutely unfair and untrue," she cried.

[929] "Well, I just wouldn't stand for it if I were you," Hannah Gruen stated flatly. "And that's only half of it."

[930] "You mean he had more to say about Dad?" Nancy questioned quickly.

[931] "No, not that," the housekeeper answered. "He was calling to say that the railroad can't hold up the bridge project any longer. If some new evidence isn't produced by Monday, the railroad will be forced to accede to the demands of Willie Wharton and all those other property owners!"

[932] "Oh, that would be a great blow to Dad!" said Nancy. "He wouldn't want this to happen. He's sure that the signature on that contract of sale is Willie Wharton's. All he has to do is find him and prove it."