When Nancy and Ned were about halfway home, he looked at the gasoline gauge and said, "I couldn't make it to River Heights without filling up. Is there a station near here?"

"Yes," she replied. "Take the next road to the right to Maywood."

Ned drove there. As the tank was being filled, Nancy glanced at a car headed for Maywood. Her pulse quickened. The driver was the man who had drugged her and the guard!

"Hurry!" she called to the attendant. As Ned looked at her, puzzled, Nancy whispered, "I just saw the man who knocked me out. We must follow him!"

Ned called out to the attendant, "That'll be enough." The surprised man shut off the pump.

Ned glanced at the price gauge and quickly paid for the gasoline. "Keep the change," he said.

"Where'd the man go?" Ned asked Nancy.

"Toward Maywood. Oh, please hurry. He ought to be arrested, and besides, he may be going to meet the Jemitts."

The suspect was not driving fast and Ned soon caught up. "Now what do we do?" he asked.

"See where he goes and then get a policeman."

Presently the man turned into an old area of Maywood where the houses were in a shabby state. He parked in front of one on which hung a sign: Mrs. Dilberry's Guest House. The man let himself in with a key.

"Ned, go for the police, will you? I'll wait here in case he or the Jemitts come out."

"Promise me," he said, cupping Nancy's chin in his hand, "that you won't disappear again."

"Not even to chase them?"

"No." Ned sat still until she gave her word, then hurried off. Nancy got out and stood back of a tall hedge so she could not be seen from the windows of the guest house.

It was not long before Ned returned with two plainclothes detectives who he introduced as Manton and Wright. Manton said he would cover the rear door of the house while the others went inside.

A woman in her sixties answered their ring. Detective Wright showed his badge and asked if she was Mrs. Dilberry. When she replied Yes, he said, "You have a guest here who is wanted for a.s.sault."

"Not here," Mrs. Dilberry declared. "All my folks are respectable."

"If you don't cooperate," he said, "you will be liable for aiding and abetting a criminal. He just came in here. Where is he?"

"You mean Mr. Krill?" A look of fright had come over Mrs. Dilberry's face. "He's in the room at the head of the stairs."

As Wright and Ned started up the stairway, Nancy paused to ask the woman a question. "Do you have any guests here named Jemitt?"

"I did have but they moved out about an hour ago," Mrs. Dilberry said. "Right after the husband got a phone call."

"Where did they go?" Nancy asked.

"They didn't say, miss."

"Tell me," Nancy went on, "were they friendly with Mr. Krill?"

"Oh my, yes! I could hear them walking back and forth to each other's rooms all the time."

"Thank you," Nancy said, then dashed up the steps to confront the suspect.

CHAPTER XVII.

A Capture AT first Krill refused to open the door. But when Wright said he had witnesses to identify him as the person who had been at The Sign of the Twisted Candles that afternoon, and there was no sense in breaking down the door, the suspect unlocked it.

"You got nothin' on me," he declared.

Nancy stepped forward. "I accuse you of drugging me and the guard, and of being in league with the Jemitts to steal from the Sidney mansion."

Krill's jaw dropped. "H-how did you know that? I was a nut to tie up with them."

The detective said, "You'd better tell us all you know."

"I ain't sayin' another word!" Krill shouted.

"Okay, come along. Miss Drew, will you tell Manton to meet us at the car?"

Nancy went downstairs ahead of the men and relayed the message. Manton joined the others at the curb.

"Please follow us," Wright requested Nancy and Ned. "Miss Drew, you will have to prefer charges against this man downtown."

They drove to police headquarters. Nancy signed the necessary papers and Krill was taken to a cell. Finally she and Ned set off for River Heights.

Ned suddenly burst into laughter. "One thing that makes you so interesting, Nancy, is that I never know when I ask you to go out, what mystery will come our way!"

Nancy chuckled. "And I never know myself. Now if I could only get hold of the Jemitts that easily-"

"I'm betting on you," Ned replied. Then, putting a hand over hers, he added, "But please be careful. They're dangerous."

It was late by the time the couple reached Nancy's house. Mr. Drew was already there and declared he was "hungry as a bear," but wanted full details on his daughter's afternoon activities.

"First we're going to eat," Hannah Gruen declared, "or the roast beef will be ruined. And no harrowing tales until the dinner is over. We want our guests to enjoy their dinner."

Mr. Drew shrugged and smiled, but obeyed the instructions. Nancy said, "Carol, I can't wait to see your b.u.t.terfly Pie." When it was served, everyone gave gasps of delight and Nancy exclaimed, "Why, Carol, it's a work of art!"

Into each portion of the lemon chiffon pie Carol had stuck two large wafers which she had fashioned into the shape of b.u.t.terfly wings. Carol had decorated them in various patterns with vegetable colorings.

"Nancy's right," said Mr. Drew, "and the pie tastes even better than it looks." Carol blushed and smiled appreciatively.

After dinner the Drews and their friends gathered in the living room, and the full story was told with special emphasis on the finding of the antique swords and the arrest of Krill. In order not to alarm Carol, Nancy's encounter with Krill was dealt with lightly.

But Carol was serious. "It's marvelous what you're all doing for me, but you mustn't take such risks. Please."

Presently Ned stood up and said he must leave. "I have to get up early tomorrow and drive to Emerson. Football practice starts early this year."

After he had left, Nancy asked her father at what time the next day she might visit the Sidney mansion. The lawyer replied, "I'll be leaving at seven in the morning to open the house for the men who will be appraising it. Why don't you and Carol have a leisurely breakfast and then drive out? When we've finished our inventory, you can do some more treasure hunting."

Nancy's eyes twinkled. "Oh, that would be great, Dad! I'll ask Carol. She's out in the kitchen helping Hannah."

When Carol heard the request, her lower lip began to tremble. "Oh, do I have to go?" she said, tears coming to her eyes. "I-I-Nancy, that place haunts me. At first, I didn't seem to mind so much. But now it's so pleasant here, and the inn is so full of horrible memories. When Mr. Sidney went, every bit of happiness left that old house."

Nancy put an arm about the girl. "I'm sure I'd feel the same way, Carol, and Dad will certainly understand."

She returned to her father, who agreed to Carol's request.

Nancy said to him, "What do you think of my asking Bess and George? After all, they are beneficiaries."

Her father smiled. "Do you think the feud has calmed down enough?"

"I'm willing to take the chance," Nancy replied.

She went to the telephone and asked Bess. "Oh!" her friend exclaimed, evidently shocked by the proposal.

Nancy went on, "After all the known possessions of Mr. Asa Sidney are listed, and the valuable ones removed to the bank, Dad said I might hunt for further hidden treasures. It would be fun to have you there and, after all, it was Mr. Sidney's request that you and George help hunt. You might find something yourself! What do you say?"

"You've persuaded me," said Bess, "but I'll have to ask my parents."

Bess was gone from the telephone so long Nancy concluded the answer would be No, or there would be some counterprposal. She was relieved when the answer was, "It's okay. And my parents said to tell you they're glad we've made up."

"I'll stop for you at nine-thirty," Nancy said. "Dad is driving out earlier."

Then she called George. Mr. and Mrs. Fayne had to be consulted but willingly gave their permission. George said, "I hope we find a million dollars!"

On the way to the mansion the next day, Nancy brought the cousins up to date on what had happened since she had last seen them.

"Nancy, how ghastly!" Bess exclaimed.

George scowled. "I hope I'm around if that man Jemitt shows up. I'd like to help capture him."

When the girls arrived at the inn, Mr. Drew was busy with two men. They were Mr. Harris, a representative of the government, and Mr. Thompson, an appraiser. As soon as they had made an inventory of the furnishings, Mr. Drew asked Nancy to show them the swords, the music box, and the diamond bracelet. Then just before the three men left with these treasures, Mr. Drew gave Nancy the key to the tower room.

By this time it was one o'clock. Bess announced she was hungry. When and where were they going to eat?

"Right here," Nancy replied. "Carol packed a lunch for us. I'll get it out of the car."

While they were enjoying roast beef sandwiches, Nancy told her friends that the Fernwood Orphanage was planning to find new foster parents for Carol.

"She's darling," said Bess. "I wouldn't mind having her live with us."

As the last of the lunch was finished, George said, "Where do we start our search?"

"Let's go to the tower first," Nancy suggested.

They mounted the stairs, and Nancy unlocked the door. The tower room seemed stuffy, so she opened the big front window, then locked the entrance door.

Bess, gazing around, said, "What is it about this room that seems so different from the night we were here?"

"The twisted candles," Nancy replied. "They're not lighted."

George agreed. "Some of them are standing in such odd places. I wonder if that's significant of anything."

The three girls began picking them up one by one. Nancy chose two handsome, stately twisted candles in silver holders which stood on one end of the brick fireplace.

"I believe these pieces," she said, "are covering something valuable."

Nancy placed a rush-bottomed chair before the yawning opening of the fireplace, and stepped up. Carefully she moved the heavy candles away, then ran her fingers over the shelf.

Was she imagining it or had a brick moved? At once Nancy set to work prying out the loose brick. It was a tedious job but presently she lifted out the brick. Beneath lay a tightly rolled brown suede bag bound with a leather thong.

"Girls, look!" she exclaimed.

She quickly stepped off the chair and laid the bag on it.

"What can it be?" Bess asked.

"I don't know, but it's heavy," Nancy answered as she untied the fastening and spread out the long, narrow bag.

Revealed were tiny pockets containing a collection of old coins!

"Oh!" George cried. "They're probably worth a mint!"

"Here's a secret compartment!" Nancy cried out For safekeeping Nancy replaced the bag, the brick, and the candles. Then she went to examine the opposite end of the shelf. It contained a similar bag but this one held jewelry.

"I can't believe it!" Bess exclaimed. "Nancy, you've earned part of this treasure."

The young detective waved aside the suggestion and said, "I'm hoping to find a secret that's more valuable than old coins or jewelry."

Nancy walked slowly toward the ma.s.sive, carved desk-table next to the front window. On it was the biggest twisted candle of all. The towering object stood next to a well-worn old leather Bible that Nancy reverently moved to one side. Within the exposed, dust-free area she detected hairline cracks that marked an oblong about a foot wide and fourteen inches in length.

"Here's a secret compartment!" she cried out, and her friends rushed to her side.

Nancy's fingers searched for a spring which might release the lid. At length they found a slight indentation on the underside of the kneehole.

She pushed it and the top of the secret compartment flew open, revealing a recess about six inches deep. Nancy peered inside at an orderly pile of letters. The top envelope said, For Carol Wipple. To be opened ... Nancy tried to remain calm about her startling discovery.

"I think I'd better not disturb these," she told her friends, firmly shutting the lid and pushing the Bible back over it. She wanted to discuss the discovery with her father before revealing what she had seen.

Before the girls could continue the search, there was a loud pounding on the door.

"Who is it?" Nancy asked.