The Next Move
When Nancy Drew opened her eyes the following morning, the sun was
streaming in at her bedroom window. A quick glance at the clock on her
dresser disclosed that it was fifteen minutes past nine.
“Horrors!” she cried, springing from the bed. “Why didn’t Floretta or
Rosemary awaken me?”
She was provoked with herself that she had overslept on a morning when
she had so much to do. Although she had gone through a trying ordeal the
night before, she was none the worse for the experience, and arose
feeling refreshed and eager for what the day might bring forth.
Hastily dressing, she hurried downstairs to find that breakfast was
waiting.
“You have no idea how sorry I am,” she apologized contritely. “You
shouldn’t have waited for me.”
“It doesn’t matter in the least,” Rosemary told her quietly, as the
three sat down to the breakfast table. “This may be the last breakfast
we’ll ever eat here.”
“Why, what do you mean?” Nancy glanced up quickly and noticed the sad
expression on the faces of the Turnbull sisters.
“Nathan Gombet was here this morning,” Rosemary explained.
Nancy’s spoon clattered from her hand.
“He was here this morning?” she asked in astonishment.
“Yes, he came to repeat the offer he made us some time ago for the
house.”
“That wasn’t an offer—it was a steal!”
“But in the light of what has happened here, we can’t expect to get much
for the house.”
“You didn’t sell?” Nancy questioned anxiously.
“We have made up our minds to give up the house. Yes, we accepted his
offer and told him that if he came back this afternoon we would sign the
papers.”
“Then you haven’t signed anything yet?”
“Not yet,” Rosemary responded listlessly.
“Oh, I’m so glad!” Nancy cried impulsively. “If you had it would have
spoiled everything. There is no need for you ever to leave your home,”
she added impressively. “You see, I’ve solved the mystery at last.”
“You’ve solved the mystery?” Floretta demanded eagerly. “You know what
became of our silver urn? Oh, it’s too good to be true!”
“I can’t lay hands on your urn this minute,” Nancy told her. “But I
think I can get it within twenty-four hours.”
“Don’t keep us in suspense,” Rosemary begged. “Tell us everything. Is
there really a ghost in our house?”
Nancy laughed.
“Nathan Gombet is the ghost—just as I suspected.”
“Are you certain?” Rosemary asked a trifle doubtfully. “He has been our
neighbor for years and he offered to buy our house.”
“That’s just why he has been trying to frighten you. Because he wanted
to force you to sell at his price.”
“I always thought Nathan was mean, but I had no idea he would do a thing
like that,” Floretta said. “Have you really the proof that he is the
guilty party? Unless you have, we wouldn’t dare accuse him.”
“I’ll show you my proof,” Nancy declared. “Come with me and I think
you’ll be convinced.”
Hurrying to the kitchen, she secured a supply of candles, and then led
the way to the attic. Wonderingly, Rosemary and Floretta followed.
Nancy flung open the door and permitted the Turnbull sisters to enter
first.
“I have discovered a hidden stairway,” she informed them, as she flashed
her candle in the direction of the old highboy.
Rosemary and Floretta took one look and gasped in astonishment. The
secret stairway was plainly revealed for the trapdoor was open just as
Nancy had left it the night before.
“Who ever dreamed of a hidden staircase in our house?” Floretta demanded
in excitement.
“There were rumors to that effect,” Rosemary admitted. “But I never
believed them. Just think how many times we’ve been in this attic and
never discovered the trapdoor!”
“It was very cleverly hidden,” Nancy told them. “I searched and couldn’t
find it myself from the outside.”
“Where does the stairway lead?” Floretta asked, peering into the dark
recess.
“It leads to a tunnel which connects The Mansion with Nathan Gombet’s
house.”
“And he’s been entering our house nightly by means of this staircase?”
Floretta questioned.
“I’m convinced of it.”
“But how did you ever make the discovery?” Rosemary broke in admiringly.
Nancy then told the details of her harrowing experience in the Gombet
residence. She ended by showing them the bump on her head which had been
caused by falling down the stone steps.
“You might have been killed,” Floretta shuddered. “And imagine going
through that passage all alone in the dead of night! It must have been
terrible! I never could have done it.”
“I’ll admit I didn’t enjoy the experience,” Nancy replied. “But it was
the only way to solve the mystery.”
Rosemary, who had been studying the entrance to the staircase
meditatively, now turned to Nancy with a puzzled frown.
“There’s one thing that isn’t clear to me. I don’t see how Nathan took
our silver urn from the library and managed to escape without being
caught. In order to reach this staircase it would be necessary for him
to pass our bedrooms. Surely, we would have heard him.”
“That puzzles me too,” Nancy admitted. “But I have a theory which I
intend to investigate this morning. I believe there must be another
opening to this staircase on the floor below.”
“Perhaps there’s one in every room,” Floretta speculated.
“It wouldn’t surprise me to find one on every floor,” Nancy stated.
“But we searched thoroughly,” Rosemary protested. “We went over every
inch of the walls.”
“That’s true. But I believe it will be easier to find the openings from
the inside. I intend to enter the staircase again and try to find them.
Last night I remember that several flight of stairs branched off from
one landing. I want to find out where they lead. Do you want to go with
me?”
“Certainly,” Rosemary declared promptly. “I have a great curiosity to
see what the stairway is like.”
“It’s so old we must be careful not to fall,” Nancy warned her. “One of
the steps has rotted away entirely.”
As she spoke, she stepped through the opening into the passageway.
Rosemary boldly followed, but Floretta hesitated uncertainly.
“What if the trapdoor should fall shut?” she questioned anxiously.
“I’m sure it won’t,” Nancy reassured her. “But even if it does, I can
open it again. See, here is the hidden spring.”
She held her candle so that the beam illuminated the metal ring which
controlled the door. Still, Floretta hesitated.
“Do hurry,” Rosemary commanded impatiently. “There’s no danger.”
Floretta folded her skirts tightly about her to prevent them from
brushing against the dusty walls, and then timidly descended the first
step.
“I don’t like it,” she choked. “The dust is terrific and the
cobwebs—ug!” Nevertheless, she did not turn back.
Cautiously, Nancy Drew led the way down the wooden stairs, taking care
to avoid the broken step. At the landing she selected one of the
passages which led in another direction, and descended the stairs until
she came to another landing.
As she flashed her light about, her keen eyes caught the gleam of a
metal ring. She seized upon it eagerly.
“This must open a panel,” she cried, in excitement.
As she pulled upon the ring, the wall fell away, and to her amazement
she stepped into a closet which was filled with garments.
“Where are we?” she demanded.
“Why, we must be in my room!” Floretta gasped. “Now I understand what
became of my silk dresses and the diamond pin!”
“It’s clear Nathan must have entered the room by means of the secret
panel in the closet,” Rosemary observed.
“But how did the canaries get in?” Floretta demanded.
“They might have flown through the passage and entered the room when the
panel was open,” Nancy suggested.
“That’s very likely,” Rosemary agreed. “It’s no wonder we thought the
walls had ears. It’s my opinion Nathan has been hiding in the staircase
listening to everything we say. It frightens me to think of it!”
“I feel confident it was Nathan Gombet who sent me the threatening
letter advising me not to come to this house,” Nancy declared. “Can you
remember whether or not you read my letter aloud after it arrived?”
“Yes, we did,” Floretta responded quickly. “And we were in this very
bedroom too! Nathan must have been listening and heard every word!”
“It’s clear enough now,” Rosemary said caustically. “That man thought he
could frighten us from our home. To think we nearly sold The Mansion to
him!”
“Shall we investigate the other passages?” Nancy questioned. “Our time
is getting short and I’m eager to find out where they lead.”
“By all means,” Rosemary agreed.
Without taking time to close the panel after them, the three descended
the hidden stairway to the landing below and there selected another
flight of wooden stairs.
“We must be going down to the first floor now,” Floretta observed, as
they cautiously descended.
“Watch out for the step,” Nancy, who was ahead, called out in warning.
“There’s another broken one just ahead.”
The three avoided the hole in the flooring and continued down the
staircase. At last, Nancy came to the end of the passage, but to her
surprise could find no hidden panel. In vain she flashed her candle
about over the walls and Floretta and Rosemary aided in the search.
“That’s funny,” Nancy murmured in perplexity. “I’m sure there must be an
opening here somewhere.”
She glanced anxiously at her candle. It would not last many more
minutes, and unless she wished to be plunged into darkness, she must
return to the kitchen for another supply. Floretta and Rosemary had used
the last of their stock.
The passage at this particular place was very narrow and so low that a
person could not stand upright without striking the top wall.
Tiring of the stooped position which she had been forced to endure for
several minutes, Nancy straightened. Her head struck the top of the
passageway.
“Ouch!” she exclaimed.
To her astonishment, she heard a strange clicking noise.
“I believe I’ve discovered the panel,” she cried eagerly.
While Rosemary held the candle, she examined ceiling overhead and pushed
upon it with all her strength. To her surprise, the wall gave way easily
and lifted up.
Nancy pushed the obstruction out of the way and thrust her head and
shoulders through the opening. Curiously, she gazed about. She had come
up through the sofa seat in the library!
“My word!” she exclaimed. “No wonder I never found the secret panel in
this room. Who would have thought of looking in the sofa!”
She pulled herself up through the opening and then assisted Floretta and
Rosemary, who were less athletic.
“Mercy! What next?” Floretta gasped as she sank down into a chair and
tried to regain her breath.
“Imagine living in this house all these years and never discovering
anything wrong with that sofa!” Rosemary commented.
“I see everything now,” Nancy said slowly. “That broken step just before
we came to the opening. Nathan must have fallen and cried out in alarm.
And I feel certain there must be another opening in the sofa in the
drawing room. I’m going to find out!”
Darting into the next room, she jerked the cushions from the sofa and
lifted the base boards. As she had suspected, there was an opening
similar to the one in the library, which was just large enough for a
person to squeeze through.
“That’s how Nathan stole the silver urn,” Floretta observed. “He came up
through the sofa seat in the library!”
“How stupid of me not to think of looking there before,” Nancy said.
“Stupid? I think you’ve done extremely clever detective work, as it is.
Why, we’ve lived here for years and never dreamed of a hidden staircase.
How shall we ever repay you for all you have done?”
“Oh, let’s not think about that now,” Nancy said hastily, glancing at
her watch. “There’s so much yet to be done. We must bring Nathan Gombet
to justice if we can!”
“I agree with you there,” Floretta cried feelingly. “Go and call the
police! We want him locked up!”
Nancy started toward the door.
“If he has an inkling of what we have discovered, he’ll try to escape,”
she threw back over her shoulder.
She hurried to the garage at the rear of the house and quickly backed
her roadster out upon the drive. Rosemary and Floretta, not to be left
behind, crowded in beside her.
“Oh, do you think the police will be able to capture him?” Floretta
asked tremulously. “I’ll never feel safe again until I know he’s behind
prison bars.”
“I’m afraid we shouldn’t have taken the time we did to investigate those
passages,” Nancy returned quietly. “But I wanted to be absolutely
certain that Nathan Gombet was guilty before I turned him over to the
authorities.”
With that she shifted gears, and the car roared down the Cliffwood road
to disappear in a cloud of dust.