Read Online (#23) Mystery of the Tolling Bell by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Carolyn Keene
Ads: Link
by Bess, George limped through the shallow water to climb aboard the boat.
“We thought you’d never get here.” Bess sighed. “Did you see A. H. while you were in Candleton?”
Nancy shook her head.
“Just wait till I meet him again!” George said angrily. “I’ll tell him a thing or two!”
“I still think he must have had a reason for deserting us the way he did,” Nancy said. “How did you get along after I left?”
“Okay,” replied George. “My ankle feels better now.”
“No ghostly apparitions?”
“Not one.”
“How about the bell inside the cave?”
“We didn’t hear a sound,” Bess said.
Without further delay the girls sped directly to the boat dock and drove to a doctor’s office which Nancy had spotted on the main street.
The physician, a friendly, middle-aged man, examined George’s ankle and bandaged it. “You have a slight sprain,” he said. “Take it easy for a few days.”
Nancy and the girls went on to Mrs. Chantrey’s house. Mr. Drew, obviously upset, was walking restlessly about the lawn when they arrived.
Before Nancy could ask what was wrong, he noticed George’s bandaged ankle and inquired what had happened. The girls told of their experience. Then Nancy said, “Dad, you seem upset. Tell us what’s the matter.”
“I’m disgusted. Read this!”
The lawyer thrust a telegram into his daughter’s hand. It had been sent from New York and was from one of the young assistants in his office.
AS PER INSTRUCTIONS CALLED BROKERS OFFICE AND HOTEL. THEY HAVE SKIPPED. AWAIT FURTHER ORDERS.
“That’s dreadful, Dad.”
“Indeed it is! This ruins all my plans. The mistake I made was in giving Tyrox and the others a chance to make good. They should have been told nothing until I was ready to prosecute. Not only have they vanished with Mrs. Chantrey’s money, but probably that of other investors as well!”
“You’ve never told me much about the case, Dad. What kind of stock was it Mrs. Chantrey bought? Anything I ever heard of?”
“The stock is not listed on any exchange. I do wish Mrs. Chantrey had asked my advice before she bought shares in a worthless perfume company.”
“A perfume company?”
“Yes, a salesman showed her an impressive report of the firm’s earnings, which of course was a fake. Mrs. Chantrey thought she was buying into an old, well-established company dealing with exclusive French products of high quality.”
“What’s the name of the firm, Dad?”
“The Mon Coeur Perfume Company.”
Nancy stared at her father, scarcely believing him. Mr. Drew noted his daughter’s startled expression.
“Don’t tell me you know something about that company!” he exclaimed.
“I’ve seen the Mon Coeur products,” Nancy replied. “There’s a woman right here in Candleton who sells them. And I’ve seen a stout, red-faced man, whose looks I don’t like, on the street with her!”
It was Mr. Drew’s turn to stare.
“Your description of the man fits Harry Tyrox, one of the swindlers I’m after! He’s the head of the company. Nancy, do you think you can find him for me?”
CHAPTER XI
The Chemist’s Report
WHILE Nancy was telling her father everything she knew about Madame and her fancy cart of cosmetics, Ned drove up and joined the Drews. He listened in amazement to the story.
“Did that woman speak with a French accent?” Ned asked suddenly.
“Yes.”
“And did she wear her black hair pulled back, and have a mole on her left cheek?”
“That’s a very accurate description,” Nancy agreed. “But I didn’t know you were close enough to her to make such a minute observation when we saw her the other day.”
“I wasn’t!”
“Then don’t keep us guessing. Where did you see her before?”
“At the hotel in Fisher’s Cove. When I saw that woman with the cart here in Candleton I thought her face looked familiar. Ever since then I’ve tried to remember where I’d seen her before.”
“She may have recognized you,
“We thought you’d never get here.” Bess sighed. “Did you see A. H. while you were in Candleton?”
Nancy shook her head.
“Just wait till I meet him again!” George said angrily. “I’ll tell him a thing or two!”
“I still think he must have had a reason for deserting us the way he did,” Nancy said. “How did you get along after I left?”
“Okay,” replied George. “My ankle feels better now.”
“No ghostly apparitions?”
“Not one.”
“How about the bell inside the cave?”
“We didn’t hear a sound,” Bess said.
Without further delay the girls sped directly to the boat dock and drove to a doctor’s office which Nancy had spotted on the main street.
The physician, a friendly, middle-aged man, examined George’s ankle and bandaged it. “You have a slight sprain,” he said. “Take it easy for a few days.”
Nancy and the girls went on to Mrs. Chantrey’s house. Mr. Drew, obviously upset, was walking restlessly about the lawn when they arrived.
Before Nancy could ask what was wrong, he noticed George’s bandaged ankle and inquired what had happened. The girls told of their experience. Then Nancy said, “Dad, you seem upset. Tell us what’s the matter.”
“I’m disgusted. Read this!”
The lawyer thrust a telegram into his daughter’s hand. It had been sent from New York and was from one of the young assistants in his office.
AS PER INSTRUCTIONS CALLED BROKERS OFFICE AND HOTEL. THEY HAVE SKIPPED. AWAIT FURTHER ORDERS.
“That’s dreadful, Dad.”
“Indeed it is! This ruins all my plans. The mistake I made was in giving Tyrox and the others a chance to make good. They should have been told nothing until I was ready to prosecute. Not only have they vanished with Mrs. Chantrey’s money, but probably that of other investors as well!”
“You’ve never told me much about the case, Dad. What kind of stock was it Mrs. Chantrey bought? Anything I ever heard of?”
“The stock is not listed on any exchange. I do wish Mrs. Chantrey had asked my advice before she bought shares in a worthless perfume company.”
“A perfume company?”
“Yes, a salesman showed her an impressive report of the firm’s earnings, which of course was a fake. Mrs. Chantrey thought she was buying into an old, well-established company dealing with exclusive French products of high quality.”
“What’s the name of the firm, Dad?”
“The Mon Coeur Perfume Company.”
Nancy stared at her father, scarcely believing him. Mr. Drew noted his daughter’s startled expression.
“Don’t tell me you know something about that company!” he exclaimed.
“I’ve seen the Mon Coeur products,” Nancy replied. “There’s a woman right here in Candleton who sells them. And I’ve seen a stout, red-faced man, whose looks I don’t like, on the street with her!”
It was Mr. Drew’s turn to stare.
“Your description of the man fits Harry Tyrox, one of the swindlers I’m after! He’s the head of the company. Nancy, do you think you can find him for me?”
CHAPTER XI
The Chemist’s Report
WHILE Nancy was telling her father everything she knew about Madame and her fancy cart of cosmetics, Ned drove up and joined the Drews. He listened in amazement to the story.
“Did that woman speak with a French accent?” Ned asked suddenly.
“Yes.”
“And did she wear her black hair pulled back, and have a mole on her left cheek?”
“That’s a very accurate description,” Nancy agreed. “But I didn’t know you were close enough to her to make such a minute observation when we saw her the other day.”
“I wasn’t!”
“Then don’t keep us guessing. Where did you see her before?”
“At the hotel in Fisher’s Cove. When I saw that woman with the cart here in Candleton I thought her face looked familiar. Ever since then I’ve tried to remember where I’d seen her before.”
“She may have recognized you,
Similar Books
