Read Online Password to Larkspur Lane by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online

she all right?”
    “She’ll be okay,” said George as the child began to cry. “Marie swallowed some of the lake, that’s all.”
    By this time the two women had rushed over. “Mommy!” cried Marie. Mrs. Eldridge scooped up her small daughter and hugged her.
    “My baby!” the woman murmured. As she fondled the sobbing child she looked at Nancy. “How can I ever thank you?”
    “Please don’t,” Nancy replied softly. “I’m so glad I was here.”
    “I want to do something for you,” said the grateful woman. “I live in the white cottage at the north end of the lake.”
    Nancy smiled. “Perhaps you can, Mrs. Eldridge. I would like to ask you something.”
    “Anything—anything,” the woman said warmly. “Come sit down.”
    She led the girls to the beach chairs and settled down comfortably with Marie on her lap. The little girl had stopped crying and cuddled up drowsily.
    The girls introduced themselves, and Nancy said, “Tell me, are you from St. Louis?”
    The woman looked amazed. “Why, yes, I am. How did you know?”
    “I’ve heard that an Eldridge family settled in Missouri many years ago,” said Nancy. “They were originally from New York.”
    “That could have been my husband’s people,” the woman said, looking puzzled. “What’s the matter?” she added quickly, for there was a strange half-smile on Nancy’s face.
    “I just can’t believe it,” Nancy said. “This must be my lucky day.”
    “What do you mean?” Mrs. Eldridge asked.
    “A short time ago,” Nancy began, “under rather unusual circumstances, I came into possession of an old-fashioned gold bracelet with a coat of arms on it, which I traced. It belongs to the Eldridges.”
    “A gold bracelet!” the woman exclaimed, her cheeks flushing. “Was there an inscription on it?”
    “ ‘To my darling Mary from Joe,’ ” Nancy replied.
    The woman grew pale. “Where is the bracelet now?”
    “Safe in my home in River Heights,” Nancy replied reassuringly.
    “It must belong to my husband’s Aunt Mary!” Mrs. Eldridge exclaimed. “How did you get it?”
    As Nancy told the story, the woman listened intently, then said, “I must call my husband at once.” She explained that he was in Richmond, Virginia, searching for his aunt.
    “She has been missing since early spring. Our aunt is a very wealthy woman, rather eccentric at times. Several months ago she disappeared from her home, leaving a letter. It said she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown and was going to a sanatorium for a long rest. Aunt Mary asked us not to try finding her.”
    “I’m sure she is being held not far from here,” Nancy said. “I, too, am trying to find her.”
    “And Nancy will!” George declared. She and Bess told Mrs. Eldridge of their friend’s success as an amateur detective.
    “Miss Drew has already done me one great service,” Mrs. Eldridge said with a smile. She shifted the drowsy child to her shoulder and rose. “I can never thank you enough,” she said as she started to leave.
    Suddenly Mrs. Eldridge stopped and looked back. “I forgot to tell you: Aunt Mary has a necklace which matches the bracelet. She wore the set almost constantly from the moment Uncle Joe gave it to her sixty years ago.”
    “I’m glad you told me,” said Nancy. “It may be a helpful clue.”
    As Mrs. Eldridge walked away, Nancy said to her friends, “This has been a day of surprises!”
    George grinned. “You haven’t seen anything yet.” She pointed out to the lake. “Take a look at that!”
    A long canoe with three young men was heading toward shore. A shrill whistle split the air as one of them waved.
    “Ned!” exclaimed Nancy.
    “And Burt and Dave!” Bess added. “That was our secret!”
    “The boys called us last night,” said George, “and when we told them we were coming here, they decided to paddle over today. Ned wanted to surprise you, Nancy.”
    “He certainly did and it’s a grand surprise,” she said with a broad