THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK
BY CAROLYN KEENE
AUTHOR OF "THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE," "THE
BUNGALOW MYSTERY," ETC.
_ILLUSTRATED BY_
RUSSELL H. TANDY
NEW YORK
GROSSET & DUNLAP
PUBLISHERS
Made in the United States of America
* * * * *
NANCY DREW MYSTERY STORIES
By CAROLYN KEENE
12mo. Cloth. Illustrated.
THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK
THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE
THE BUNGALOW MYSTERY
(Other volumes in preparation)
GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
Copyright, 1930, by
GROSSET & DUNLAP, INC.
CONTENTS
I THE LOST WILL
II A CHANCE MEETING
III RACING THE STORM
IV AN INTERESTING STORY
V A CONFERENCE
VI AN UNPLEASANT ENCOUNTER
VII NANCY TURNS SLEUTH
VIII A DISCOURAGING DAY
IX VITAL INFORMATION
X ABIGAIL'S DISCLOSURE
XI VISITING THE TOPHAMS
XII FOLLOWING A CLUE
XIII AN ADVENTURE
XIV AN EXCITING DISCOVERY
XV A DESPERATE SITUATION
XVI LEFT TO STARVE
XVII JEFF TUCKER'S STORY
XVIII NOTIFYING THE POLICE
XIX A RISKY UNDERTAKING
XX WHAT NANCY FOUND
XXI CAPTURING THE ROBBERS
XXII WHAT THE NOTEBOOK REVEALED
XXIII LOOKING FOR THE WILL
XXIV THE COUP DE GRACE
XXV A REWARD
THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK
CHAPTER I
THE LOST WILL
"It would be a shame if all that money went to the Tophams! They will
fly higher than ever!"
Nancy Drew, a pretty girl of sixteen, leaned over the library table and
addressed her father who sat reading a newspaper by the study lamp.
"I beg your pardon, Nancy. What were you saying about the Tophams?"
Carson Drew, a noted criminal and mystery-case lawyer, known far and
wide for his work as a former district attorney, looked up from his
evening paper and smiled indulgently upon his only daughter. Now, as he
gave her his respectful attention, he was not particularly concerned
with the Richard Topham family but rather with the rich glow of the
lamp upon Nancy's curly golden bob. Not at all the sort of head which
one expected to indulge in serious thoughts, he told himself.
Mischievously, Nancy reached over and tweaked his ear.
"You weren't paying a bit of attention," she accused him sternly. "I
was saying I think it's mean if those snobbish Tophams fall heir to all
of Josiah Crowley's fortune. Can't something be done about it?"
Removing his horn-rimmed spectacles and carefully folding the paper,
Carson Drew regarded his daughter meditatively.
"I'm afraid not, Nancy. A will is a will, you know."
"But it does seem unfair that _all_ the money should go to them.
Especially when they never treated Josiah Crowley like a human being!"
"The Tophams were never noted for their charitable dispositions,"
Carson Drew observed, with a smile. "However, they did give Josiah a
home."
"Yes, and everyone knows why! They wanted to work him into leaving all
his money to them. And it seems that their scheme worked, too! They
treated him like a prince until he made his will in their favor and
then they acted as though he were dirt under their feet. Folks said he
died just to be rid of their everlasting nagging."
"The Tophams aren't very well liked in our little city, are they?" Mr.
Drew commented dryly.
"Who could like them, father? Richard Topham is an old skinflint who
made his money by gambling on the stock exchange. And Cora, his wife,
is nothing but a vapid social climber. The two girls, Isabel and Ada,
are even worse. I went to school with them, and I never saw such
stuck-up creatures in all my life. If they fall heir to any more money,
this town won't be big enough to hold them!"
In her estimate of the Topham family, Nancy Drew did not exaggerate.
Nearly everyone in River Heights shared the opinion that the Tophams
were snobbish and arrogant, and the treatment they accorded old Josiah
Crowley had aroused a great deal of unfavorable comment.
Nancy had never known Josiah well, but had often seen him on the street
and secretly had regarded him as a rather nice but extremely queer
sort of individual. His wife had died during the influenza epidemic
following the World War, and since that time Crowley had made his home
with various relatives. Although well-to-do, he preferred to "visit
around."
At first, the Tophams had evidenced no interest in the old man and he
had been forced to live with kindly relatives who were scarcely able
to have him with them. Crowley appreciated the sacrifice and openly
declared that he intended to make his will in their favor.
Then, three years before his death, the Topham family experienced a
sudden change of heart. They begged Josiah Crowley to make his home
with them, and at last he consented. Presently, rumor had it that the
Tophams had induced him to make his will in their favor.
But as time went on and Mr. Crowley, though failing in health,
maintained as firm a grip on life as ever, the Tophams treated him
unkindly. Although he continued to live with them, it was whispered
about that frequently he slipped away to visit his old friends and that
he intended to change his will again, cutting the Tophams out entirely.
Then one day Josiah Crowley took to his bed and did not get up. Just
before his death he attempted to communicate something to the doctor
who attended him, but his words were unintelligible. After the funeral,
only one will came to light and, to the surprise of everyone, it gave
the entire fortune to the Tophams.
"Father, what do you suppose it was that Mr. Crowley tried to tell the
doctor just before he died?" Nancy demanded, after a moment of thought.
"Do you imagine he was trying to disclose something about his will?"
"Very likely, Nancy. Probably he intended to leave his money to more
deserving relatives. But fate cheated him of the opportunity."
"But isn't it possible that he did make such a will and that he was
trying to tell what he had done with it?"
"Yes, that's a possibility of course. Josiah Crowley was rather queer
in many ways."
"Perhaps he hid the will somewhere," Nancy suggested thoughtfully.
"If he did, I'm afraid it will never come to light. The Tophams will
see to that."
"What do you mean, father?"
"The estate is a considerable one, I understand, Nancy, and the Tophams
don't intend that anyone shall get a cent of it. It's my private
opinion that they will take care that a second will is never found."
"Do you mean that if they discovered the will they would destroy it?"
"Well, I'm not making any accusations, Nancy. But I do know that
Richard Topham is shrewd, and he isn't noted for his honesty."
"Can't the present will be broken?"
"I doubt it. While I haven't gone into the case, I am of the opinion
that the Tophams have a legal right to the fortune. It would cost
considerable to contest the will, and so far as I know the other
relatives are in poverty. They have filed a claim, declaring that a
later will was made in their favor, but I doubt that the matter will
ever go further."
"But the Tophams don't deserve the fortune, father. It doesn't seem
fair."
"No, it isn't fair. But it is legal, and I'm afraid nothing can be done
about it. There were two girls who live somewhere on the River Road
that were great pets of Crowley's when they were children. It seems
to me that they should have had something. And there are a number of
relatives who really deserve a portion of the fortune."
Nancy nodded thoughtfully and relapsed into silence while she digested
the facts of the case. From her father she had acquired the habit of
thinking things through to their logical conclusion. Frequently, Carson
Drew had assured her that she went at a thing "like a detective."
Certainly she had a naturally clever mind and took more than an
ordinary interest in strange or baffling cases.
Carson Drew, a widower, showered a great deal of affection upon his
daughter; it was his secret boast that he had taught her to think for
herself and to think logically. Since he knew that Nancy could be
trusted with confidential information, he frequently discussed his
interesting cases with her.
A number of times Nancy had been present at interviews which her
father had had with noted detectives who desired his aid in solving
perplexing mysteries, and those occasions stood out as red letter days
for her.
There was something about a mystery which aroused Nancy's interest, and
she was never content until it was solved. More than once her father
had found her suggestions, or "intuitions" as he called them, extremely
helpful.
For a reason which she could not understand, the Crowley case had
attracted Nancy's attention, although it had not fallen into her
father's hands. She had a certain feeling that a mystery lurked behind
it.
"Father, do you believe Josiah Crowley ever made a second will?" Nancy
demanded suddenly.
"You're a regular lawyer, the way you cross-examine me," Carson Drew
protested, but with evident enjoyment. "To tell you the truth, I don't
know whether he ever made a second will or not. All I do know is
that--but perhaps I shouldn't mention it since my information is not
very definite."
"Go on!" Nancy commanded impatiently. "You're trying to tease me!"
"Well, I do remember that one day nearly a year ago I was standing in
the First National Bank when Crowley came in with Henry Rolsted."
"Not the attorney who specializes in wills and legal documents?"
"Yes. Well, as I was saying, they came into the bank together. I had no
intention of listening to their conversation, but I couldn't help but
hear that they were discussing a will. Crowley made an appointment to
call at Rolsted's office the following day."
"That looks as though Mr. Crowley had made up his mind to write a new
will, doesn't it?"
"That was the thought which passed through my mind at the time."
"You say you overheard the conversation nearly a year ago," Nancy
mused. "That was nearly two years after Mr. Crowley had made the will
in favor of the Tophams, wasn't it?"
"Yes. It's likely Crowley had made up his mind to change the will. I
suspect he intended to cut the Tophams out, but whether or not he did,
I have no way of knowing."
"Mr. Rolsted is an old friend of yours, isn't he?"
"He is. An old friend and an old college classmate."
"Then why don't you ask him if he ever drew up a will for Mr. Crowley?"
"That's a rather delicate question to ask, young lady. He may tell me
it's none of my business."
"You know he won't. You're such a noted attorney that other lawyers
feel flattered when you take an interest in their cases. Will you do
it? Please!"
"I can't promise to blunder into his office and demand the information.
Why this sudden interest in the case, Nancy?"
"Oh, I don't know. A mystery always interests me, I guess, and it does
seem to me that someone ought to help those poor relatives."
"You take after your old dad, I am afraid. But I'm curious to know what
mystery you have discovered."
"If a will is missing, isn't that a mystery?"
"If it is actually missing--yes. But it's possible that if Crowley ever
wrote the will he changed his mind and destroyed it. He was subject to
sudden whims, you know."
"Anyhow, I'd like to learn more about the case if I can. Will you talk
with Mr. Rolsted?"
"You are persistent, Nancy," and Mr. Drew smiled. "Well, I suppose I
could invite him to take luncheon with me to-morrow----"
"Oh, please do," Nancy interrupted eagerly. "That would be a splendid
opportunity to find out everything he knows about the will."
"All right, I'll try to do it. But I warn you not to expect startling
news." Carson Drew glanced at his watch. "Why, it's nearly midnight,
Nancy. We've been discussing this case for over an hour. Better run
off to bed now and forget the Tophams."
"All right," Nancy agreed somewhat reluctantly. "Don't forget your
promise to-morrow at luncheon!"
Long after his daughter had retired, Carson Drew sat by the fire. At
last he, too, arose.
"It wouldn't surprise me if Nancy has stumbled upon a real mystery," he
told himself, as he snapped out the electric light and turned toward
the stairway. "Perhaps I shouldn't encourage her to dig into it, but
after all it's in a good cause!"