The Hidden Window Mystery Read online

  “Don’t say any more!” Luke begged. “I don’t know how you found out all those things. You’re a pretty smart girl, but I haven’t done anything wrong—really I haven’t.”

  “Suppose you tell us the whole story,” Nancy suggested. “We’ll go downstairs and sit in some comfortable chairs.”

  “And you won’t call the police?” the young man asked fearfully.

  Sheila Patterson spoke up. “We’ll answer that question when we’ve heard your story.”

  By the time they were seated in the old parlor of Ivy Hall, Luke seemed completely crestfallen. He was very pale, and as he began to speak, his voice shook.

  “I worked as a cowboy in Oklahoma. My parents had no money and the only cash I ever had was what I earned. I saved a little and decided to try my luck here.

  “What I told you about Mr. Honsho getting in touch with me,” Luke continued, “was pretty near the truth. Right after I got here, the hotel manager asked me if I’d like a job. When I said yes, he told me that Mr. Honsho was looking for somebody to help around his place. I rented a bicycle and rode out there.”

  The Oklahoman went on to say that while working at Cumberland Manor he had found an old diary that belonged to a former owner of the estate. In it he had found a notation that mentioned that there was a very unusual stained-glass window on the neighboring property.

  “That same day I happened to see an article in a copy of Continental magazine, which contained Sir Richard Greystone’s offer to the finder of a certain stained-glass window. I thought the window might be hidden at Ivy Hall, and I decided to find out.”

  Luke hung his head. “First I tried to date Annette so that I could get a good look at the inside of the house. When she refused, I figured the only way to find out about the window was to get inside the place somehow. I decided to try scaring the Pattersons away by bringing over one of Mr. Honsho’s peacocks—he has a flock of them.”

  Annette looked at the young man in disgust. “You nearly succeeded in driving us out,” she said. “If it hadn’t been for Nancy Drew, we probably wouldn’t be here tonight.”

  “Please go on with your story, Luke,” Nancy urged.

  The cowboy said that after he had failed to scare the Pattersons away, he had risked entering the old house at night. He had become pretty well acquainted with it, even to finding the mechanism that worked the trap door.

  “So they were your footsteps we heard!” Annette remarked.

  Luke nodded. When the girls had nearly discovered him in the attic, he had hidden behind the secret paneL He had seized the opportunity to open the trap door and send Nancy and George down the slide, convinced that this would frighten the group away from Ivy Hall.

  Luke said he had used the slide himself previously and had found the secret opening into the kitchen. He had figured that the two girls would also locate it and escape.

  Bess interrupted Luke to ask, “Why did you nearly scare me out of my wits, playing ghost in the attic? You could have stayed behind the panel until I left.”

  “I suppose I could have,” Luke replied. “But you just seemed like the scary type and I thought my trick would drive you all away.”

  “And you played the same trick,” George said, “when Nancy and I chased you and the peacock over to Cumberland Manor.”

  Luke admitted that he had taken the sheet along and hidden it in some bushes. When his attempt to scare Nancy and George had failed, he had turned Mr. Honsho’s fire hose on them.

  “I guess I’m just a good-for-nothing,” the cowboy said. “But I don’t want to go to jail. Please don’t call the police,” he begged again.

  Nancy said this decision lay with the Pattersons. “What I’d like to know is, Did you find any clue to the missing peacock window?”

  “No, I didn’t,” Luke said. “You’ve got to believe me.”

  He looked pleadingly at Sheila Patterson. She was silent for a minute then said, “I suppose we all make mistakes, especially if we’re trying too hard to make quick money.”

  Luke looked relieved. “I’ll tell you what,” he burst out. “To show you I’m on the level, I’ll take you all over to Cumberland Manor and introduce you to Mr. Honsho. Then you can ask him to open his place for Garden Week.”

  The unexpected offer surprised the group so much that for a moment no one answered Luke.

  Then Nancy spoke. “When do you want us to go?” she asked.

  “Why, right away,” he answered. “Mr. Honsho doesn’t go to bed until very late.”

  Nancy relaxed. It began to look as if Luke Seeny were not a malicious character—but a weak person who could not resist temptation.

  “We’ll go,” Nancy said. She led the way out to the car and the whole group piled in.

  When they reached Cumberland Manor, Nancy parked, and the party walked down the path lighted by the beam of Nancy’s flashlight. After Luke had unlocked the gate, the visitors stepped inside and the young man carefully locked it again.

  “Follow me,” he said, and led the way among towering trees and lovely gardens to the old stone mansion. It was English Tudor in style, and the lights within seemed to beckon the visitors hospitably.

  Luke gave a peculiar whistle to announce their approach. After he had repeated it a second time, the front door of the mansion opened. A slender man of medium build, with dark skin and hair, came outside.

  “Mr. Honsho,” Luke called out, “I’ve brought you some visitors.”

  Although the callers realized that the Indian gentleman must be very much surprised and perhaps annoyed, he gave no evidence of it. Cordially he invited them into the house, which was furnished exquisitely. Luke introduced the visitors one by one and told Mr. Honsho where they were from, adding that the Pattersons had recently bought Ivy Hall.

  “I am pleased to meet you all,” said their host. He spoke flawless English with a British accent. Then he turned to Luke and with a smile said, “I presume the visitors have learned our little secret?”

  “Yes, they have, sir,” Luke replied. “Miss Drew is an amateur detective. She recognized the screeching of the peacocks.”

  Mr. Honsho looked at the girl in combined perplexity and admiration. He made no comment on the subject, however. Instead, he said, “Is it because of my peacocks that I have the honor of your visit this evening?”

  “Not entirely,” said Nancy. “I’m a cousin of Mrs. Clifford Carr’s, one of your neighbors. She’s on the Garden Week committee. Because I love to solve mysteries, she asked me if I would try to find out why you refused to open your gardens to the public.”

  Mr. Honsho chuckled. “And you know the answer? That I would not do it because I heard some people in this area are superstitious about peacocks?”

  Nancy smiled. “Whatever I thought, I did not mention it to anyone. But I assure you, Mr. Honsho, you have perhaps been misinformed about Americans believing that peacocks bring bad luck. Most of us, like people in your country, think the birds are very beautiful and we admire them.”

  The Indian’s face broke into a broad smile. “I am relieved to hear that,” he said, “because I am very proud of my beautiful birds. Come, I will show them to you.”

  After turning on several switches, which lighted the grounds, he led the way back of the house to an extensive wire enclosure. In it, roosting among the trees, were a large number of birds. Mr. Honsho made a low cooing sound and instantly one of them left its roost and flew down to him. It was pure white and very stately.

  “This bird is sacred to us Indians,” Mr. Honsho said, gazing affectionately at the beautiful feathered creature. “If you can assure me, Miss Drew, that visitors to my place will not injure my peacocks, I will be happy to open my gates.”

  The girls expressed their thanks and voiced their admiration of his proud-looking birds. “I hope every one of them will spread its fan when the sightseers come,” said Bess.

  Mr. Honsho bade his callers good night, adding that he would leave the lights on until Luke had escorted the g
roup outside the gate.

  “Isn’t Mr. Honsho charming?” Bess burst out as they drove off. “And so different from what I expected.”

  “He’s been very good to me,” said Luke. On the way back to Ivy Hall, the cowboy was silent until they reached the house. Then he asked apprehensively, “Have I cleared myself?”

  Sheila looked at him steadily. Then she said, “Luke, I think maybe you’ve learned your lesson. I won’t prosecute you.”

  Meanwhile, Annette had gone into the house and now came out with the feather fan. “I want you to take this with you,” she said, handing it to Luke.

  A look of pain crossed his face. “I made it for you myself,” he said. “Please keep the fan. It’ll help to make up for all the trouble I’ve caused.”

  “Well, if you insist. And thank you,” the girl answered.

  Luke expressed his gratitude to the group for their leniency toward him, hopped on his bicycle, and pedaled off into the darkness.

  As the girls from River Heights were preparing for bed, George patted Nancy on the shoulder. “Congratulations, old pal. You’ve solved one of the mysteries of Charlottesville!”

  Nancy grinned. Now she could concentrate on the others. She was the first one up the following morning and at once telephoned Susan Carr.

  “Hi, Sue!” she said. “Good news! Mr. Honsho is going to open his gardens to visitors this morning and for the rest of Garden Week!”

  Susan exclaimed, “I don’t know how you did it!” Nancy briefly told her what had happened.

  Susan said she would notify the rest of the committee at once and each of them would make phone calls to spread the word that Cumberland Manor would be open to the public.

  The group at Ivy Hall had a quick breakfast and set off immediately for Mr. Honsho’s estate. He greeted them cordially and said that Luke had come directly back to Cumberland Manor after leaving the girls. He had worked all night to get the place ready for display.

  The Indian told them that Luke had confessed everything, including taking the peacock. He felt the young man sincerely regretted his actions. Nancy and her friends were glad to hear this.

  They spent the whole day welcoming the many visitors to the Cumberland Manor gardens. Men and women especially admired the exquisite peacocks. To the delight of the crowd, many of the birds strutted around with their fans spread.

  It was late in the afternoon when Nancy and her friends returned to Ivy Hall. All were weary and declared that as soon as supper was over, they were going to bed.

  “I’m warning everybody now,” said Nancy, “that I’m getting up at the crack of dawn to hunt for the stained-glass window.”

  “I’ll be with you,” said George, and Bess nodded her agreement.

  By this time Sheila had unlocked the great front door and the group walked in.

  Suddenly the actress shrieked. “Oh, my home! My home!” she cried out.

  Everyone stared in stupefied amazement at what they saw. Walls, floors, and ceilings had been hacked. The place was a shambles!

  CHAPTER XVIII

  Rifled Luggage

  SHEILA Patterson became so hysterical that the girls forgot everything else. The actress alternately laughed and cried, and continuously pointed to the hacked walls, floor, and ceilings.

  “We must call a doctor,” said Annette. She was on the verge of hysterics herself.

  George hurried to the phone while the others endeavored to calm Sheila, but this was impossible. There was nothing to do except wait for Dr. Tillett to come.

  “We must notify the police also,” Nancy said, and phoned headquarters immediately.

  Two officers arrived at the same time Dr. Tillett did. Sheila was put to bed and a short while later the physician announced that she was asleep. By morning, he said, the actress would have recovered from her shock.

  In the meantime, Nancy had answered all the questions the police had asked, then had shown them through the house. They found that entry had been made by smashing a dining-room window. The various secret places of the mansion were revealed and investigated. There was no clue to the intruder.

  One of the officers, named Hanley, said, “The fellow must have worn gloves and there are no distinct footprints.”

  The two policemen had about concluded their work when Bess cried out from the girls’ bedroom. Nancy and the officers rushed to see what the trouble was.

  “That horrible burglar,” Bess exclaimed, “mussed up all our clothes!” She explained that upon opening her suitcase she had found everything in it in disorder. “And my beautiful new slip is gone!” Bess added woefully.

  Quickly Nancy’s and George’s baggage was examined. Their suitcases, too, were in disarray, and several new articles of lingerie were missing.

  Officer Hanley frowned. “That’s strange burglarizing,” he remarked. “Why anyone would hack up a house and then steal women’s clothes doesn’t make sense. But there’s one answer. Two intruders—a man and a woman—may have been here.”

  The policemen examined the room for clues to establish this. Finally Officer Hanley admitted that there were none.

  “We’ll report our findings to the chief,” he told the girls.

  After the men left, Nancy and George boarded up the window the intruder had smashed. Then they made sure everything was locked tightly before going to their room. Bess, already in bed, asked if Nancy had any theories as to the person who had been in the house.

  “Well, Luke Seeny is exonerated,” Nancy replied, “which pinpoints the suspect as Alonzo Rugby.”

  “Do you think there was any reason for rifling our suitcases, except to steal the lingerie?”

  “Yes, I do, Bess. I believe Rugby was looking for letters I might have had from Lord Greystone regarding the peacock window.”

  “Then you don’t think a woman was here too?” George inquired.

  Nancy shrugged. Suddenly she smiled. “Maybe one of these days Alonzo Rugby’s loving sister will be wearing our brand-new lingerie!”

  “Ugh!” Bess said.

  George turned out the light and soon the girls were asleep. The next morning they found Sheila feeling well and in complete control of her emotions. She said that damage to the house was covered by insurance, and she would attend to having repairs made as soon as possible.

  After breakfast Nancy announced that she was going to make an even more exhaustive search of the house. “First I’m going to look for clues to the hidden window. Then I hope to learn, if possible, whether or not the burglar discovered the window and took it away.”

  All four girls joined in the search, but two hours later they admitted defeat. They sat down in the living room with Sheila to discuss what to do next.

  “Well, I know what I’m going to do,” said George, rising. “Go upstairs and wash my hair. It’s so full of dust, I can’t stand it.”

  She left the others and climbed the steps. Halfway up she stopped short, leaned down, and picked up a small piece of oblong-shaped dark-red glass. Excited, George hurried down the stairs and showed it to the others.

  “Do you suppose the burglar dropped this?” she asked.

  Nancy took the piece of glass and held it up to the light. The glass was wavy and looked very old. “Probably someone familiar with leaded windows dropped this,” she said.

  Sheila burst into tears. “Oh, that dreadful man did find our stained-glass window! Now there won’t be a reward for any of us or a chance to sell the window!”

  Nancy had to admit it would be pretty difficult to prove that the old window had been stolen from Ivy Hall. The finder could easily say it had been found someplace else. Then, suddenly, a new thought came to her. Maybe the red glass was not part of the window they were searching for!

  “Do you suppose the burglar dropped this?” George asked.

  “There’s still hope, Sheila,” she said kindly, and told then what she suspected.

  “You think this man Rugby dropped the piece of glass?” Annette asked.

  Nanc
y nodded. “I’m going to find out, if I possibly can, where Rugby is staying and where he was yesterday.”

  “How are you going to do that?” Sheila questioned.

  “I’ll enlist my cousin Susan’s aid,” Nancy replied. “I’ll ask Sue to call Mrs. Bradshaw and casually ask if Rugby is their house guest.”

  Going to the phone, she called the Carr home. When Susan answered, she told her what had happened at Ivy Hall.

  “How dreadful!” Susan said. “That lovely old house! I’ll find out right away what you want to know and call you, Nancy.”

  The return call came ten minutes later. Alonzo Rugby had not been staying with the Bradshaws and had not slept in the studio, either. Mrs. Bradshaw did not know where the man had been the day before, because she and her husband had gone on a tour of gardens, and assumed that Rugby had worked in the studio all day as usuaL

  “Thanks, Sue,” Nancy said.

  “Glad to help, Nancy. And let me know if I can do anything else.”

  Nancy returned to the living room and said, “Rugby had a marvelous opportunity to spend hours here yesterday. I think we should do some sleuthing and see if we can find out where he’s staying.”

  She outlined her plan. The girls would get a canoe and hide it on Eddy Run near Bradshaw’s studio.

  “If Alonzo leaves in a car, we’ll follow him with ours. But if he goes off in a canoe, we’ll trail him on the water.”

  Once more Susan Carr’s aid was enlisted. She borrowed a canoe for Nancy, and Cliff brought it over in the station wagon. The girls carried it Indian-style down to the stream and paddled it up near Waverly. They hid the canoe among some bushes, then walked back to Ivy Hall.

  “What time do you think we should start our spying?” George asked Nancy.

  The young sleuth felt that there was no necessity to do anything before five o’clock, the time that Rugby normally left the studio. Sheila prepared an early supper for the girls; then they set off in the car.

  After parking near the driveway into Waverly, they walked through the woods bordering the road, down to the studio. From among the trees they could easily look into the building. Rugby was moving about but showed no signs of leaving.