Read Online Mandie Collection, The: 4 by Lois Gladys Leppard - Free Book Online
Authors: Lois Gladys Leppard
Ads: Link
He pulled another white handkerchief out of his pocket with one hand while he held the box in the other.
Shaking out the handkerchief, the magician draped it over the box. “Now when I remove this handkerchief, please watch closely.” He slowly turned toward the audience. His gaze swept from one side to the other. Keeping the box covered, he called out, “Are you ready?”
“Yes!” the crowd shouted back in unison.
Slowly, he slid the handkerchief off the empty box. Then, opening the lid, he held out the contents for everyone to see. What looked like a giant-sized ruby lay on the black velvet lining.
The audience oohed and aahed in wonder. Then as they watched, George Rushton reversed his act and made the stone disappear again.
“Well!” Mandie exclaimed. “I wonder how he did that!”
“Easy,” Jonathan replied.
Without turning her gaze from the stage Mandie whispered, “I’d like to see you do that since you know so much about it.”
“I could if I had his equipment,” Jonathan told her.
The volume of the music increased and George Rushton performed several other acts. Mandie and Jonathan didn’t have another opportunity to talk.
However, in the carriage on the way back to the hotel the young people discussed every detail of the show.
Mandie said to Jonathan, “So, you think you could do what he did if you had his equipment.”
Jonathan smiled mischievously. “Sure, nothing to it.”
“He’s staying in our hotel. Let’s see if he brings his equipment with him. And if he does, maybe he’ll let you use it to show me how it’s done,” Mandie suggested.
“Oh, he’d never agree to that,” Jonathan said. “That would give away his secrets.”
“Of course it would,” Celia agreed.
The carriage came to a halt at the front door of their hotel.
Mandie smiled at Jonathan. “We’ll see.”
“Tonight?” Celia asked as they rose to leave the carriage.
“No, it’s too late tonight, but as soon as I get a chance I’ll ask him,” Mandie promised.
CHAPTER SIX
TROUBLE IN THE CATACOMBS
The next morning was bright and sunny, and after an early breakfast, Mandie and her friends went with her grandmother and Senator Morton back to the catacombs.
The young people whispered to each other during the carriage ride there while the adults carried on their own conversation.
“I wonder if we could find those monks again,” Mandie said softly.
“Oh, no, Mandie!” Celia objected. “Let’s not go looking for them.”
“I really don’t think we ought to try to find them,” Jonathan agreed. “We might get lost again, and Mrs. Taft and Senator Morton wouldn’t like it at all.”
Mandie smoothed Snowball’s white fur. “It just bothers me that so many mysterious things seem to happen to us, as if people are trying to hurt us or get us distracted.”
“But, Mandie, we don’t know that anyone at the catacombs was trying to do something to us,” Celia reminded her.
“That’s right,” Jonathan said. “I think we just got lost and went into a section where visitors are not allowed.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” Mandie replied. “After all, I did see that strange woman there.”
“That’s true,” Jonathan said with a sigh. “But I’ll tell you right now, if you go wandering off looking for those monks, I will not go with you.”
Mandie looked at Celia who was silent and avoiding Mandie’s gaze.
Mandie shrugged her shoulders. “Oh, well, who can tell what might happen this time?”
Their carriage pulled up in front of the catacombs amid a group of uniformed school children, whose teachers were herding them into lines headed toward the entrance.
Mrs. Taft stepped down from the vehicle. “Hurry, dears,” she called to Mandie and her friends. “Let’s see if we can get ahead of all these children.”
The young people quickly followed the adults inside. Mrs. Taft stopped to speak to them. “The senator and I never did get into the recesses below yesterday, and
Shaking out the handkerchief, the magician draped it over the box. “Now when I remove this handkerchief, please watch closely.” He slowly turned toward the audience. His gaze swept from one side to the other. Keeping the box covered, he called out, “Are you ready?”
“Yes!” the crowd shouted back in unison.
Slowly, he slid the handkerchief off the empty box. Then, opening the lid, he held out the contents for everyone to see. What looked like a giant-sized ruby lay on the black velvet lining.
The audience oohed and aahed in wonder. Then as they watched, George Rushton reversed his act and made the stone disappear again.
“Well!” Mandie exclaimed. “I wonder how he did that!”
“Easy,” Jonathan replied.
Without turning her gaze from the stage Mandie whispered, “I’d like to see you do that since you know so much about it.”
“I could if I had his equipment,” Jonathan told her.
The volume of the music increased and George Rushton performed several other acts. Mandie and Jonathan didn’t have another opportunity to talk.
However, in the carriage on the way back to the hotel the young people discussed every detail of the show.
Mandie said to Jonathan, “So, you think you could do what he did if you had his equipment.”
Jonathan smiled mischievously. “Sure, nothing to it.”
“He’s staying in our hotel. Let’s see if he brings his equipment with him. And if he does, maybe he’ll let you use it to show me how it’s done,” Mandie suggested.
“Oh, he’d never agree to that,” Jonathan said. “That would give away his secrets.”
“Of course it would,” Celia agreed.
The carriage came to a halt at the front door of their hotel.
Mandie smiled at Jonathan. “We’ll see.”
“Tonight?” Celia asked as they rose to leave the carriage.
“No, it’s too late tonight, but as soon as I get a chance I’ll ask him,” Mandie promised.
CHAPTER SIX
TROUBLE IN THE CATACOMBS
The next morning was bright and sunny, and after an early breakfast, Mandie and her friends went with her grandmother and Senator Morton back to the catacombs.
The young people whispered to each other during the carriage ride there while the adults carried on their own conversation.
“I wonder if we could find those monks again,” Mandie said softly.
“Oh, no, Mandie!” Celia objected. “Let’s not go looking for them.”
“I really don’t think we ought to try to find them,” Jonathan agreed. “We might get lost again, and Mrs. Taft and Senator Morton wouldn’t like it at all.”
Mandie smoothed Snowball’s white fur. “It just bothers me that so many mysterious things seem to happen to us, as if people are trying to hurt us or get us distracted.”
“But, Mandie, we don’t know that anyone at the catacombs was trying to do something to us,” Celia reminded her.
“That’s right,” Jonathan said. “I think we just got lost and went into a section where visitors are not allowed.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” Mandie replied. “After all, I did see that strange woman there.”
“That’s true,” Jonathan said with a sigh. “But I’ll tell you right now, if you go wandering off looking for those monks, I will not go with you.”
Mandie looked at Celia who was silent and avoiding Mandie’s gaze.
Mandie shrugged her shoulders. “Oh, well, who can tell what might happen this time?”
Their carriage pulled up in front of the catacombs amid a group of uniformed school children, whose teachers were herding them into lines headed toward the entrance.
Mrs. Taft stepped down from the vehicle. “Hurry, dears,” she called to Mandie and her friends. “Let’s see if we can get ahead of all these children.”
The young people quickly followed the adults inside. Mrs. Taft stopped to speak to them. “The senator and I never did get into the recesses below yesterday, and
Similar Books
