Read Online The Mandie Collection by Lois Gladys Leppard - Free Book Online Page A

place, she quickly put on her nightgown. The two girls raced for the bed and jumped in under the covers.
    Raising up on her elbow, Mandie said, “Think of all the trouble we went to—and the locket was in my clothes all the time. If I had just changed dresses before we went out, I would have found it.”
    â€œYes, and now I suppose we are finished with that alley,” Celia replied hopefully.
    â€œOh no,” Mandie said. “We haven’t found that puppy we heard crying the first time we went through there. The barking we heard tonight was from a bigger dog. I’d still like to find the puppy.”
    â€œOh, Mandie, let’s don’t even talk about it right now,” Celia moaned.
    â€œThere are other things, too, that we need to look into,” Mandie reminded her. “How did Snowball get out of the kitchen? And as far as that alley is concerned, I’d still like to find out what’s in all those old buildings down there.”
    â€œMandie, you not only look for mysteries, you look for trouble,” Celia replied with a laugh.
    â€œNot really—it just seems like mysteries come to me sometimes,” Mandie said, laughing as she lay down.
    Tomorrow she would start planning her next investigation.

CHAPTER SIX
    UNEXPECTED VISITOR
    Mandie and Celia were busy almost all the next day with lessons and homework. When they were finished about three-thirty, they went for a stroll in the front yard. Though the sun was shining, the wind made it chilly enough for coats. Some of the other students at the school were also out for a breath of fresh air.
    â€œLet’s walk down near the road where we can talk,” Mandie told Celia, glancing around at the other young ladies close to the front porch.
    â€œYes, let’s do,” Celia agreed.
    Gradually moving down the hill, Mandie and Celia came to the bench under a huge magnolia tree near the end of the driveway. They sat down.
    â€œI still want to go back to the alley, Celia, to see if I can find the puppy we heard whining the first time we went through there,” Mandie said. “I’m trying to figure out when and how we can do it.”
    â€œMandie, don’t forget, we don’t know yet whether Miss Prudence told your grandmother about us and that alley,” Celia reminded her. “And if she did and if we go back in it again, that will mean we’ll be in even more trouble.”
    â€œI don’t believe she did,” Mandie said. “Otherwise Grandmother would have said something.” She frowned and added, “But if shedidn’t tell, I can’t imagine why she didn’t because she was really upset with us.”
    â€œMaybe she didn’t get the right opportunity to talk to your grandmother because Aunt Rebecca was there,” Celia suggested. “And now when Aunt Rebecca has gone home, Miss Prudence is ill with a cold or something. Just wait until she is up and out again. Then we’ll know.”
    â€œI’m positive Grandmother will say something to me if and when Miss Prudence tells her anything. Grandmother won’t just let it go,” Mandie said.
    â€œBut we haven’t seen your grandmother since we went to her dinner that night,” Celia argued.
    â€œI know, but believe me, if Grandmother hears about anything I’ve said or done, she will make a point to send for me,” Mandie replied. “I still don’t believe Miss Prudence told her anything about the alley.”
    â€œKnowing Miss Prudence, I would say that, sooner or later, she will be sure your grandmother knows about it,” Celia said with a sigh.
    â€œI have an idea,” Mandie said, quickly turning to look at her friend. “We could go visit Grandmother, without waiting for her to send for us, while Miss Prudence is ill. Let’s go find Miss Hope and get permission to go tomorrow. We don’t have many classes tomorrow, so we can leave early enough to go and