Summoning her courage, she called Deer Mountain Hotel and asked to speak with Mr. Martin Bartescue.

"It will be just my luck for him to be out," she thought anxiously.

Half a minute later she heard the man's voice at the other end of the line.

"h.e.l.lo, who is it?" he demanded, as Nancy, overcome by nervousness, remained silent.

"This-is-Miss Judson," Nancy stammered, trying to speak in a nasal tone.

"Your voice doesn't sound natural."

"I have a bad cold."

"What is it you wish, Miss Judson? You know it isn't a good idea to call me here."

"I must speak with you about a very important matter. Can you meet me tonight?"

Bartescue grumbled, "I suppose so. Where shall we meet?"

"The same place and time as before."

"What's the matter with 2 B X Gardenia?"

Nancy was puzzled by the question, and for a moment could think of nothing to say. She did not have the slightest idea as to what 2 B X Gardenia could mean. In sheer desperation she mumbled into the telephone, "Nothing but the weather," and hung up before the man could reply.

As Nancy walked to the bus stop, she felt excited but also scared. Had Martin Bartescue guessed who was calling? Was 2 B X Gardenia a code for a meeting place? And if so, where was it?

CHAPTER XII.

Stranded!

THE telephone conversation had served Nancy's purpose-it convinced her that Margaret Judson and Martin Bartescue could be working together in some nefarious business.

"I must follow Barty," she said to herself, "and find out where he goes."

Nancy returned to the hotel and explained her plan to Bess and George. "I'll borrow Ned's car and trail Barty when he leaves for his appoint ment with Margaret Judson."

Ned had given Nancy his key in case she wanted to use his car. Fortunately it was parked near the hotel exit and was ready to be driven out at a moment's notice.

"How about coming along?" Nancy asked her friends.

"You couldn't leave us home," George replied.

The girls went to dinner. They were pleased that Bartescue was in the dining room so they could keep an eye on him. Before Nancy, Bess, and George were half through dinner, Barty abruptly rose and left.

"No dessert tonight," Nancy said hurriedly to the waiter. "We must leave now."

The three girls reached the lobby in time to see Barty depart by the front door.

"He intends to keep an appointment, all right," Nancy declared in satisfaction. "We must move fast or he'll be out of sight!"

They ran to Ned's parked car and Nancy started it quickly. Barty's automobile had vanished down the road, but Nancy drove rapidly and soon came within view of it.

"He seems to be heading for the village," she remarked.

Apparently unaware that he was being followed, Bartescue drove into town and parked across the street from a movie theater. Nancy stopped nearly a half block away and watched him cross the street and enter the building.

"Do you suppose he expects to meet Miss Judson inside the theater?" Bess asked in disappointment.

"Wait here," Nancy said, sliding from behind the steering wheel.

She bought a ticket to the theater and went inside. Although the usher could not recall the man Nancy described, the young detective was sure that Bartescue had entered the theater. In the darkened area she was unable to distinguish faces.

Thinking that possibly Barty had gone to the lounge to keep his appointment, she went there. The room was empty.

Perplexed, Nancy returned to the lobby, and after standing there for several minutes finally decided to join her friends again. She left the theater and crossed the street.

Suddenly she halted, staring blankly at the place where she had parked Ned's car. Bess, George, and the automobile had vanished!

Nancy was dismayed for an instant. During her absence had harm come to her friends? After a little sober reflection, Nancy convinced herself that George and Bess had driven off somewhere deliberately.

"Barty very likely came out of the theater shortly after I went inside," she reasoned. "The girls may have decided to follow him."

Nancy was temporarily stranded in the village. A bus would not return to Deer Mountain Hotel for nearly an hour.

Half an hour elapsed, and still there was no sign of the missing car. Nancy glanced anxiously at her watch.

"George and Bess may not return for hours," she said to herself. "Fortunately the hotel bus will be coming soon."

As she made her way toward the bus stop Nancy heard the screech of brakes. Then a car came to a sudden halt by the curb.

"Nancy!" called a voice.

She whirled to see Ned Nickerson, who had driven up in his car. He sprang out to open the door for her.

"Bess and George sent me after you," he explained. "They're back at the hotel."

"At the hotel?"

"They didn't mean to run off, but right after you left, Bartescue came out of the theater by a side door, so they followed him."

"Where did he go?" Nancy inquired.

"Right back to the hotel. I happened to be there when the girls arrived. Since I wanted to talk to you, they asked me to come for you."