Nancy suddenly had an idea. "Ned," she said, "let's get my car and go to the place where Nancy Smith Drew lives. Maybe we can still stop her from getting married to Edgar Nixon!"

The two said good-by to the other couple and dashed off toward the fraternity house. They had almost reached it when a large rock came whizzing through the air. It was aimed directly at Nancy!

CHAPTER XIV.

Elusive Niece

NED had caught a glimpse of the rock coming in Nancy's direction. Instantly he pulled her down to the pavement and the stone sailed over the girl's head. It crashed through one of the fraternity-house windows.

"Oh!" Nancy exclaimed, looking around quickly to see the person who had thrown the rock.

Both she and Ned saw a man running toward the parking lot. They dashed after him. Ned soon outdistanced Nancy and in a final sprint overtook the fellow, who was rather shabbily dressed.

Ned grabbed hold of the a.s.sailant's collar and yanked him around. "What was the big idea?" he said angrily. "You might have harmed my friend badly."

"But I didn't, so let me go!" the stranger retorted.

"I'll do nothing of the kind," Ned snapped. "Suppose you give me an explanation. Then I'll decide what to do."

By this time Nancy had joined them. She, too, demanded to know why the man had acted the way he had and what his name was.

Their captive began to tremble with fright. "I-I really didn't mean no harm, miss," he said. "Please don't make me tell my name. It'll be bad for me."

"Why?" Nancy said. "Would you rather tell the police?"

"Oh no! Not the police!" the man pleaded. "As I said, I didn't hurt you when I threw the stone, so you got no right to hold me. Let me go!"

Nancy and Ned looked at each other. Legally the man was right. He could insist that he had not intended to hit Nancy or the window with the stone.

"You should pay for repairing the window," Nancy said.

"I ain't got no money."

"In that case, I guess the police will have to decide what to do," Ned told him.

"Please, mister, don't do that. I'll tell you my name. It's Otto Busch. I'm just a no-good guy in this town. I'll tell you the whole story. A smoothlookin' guy came up to me down in the village and asked me if I'd like to earn some money."

"Yes?" Nancy prodded the man as he paused.

"Well, he gave me a few dollars to do a job. He showed me a picture of you, miss, and said when you come home tonight, here at this house, I was to throw a big-sized rock at you and scare you."

"Scare me about what?" Nancy queried, staring hard at Otto Busch.

The man shrugged. "I dunno. The guy didn't say. I s'posed he had something on you." Busch stopped speaking.

"Is that all?" Ned asked.

"Yeah. Now can I go?"

Nancy asked for a description of the man and was sure he was Edgar Nixon. He must be getting desperate to try such a villainous method to keep her from trying to solve the mystery about him. Perhaps he had found out she had taken the letters for his Lonely Hearts Club to the postal inspector in River Heights.

Ned let go his hold on Otto Busch. "I advise you not to be doing errands for people you don't know. How much did the man pay you for this job?"

"Twenty-five dollars."

"That's pretty high pay for throwing one stone," Ned remarked. "Suppose you turn over some of it to me to have a new window put in our fraternity house."

Otto was reluctant to do this, but seeing the determined look in the husky football player's eyes, he changed his mind and handed over five dollars. Then, quick as a ferret, he dashed off among the cars.

"We may as well let him go," said Nancy.

"What a night!" Ned remarked. "Nancy, you must be dead tired. Why don't you go to bed and let me pick you up early in the morning to go to the house where Miss Nancy Smith Drew has been living?"

When Nancy demurred, he added, "I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll drive past the place myself. If there's a light in the house, I'll ring the bell. If the elusive heiress is home, I'll have her telephone you."

"I guess," Nancy mused, "that the man who left the money to his niece had no idea she would be so hard to find."

Nancy suddenly realized she was extremely weary and consented to the arrangement. She waited up for half an hour but no phone call came and finally she went to bed.

True to his word, Ned was ready by eight-thirty the next morning to take her to Mrs. Roderick's guesthouse on Linden Road. The owner was a pleasant, middle-aged woman and her house looked immaculate.

"Miss Drew?" she said when asked about her guest. "She slept here last night, but she has already gone out." The woman smiled. "She is busy buying a trousseau."

Nancy asked quickly, "Is she wearing a wedding ring?"

Mrs. Roderick laughed. "No, but after that little trip she just made, Miss Drew returned with a beautiful engagement ring."

"When will she be back?" Nancy inquired, trying not to show her mounting excitement.

"She didn't say. Miss Drew was carrying a suitcase, and I expect she planned to do a lot of shopping and fill it up."

Nancy and Ned exchanged glances. Was it possible the actress would not return?

At once Mrs. Roderick asked, "Is something the matter?"

"I don't know," Nancy replied. "I have been trying hard to find Miss Drew because I have a very important message for her. I can't reveal everything, but when your Miss Drew returns, tell her another Nancy Drew was here and must speak to her at once. Above all, she mustn't get married until I talk with her."

Mrs. Roderick started in surprise. "You mean there is something the matter with the man she's going to marry?"

Nancy said she preferred not to say anything more. "But, Mrs. Roderick, please be sure to have Miss Drew get in touch with me at the Omega Chi Epsilon House."

The woman stared in bafflement. "I a.s.sure you Miss Drew is a lovely person. Surely she would not be doing something underhanded."

"Oh, I'm not accusing her of doing anything underhanded," Nancy replied. "But she may be doing something too hastily."

She and Ned decided to leave before Mrs. Roderick could think of any further questions. Nancy thanked her, asked the woman to give Miss Drew the message, and hurried back to the convertible.