When they reached the foot of the stairs, Nancy picked up the piece of railing and newel.
“What’s that?” Bess asked.
Nancy told her to take a good look. Bess gasped upon realizing that it was part of the hallway banister.
“You found this down here?” she queried.
“Yes. Do you all realize what this means?”
“One of two things,” Ned replied. “Either the piece of railing and newel was sawed off before the staircase was installed, or else it was removed later.”
“But why would it have been removed?” Dave asked. “If the builder knew that the one banister was going to end at the wall three feet above the floor, why would he have built it and thrown the piece away?”
Nancy chuckled. “That’s another part of the mystery I’ll have to solve. And if I do,” she added, “I’m sure it will tell us a great deal about Rawley Banister, his swindling operation, and perhaps where he is.”
Bess and Dave asked how Nancy and Ned had discovered the trap door. “Did you fall through?” Bess queried.
“No,” Nancy replied, and explained what had happened.
They were now below the opening to the kitchen and one by one the four swung themselves up with some assistance from George.
“You’re okay!” she cried. “No need to tell you how glad I am to see you. Where were you?”
As Bess and Dave related their harrowing experience, a clock in Mountainville tolled the hour of midnight.
“We’d better go back to the motel,” Nancy suggested, looking at Bess who seemed very weary.
Dave grinned. “I could use a little sleep myself,” he said.
Nancy took the piece of banister with her. An idea for tracking down this clue was formulating in her mind.
The trap door was closed by hand and Robby was locked in the closet. Nancy hid the key, then the five went to the front of the house. The young detective paused a few moments to compare the newel of the sawed-off banister with the other post. The pieces matched exactly, except that the railings curved in opposite directions.
The lights were extinguished and the front door locked. Nancy put the key in her handbag.
Burt called out, “So you finally made it back! I sure was worried about you but I didn’t dare leave this sapling bridge. By the way, I’ve been trying to find out what happened to the regular bridge. It’s too dark to see much. But I have a good idea that it’s down in the water.”
After the three couples had crossed the moat Ned suggested that they hide the saplings in the woods. This was done, then Ned slid behind the wheel of his car while the others climbed in.
By the time they reached the foot of the hill, Bess was her usual self, “I’m ready for a midnight snack,” she said. “How about the rest of you?”
All admitted they were hungry and were glad to find the motel soda shop still open. Finally good nights were said.
When Nancy, Bess, and George came into the lobby the next morning, the boys were waiting. Bess glanced at the girls’ mailbox. There was an envelope in it.
“I wonder whom that’s for,” she thought as she asked the clerk to hand it to her.
She was surprised to find the letter was addressed to her. It bore an airmail stamp and Arizona postmark. “I don’t know anybody out there,” she said to herself.
Bess waited to open it until the group was seated for breakfast and had given their orders. Then she excused herself, slit the envelope, and began to read the letter. Within seconds a broad smile spread over her face.
She looked up and said, “Well, you doubters, now I have proof!”
“Proof of what?” George asked.
Bess flushed slightly. “You remember Clyde Mead. He wanted money to help Indian children. I knew you girls wouldn’t approve, so I didn’t tell you, but I gave him some.”
“Oh, Bess, you didn’t!” George cried disapprovingly. “Why—?”
Bess held up her hand. “Don’t scold me,” she said. “This time you’re wrong. Here is a darling letter from a little Indian boy named Tom Sleepy Deer Smith. He received the money I sent and is very happy to use it for his education. So you see, girls, Mr. Clyde Mead was on the up-and-up all the time.”
After glancing at the letter, her friends had to admit it was convincing. Nevertheless, Nancy and George could not shake off their suspicions about Clyde Mead.
Bess was hurt. “I can see you don’t fully believe all this is true.”
Ned spoke up. “Oh, I’m all for helping Indian children who need it.”
The others began to question Bess about Clyde Mead’s conversation with her. She answered them somberly but could not be convinced that she might have done something unwise.
“To whom did you pay this money?” George asked.
“Mr. Mead.”
George frowned. “I’d like to bet the money’s in his pocket and not Sleepy Deer’s.”
Nancy thought it was time to call a truce. She said, “Let’s not condemn the man until we can prove he is dishonest.”
“I agree,” said Ned. “Here comes our food. Let’s eat!”
Everyone except Bess seemed to be very hungry and the basket of rolls was passed around three times. Bess merely picked at her food.
Ned felt sorry for her and changed the conversation to a jocular vein. “Bess,” he said, “did you ever hear about the girl who went into the luggage store to buy a gift for her fiancé?”
“No.”
Grinning, Ned said, “The clerk asked her if she would like a two-suiter. Her reply was, ‘No, thank you. One suitor is enough for me. What do you have for just one man?’ ”
Bess giggled and Burt said, “You have me all confused. Was the girl asking for two suits for one man or one man with two suits?”
The joking continued and soon Bess was feeling cheerful.
Later, as the group walked out of the dining room, Nancy said to Ned, “This Clyde Mead claimed that he once taught at Emerson College.”
Ned shrugged. “It must have been before I enrolled there. But I’ll find out for you.”
The boys said they must leave immediately. They went for their luggage, then drove off.
After they had gone, Nancy told the other girls she wanted to call on a carpenter and ask him about the piece of banister and newel she had found in the tunnel.
“But first I’ll phone Mrs. Carrier and get her okay to show it to a carpenter.”
When the woman answered, she was amazed to hear of the young people’s adventure the previous night. Worriedly she asked:
“Nancy, are you sure you ought to continue working on this case?”
“Oh yes,” Nancy replied, “And I’d like your permission to show the piece of banister to a carpenter.”
“Do it by all means,” Mrs. Carrier answered. “I recommend Mr. Hurley on Tuttle Street. He’s not only a carpenter, but also an excellent woodworker. I’m sure that he’ll be able to answer whatever questions you have.”
On the way to Mr. Hurley’s shop, Bess said to Nancy, “What do you hope to learn from the man?”
“I want to find out, if possible, whether the banister piece was sawed off before or after the staircase was installed.”
“Do you think he can really tell this?” Bess queried.
“If he’s a woodworker, I’m sure he can.”
When they reached Tuttle Street, Nancy parked the car and the three girls hurried into Mr. Hurley’s shop. The place was immaculate. Interesting pieces of wooden statuary and furniture were on display. The owner was seated at a workbench in the rear. He rose and walked forward.
“Can I help you?” he asked.
Nancy told him why she was there. She pulled the piece of banister from her large shopping bag and handed it to him.
Mr. Hurley took the wood, then cried out, “Where did you get this?”
CHAPTER XI
Important Clue
FOR a second Nancy was tempted to tell Mr. Hurley where the piece of banister and newel had c
ome from. But she decided against this and merely answered, “I found it in a cellar, and wondered why it had been sawed off.”
The carpenter smiled. “For a moment I thought it was like one I saw in a photograph. It might have been removed because it was not perfect. Perhaps it did not match the opposite one on the staircase.”
Nancy was tempted to say, “Oh yes it does.” Instead she asked, “Can you tell me how long ago this was sawed off?”
“Possibly,” Mr. Hurley replied. Using a magnifying glass, he studied the mahogany rail and post.
Nancy, Bess, and George exchanged excited glances. By this time the cousins had guessed what was going through Nancy’s mind and could hardly wait for the carpenter to tell them his conclusion.
Finally he replied. “I’d say from the color of the raw wood this piece was sawed off about three years ago.”
Nancy was excited. Her hunch had been correct. The wall into which the short side of the banister ran had been put up a good many years after the house was built. According to Mrs. Carrier, Rawley had had his home constructed ten years ago I
“Why, oh why, was that extra wall added?” Nancy asked herself over and over.
Suddenly it occurred to her that Mr. Hurley could be wrong. She had better not jump to any conclusion until she had more proof.
Taking the wood piece from the carpenter, she said, “It was Mrs. Carrier who suggested I come to you. Have you ever been to her brother Rawley’s house?”
“No, I haven’t. But I understand it’s a pretty kooky place.”
Nancy thanked Mr. Hurley for his help and was about to leave with her friends when the man said, “Wait a minute! I just recalled something. A friend of mine worked in that house. He’s the one who told me it’s crazy and showed me pictures of it. He’d be glad to tell you about the place, I’m sure. Why don’t you go to see him?”
“That would be interesting,” Nancy replied. “Where is his shop?”
“Over in the town of Charlotte. He’s easy to find. Right on Main Street. Number 27. His name is Custer—Hugo Custer.”
Nancy told Mr. Hurley she appreciated the information and the three girls said good-by. On the way to Charlotte they discussed Nancy’s clue about a new wall built by Rawley.
“I hope,” Bess said, “that you have no idea of tearing down what you think is a false wall. Why, there could be lots of dangerous things behind there!”
“Like what?” George asked her.
Bess replied that she could imagine all kinds of things. “Snakes and—”
George made a face at her cousin. “There are times, Bess, when you come up with the most ghastly ideas. How could snakes possibly live cooped up in a wall with nothing to eat or drink?”
Bess was not to be dissuaded. “They could go down through the floor and to the outdoors. Okay, George, what do you think might be behind that wall?”
“Something fabulous, like a great treasure,” she quickly replied.
Bess disagreed. “If that were true, when Rawley Banister was caught, why didn’t he sell the treasure and pay off his debts and bail?”
“ ’Cause he’s a crook,” George said flatly.
Nancy interrupted the argument by saying she thought they had missed the sign to Charlotte. “I’m going to turn around. Girls, please keep your eyes open.”
She had not gone far in the opposite direction before Bess spotted a small sign with an arrow which pointed to Charlotte. Nancy turned onto the road and ten minutes later drove into the little village.
They found Hugo Custer’s shop without any trouble. Fortunately the carpenter was there and welcomed his callers warmly.
“Your friend Mr. Hurley suggested that we come to see you,” Nancy said. “We’re curious about the Banister house. He said that you have worked there.”
The carpenter nodded. “I put an extra closet in Mr. Banister’s bedroom. That house sure is crazy.”
“How long ago did you work there?” Nancy queried.
“Let me see. It must have been five years or more.”
Nancy’s pulse quickened. She wondered what question to ask next, but Mr. Custer went on, “If you want to get inside, I’m afraid I can’t be of any help. Rawley Banister has disappeared. I believe he jumped bail. Too bad he got into trouble. Banister was a talented young man, but he should have known he couldn’t break the law and get away with it forever.”
“That’s right,” George spoke up. “Nancy’s father is a lawyer so we hear a great deal about such people.”
Mr. Custer proved to be an exceptionally talkative person. The girls asked a few more questions.
“Of all the crazily built things in Mr. Banister’s house,” he said, “the one that took the prize was the staircase in the center of the big entrance hall. From top to bottom there were hardly two steps in a row that were at the same angle. The whole thing zigzagged—crookedest, craziest thing I’ve ever seen. But you know it was funny. The lower end of it was very graceful and normal.”
Nancy, Bess, and George leaned forward to hear more. As the carpenter paused, Nancy asked, “Normal in what way?”
“Well, the banisters ended in very graceful newels and the two bottom steps were just like any regular ones.”
“Did Rawley Banister tell you why he’d had the staircase built that way?” Nancy queried.
Mr. Custer said no. “Mr. Banister didn’t talk much and left me alone most of the time. I certainly didn’t get the impression he was queer or abnormal. But I guess he must have been, building his house the way he did. I’ve quite a few pictures of it. Would you like to see them?”
“Oh yes,” Nancy answered.
While the carpenter looked through some drawers in an old-fashioned desk, he kept talking about the zigzag house. “I’d seen it from the outside, so when Mr. Banister asked me to come, I took along my camera and some flashbulbs. If I found things as strange inside as I had outside, I was going to take pictures.”
Nancy glanced at her friends and George gave her a big wink. She whispered, “This is your lucky day!”
By this time Mr. Custer had found the pictures. He laid them on a table and explained each one. Everything was familiar to the girls except the entrance hall. Bess could not suppress a gasp of surprise.
The carpenter grinned. “I thought that would give you a start,” he said. “I’ll bet there isn’t another staircase like that one.”
“No, I guess not,” Bess answered.
The three girls studied the pictures carefully. The staircase was directly in the center of the large hall and showed the full banisters and the two newels! Here was proof that some time during the past five years Rawley had built the extra wall.
“I can see you’re really intrigued by these snapshots,” Mr. Custer said. “I have a few duplicates. Would you like some?”
“Indeed I would,” Nancy replied. “This is very kind of you, Mr. Custer. Will you let me pay for the prints?”
“No, no. I’m happy to give them to you.” The man’s eyes twinkled. “It isn’t often that three attractive young ladies come into my shop. We’ll call the pictures a souvenir of your visit.”
“I’m very grateful,” Nancy told him.
The girls lingered a short while, hoping Mr. Custer might give them more clues, but in a few minutes they realized he had told them all he knew. They expressed their appreciation for his help and left.
Nancy looked very happy over the outcome of her visit. “Now all my suspicions are confirmed,” she said. “I can hardly wait to get back to Rawley’s house.”
“Let’s not go now,” Bess suggested. “It’s way past lunchtime and I’m starved.”
The girls ate in an attractive motel restaurant, then started for Mountainville.
Presently Nancy said, “I think we should tell Mrs. Carrier what we learned and show her these pictures.”
George remarked, “You have to return the key anyway.”
During the drive the girls talked about Rawley Banister and his weird i
deas.
“Do you think he might turn up again at his home?” Bess asked.
George answered, “I doubt it! He’s probably too busy gypping people in faraway places.”
When Mrs. Carrier opened her door, she exclaimed, “Why, girls, how glad I am to see you!”
She kissed each one and led the way into her living room.
“How is the case going?” she asked.
The girls took turns telling about their interesting adventure that day and Nancy showed the snapshots of Rawley’s house.
When Mrs. Carrier saw the picture of the entrance hall, she exclaimed, “How extraordinary! Well, if Rawley doesn’t show up in a reasonable length of time, I believe we should investigate behind that new wall.”
Then abruptly she changed the subject. “Guess who was here this morning?”
“Your brother Thomas?” Bess questioned.
“No. Guess again.”
“My dad?” Nancy asked.
“No. Give another guess.”
George spoke up. “Ned and Burt and Dave?”
Mrs. Carrier shook her head and Nancy said, “I give up.”
“So do I,” said Bess and George.
“Well, you’re in for a big surprise. Mr. Clyde Mead came to call.”
CHAPTER XII
Phony Membership
“CLYDE Mead was here?” Bess asked Mrs. Carrier in surprise. “You mean the one who is interested in Indian children?”
Mrs. Carrier smiled. “He’s the one. Said he knows you. A very attractive man. We had a lovely talk.”
Nancy and George looked at each other but made no comment.
Bess asked, “Did he tell you about the Indian children he’s trying to help?”
“Indeed he did. Mr. Mead said you had been kind enough to assist one of them.”
Bess’s face lighted up. “I even had a letter from the little boy. His name is Tom Sleepy Deer Smith.”
She took the letter from her handbag and gave it to Mrs. Carrier. As the woman read it, a pleased expression came over her face.
“If I needed any proof that Mr. Mead’s story was on the level, this is it.”