As soon as they finished eating, Martha asked Oscar to carry her to bed. While the couple was upstairs, Nancy and Ned cleared the table and washed and dried the dishes. Nancy had just finished cleaning the broiler when Oscar came downstairs.
“I want to go outside and look around,” he said. “Nancy and Ned, will you come along? Let’s see if we can pick up any clues to the unseen intruder.”
Nancy and Oscar got flashlights. While the man went to the rest of the cages to be sure none of the other still-healthy species had been harmed, Nancy and Ned began to search for unfamiliar or freshly-made footprints. An intense hunt revealed only that there were so many of them it would be difficult to distinguish a stranger’s from those of friendly callers.
Nancy had a hunch that the person who had attacked Oscar and Ned would not have gone near the house. For this reason she followed several sets of footprints that led in a direction away from the dwelling and toward the road.
She and Ned found a few separate prints in a muddy area, but they were only partially clear because the man who had made them had been running and skidding in the softened ground.
“I guess we’ll have to give up,” Ned suggested.
At the road the couple turned and started back. They had gone about halfway to the cages, with Nancy flashing her light from left to right, when suddenly she stopped.
“See something?” Ned asked.
Nancy went over to a clump of bushes and stared down at an empty can with a new label on it.
Chloroform!
“I guess this was what the intruder used,” she said.
Ned started to pick it up, but Nancy caught his arm. “Let’s wrap this up so we won’t ruin any fingerprints on it,” she suggested.
She removed her scarf and carefully tied it around the can. Ned carried it back to the house. Oscar came to the kitchen and they showed it to him.
“I think,” said Nancy, “that what happened today should be reported to the police. Suppose Ned and I take this evidence to Chief Pepper and tell him the story.”
“That’s a good idea,” Oscar agreed.
A little while later she and Ned said good-by and told the bird owner they certainly hoped he would have no more trouble.
He smiled at the couple. “You are wonderful,” he said. “However, I can’t hope for good luck yet. But maybe there’ll be a break soon. Nancy, I’m depending on you and your father to straighten out this whole problem.”
Ned grinned. “The Drews will do it!” he assured the man.
Half an hour later he and Nancy arrived at police headquarters in Harper. Chief Pepper was just going off duty, but he waited to talk to them. Nancy introduced Ned, and the officer led the couple into his office.
Nancy told him that there had been sabotage at the Thurston place. “Ned will explain what happened to him and Oscar.”
As the chief listened to the story he frowned again and again.
Finally he said, “This is serious. If things get any worse, I believe we’ll have to post a guard out there to spot intruders.”
Nancy now handed the chief the scarf with its contents. “I surmise that the can has fingerprints on it. That’s why I didn’t touch it.”
Chief Pepper smiled. “You’re a true detective, all right.” He opened his desk drawer and took out a cellophane bag into which he rolled the can. “I’ll send this to our laboratory at once.”
The officer promised to let Nancy know the results as well as Oscar Thurston. Then the young people said good-by and went to their car.
As they were driving slowly through the main street of Harper, Nancy suddenly said, “Ned, would you be willing to go with me to the ballet?”
“Where?”
“Right here. I saw a sign back there. We just have enough time to catch the evening performance and I think maybe we can pick up a clue there.”
“A clue at the ballet?” Ned asked, puzzled. “Yes,” Nancy replied. “And maybe a very good one.”
CHAPTER IX
The Puzzling Circle
CHUCKLING, Ned took his eyes off the street just long enough to glance at Nancy seated beside him in his car.
“You certainly can jump from one clue to another pretty fast. So you’re not going to tell me what your latest hunch is?”
Nancy laughed. “No, I’m not. This one you’ll have to figure out yourself,” she teased.
“Okay. I’ll find a place to park and we’ll go into the ballet.”
The performance was about to begin as the couple took their seats. The program was drawn from a broad range of traditional to contemporary dances.
The first selection was set in a woodland scene. Four dancers in filmy pale-gray costumes flitted across stage. Nancy glanced at Ned as he shifted uncomfortably. She could see that he was not particularly interested.
“He’ll like the next number better,” she thought.
The lithe dancers had barely left the stage when several male dancers, dressed in green frogmen costumes, entered. While Nancy was intrigued by the idea of dancing in flipper-like foot-gear, Ned wanted to laugh at first. Not wishing to embarrass his companion, he merely grinned. After a while he admitted to himself that the costumes, particularly the undersea headgear, were clever. Even the dance which combined familiar movements with swimlike steps began to fascinate him.
When the number ended, Ned turned to Nancy. “I think I have a clue to your clue. You think one of these leaping frogmen might be the specter who frightened Mrs. Thurston.”
Nancy merely smiled. Ned’s surmise was correct, but none of the dancers had shown the talent to leap the distance that Mrs. Thurston had indicated. During the intermission she told Ned she would like to talk to the stage manager or director of the troupe.
The couple went to the lobby and spoke to the woman in the box office. Ned made the request of her and gave their names.
“I’ll see,” she said and disappeared into a rear office. The woman soon returned and smilingly announced, “Mr. Van Camp will see you after the show. He’ll be backstage with the dancers.”
While waiting for the second part of the ballet to start, Nancy began to formulate questions to ask the man. Soon the houselights dimmed and the curtains rolled back.
The third number was a solo and so interesting to Nancy that she sat on the edge of her seat and watched intently. The dancer was a star performer named Boris Borovsky. His muscular control and grace, combined with a handsome appearance, were captivating. He interspersed the dance with spectacular leaps. During one dramatic movement Boris swooped through the air from one end of the stage to the other with such ease he really seemed to be flying. Nancy overheard a comment that perhaps Boris was Peter Pan in disguise.
Ned was fascinated too. When the number was over, he whispered to Nancy, “Is he your villain?”
She shrugged. “We’ll find out after the show.” The applause was thunderous and continued until Borovsky began to dance an encore. Other numbers followed, but none could equal his, which had been the high point of the evening.
When the curtains were drawn finally, Nancy and Ned walked toward the stage and opened a side door. They ascended a few steps and watched the scene onstage. A man in a business suit, apparently the director, was talking to the dancers, who were still in costume.
Nancy and Ned politely waited until he had dismissed the ensemble. Then, as the man turned to leave, they stepped onto the stage.
“Mr. Van Camp?” Ned asked.
The man nodded. “You are the couple who asked to see me?”
“Yes,” Nancy replied. “First, I want to tell you how much I enjoyed the entire ballet. Your dancers and the selections were really wonderful.”
Ned smiled. “I admit Nancy dragged me here, but I found myself liking the performance very much—particularly the high jumper.”
The director smiled at Ned’s athletic reference to the troupe’s star dancer, and Nancy was grateful for an opening to ask her first question. “Mr. Van Camp, do you know of
any other male dancer in this area who can compare with Boris Borovsky?”
“Yes, I do,” the director replied. “He used to be with this troupe and I hated to lose him. He was one of the best talents I ever worked with. Unfortunately I had to let him go.”
Mr. Van Camp looked questioningly at the young people. “Did you have a particular reason for wanting to know?”
Nancy wondered just how much she should reveal and replied, “Yes. My father is an attorney and something strange happened on the case he’s handling. A clue to someone involved might be a male dancer who can leap unusually high.”
Mr. Van Camp now divulged the fact that he had discharged the other dancer for his disreputable connections and unprofessional attitude.
“I don’t know what he’s doing now, but I imagine he’s been dodging the law since he left here. His real name is Mervin Gantry but the stage name he uses is Merv Marvel.”
Ned asked, “Could this Merv Marvel guy be mixed up in any kind of a land deal?”
Mr. Van Camp frowned. “I imagine he could be mixed up in almost anything. Merv had a strange way of mesmerizing people. He could get them to do just about anything.”
Nancy was struck by the word mesmerized. “How did he mesmerize people?”
The director said he had even heard a rumor that Marvel had tried fleecing superstitious people by scaring them with signs of warning and strange omens of bad luck.
“What kind of signs?” Nancy asked quickly.
“Various kinds, I was told,” the director replied. “By the way, if you ever come across him don’t let him try to sell you anything!”
“Thanks for the tip,” Ned replied with a grin.
“Could you tell me,” Nancy persisted, “what any of the signs were?”
Mr. Van Camp said that Merv was very angry at being discharged. “He left one of his symbols on my desk.”
The director pulled a note pad from his pocket and with a pencil drew a circle with a cross inside. Nancy wanted to shout for joy, but restrained herself as did Ned who said nothing. She had picked up a real clue!
Mr. Van Camp went on, “I’ve been told that this symbol means bad luck of some sort.”
Nancy did not comment but wondered, “Is this a private mark the ex-dancer uses or is he a member of some witchcraft group?”
Out of the corners of their eyes, the couple became aware of some dancers still waiting in the wings to talk to Mr. Van Camp. Nancy and Ned started to thank him and excuse themselves when he surprised them by asking:
“Have you people ever danced ballet?”
Ned laughed. “Only around a football field.”
Nancy told him that she had taken ballet lessons and loved them. “Sometime I’d like to learn to leap,” she said. “We only studied it a little in acrobatic class.”
Mr. Van Camp’s eyes twinkled. He called out, “Boris, come over here!”
The agile dancer walked forward and was introduced to Nancy and Ned.
Mr. Van Camp repeated Nancy’s remark to Boris, who smiled. “I’d be happy to help her, but first let me see you dance a little, Nancy.”
“Music!” Mr. Van Camp called out to the musicians who were in conference with their conductor.
Nancy was flushed with excitement. She took off her shoes. As soon as the music started she found it easy to execute simple movements, then with increasing confidence, more complicated ones. Some of the professional dancers came on stage and applauded.
“You are excellent,” Boris complimented Nancy. “Take my hand.”
As they started to dance together, Ned was amazed by his friend’s obvious talent. He began to clap too.
Boris himself seemed pleased with his pupil. As the tempo of the music increased, the star’s performance encouraged Nancy to make more strenuous leaps. Though Nancy could feel a twinge of muscle cramp, she was determined to dance her best.
When the music ended, Boris surprised and embarrassed Nancy by giving her a hug and a kiss and saying, “You’re wonderful!”
Nancy was pleased, but decided she would always prefer Ned as her steady dancing partner. She thanked Boris Borovsky and wished him continued luck in his career. Mr. Van Camp came to pat her on the shoulder. “Any time you’re looking for extra work, let me know,” he said, smiling. “It has been a real pleasure meeting you and Ned. I certainly hope our paths cross again.”
“I hope so too,” Nancy replied. Lowering her voice, she added, “And thank you for the information about Merv Marvel. I’ll pass it along to my father.”
Blushing happily, she left the theater with Ned. He was very quiet and she wondered if he was embarrassed by her ballet exhibition, or was he sulking a bit out of jealousy?
She herself said little, but at the Drew home, she began to relate the full story of the day’s happenings to her father and Hannah Gruen. She had hardly begun to speak when Ned arose.
“If you don’t mind,” he said, “I think I’ll go to bed. I’m really beat.” He said good night and went upstairs.
“Ned doesn’t seem like himself,” Mr. Drew remarked. “Nancy, did something happen between you two today?”
Nancy explained about Ned’s and Mr. Thurston’s unpleasant experience.
“Then no doubt Ned is feeling the aftermath of it all. Sleep is the best thing for him.”
Her father’s comment caused Nancy to wonder if she had been inconsiderate of Ned in suggesting they attend the ballet. She chided herself for it, then went on with her detailed report. Nearly an hour passed before they went upstairs. The lawyer praised his daughter for having uncovered the clue to the leaping specter.
Ned, amazed, began to clap for Nancy.
“I’ll have someone start working on that angle at once,” he said.
Nancy found that she too was very tired and dropped off to sleep at once. It was some time in the early morning that she was awakened by voices out in the hall.
Peering from her door, she observed Hannah and her father talking together worriedly and she asked what was troubling them.
“Ned is very ill,” her father said.
CHAPTER X
Unpleasant Councilman
“NED ill?” Nancy repeated. “I must go in and see him!”
Mr. Drew put a firm hand on his daughter’s shoulder and shook his head. “We don’t know what the trouble is yet and it may be contagious. What you can do is telephone Dr. Black and ask him if he can come over at once.”
She disliked the idea of waking the physician so early, but realized her father would not have made the request unless it was an emergency. In a few seconds Nancy was speaking with Dr. Black.
“This is Nancy Drew, Dr. Black. My friend Ned Nickerson is visiting us. He has suddenly become very ill. Would it be possible for you to come right over so that we’ll know what to do?”
“I’ll be there in a little while,” the physician replied.
After he arrived, Nancy and Hannah waited downstairs. The housekeeper said suddenly, “Ned might have food poisoning. I’ve tried to serve only wholesome meals. But maybe my—”
Nancy interrupted to assure her that her cooking was not the cause of Ned’s illness. All of them had eaten the same food and none of the others had become ill. She wondered, however, if some of the supper she had prepared at the Thurstons had been spoiled. Nancy dismissed the thought upon recalling that she had shared the identical meal.
When she told this to Hannah, the housekeeper said, “Then all I can conclude is that, even though I’m not superstitious, Ned must have been jinxed at the Thurston farm.”
Her remark startled Nancy. She went to the telephone to find out how Oscar was feeling after the attack upon him and Ned. He answered the phone at once and assured Nancy that he felt quite well. “Evidently I suffered no ill effects from what happened yesterday. I’m about to go out and work with the birds.”
Nancy said good-by. “What can be the matter with Ned?” she asked herself.
Just then the door to Ned’s room open
ed. Mr. Drew came out, followed by Dr. Black. As they reached the foot of the stairs, Nancy asked, “Please tell me about Ned. How is he?”
While patting her on the shoulder, the physician answered, “He’s a pretty sick boy, Nancy, but I believe I know what’s causing the trouble and with correct treatment he’ll improve quickly.”
Dr. Black went on to say that he suspected Ned was suffering from an attack of ornithosis, a disease which is carried by sick birds. “I understand from your father that Ned’s been in contact with some at the Thurston farm. I’m having tests made at the lab and I’ll let you know.”
Instantly Nancy offered to play nurse for Ned. The doctor shook his head. “If it is ornithosis, it’s quite contagious. All of you might easily catch it. I shall see about having Ned removed to a hospital.”
Hannah Gruen stepped forward. “Please don’t do that. I’ll put on a surgeon’s mask and take care of Ned myself.”
“Where are Ned’s parents?” Dr. Black asked. “In Europe,” Nancy replied. “Oh, Dad, please let Ned stay here.”
Mr. Drew smiled but said emphatically, “We’ll have Dr. Black decide that.”
“I’ll let you know,” the physician replied.
He left the house, carrying his doctor’s kit. Nancy turned to her father. “Dad, you’ve been exposed to Ned. I hope you don’t get sick!”
The tall, handsome lawyer grinned. “I’m in tiptop shape, Nancy,” he said, thumping his chest. He put an arm around his daughter. “Please stop worrying.”
This was not easy for Nancy to do. She said nothing more, however, and went into the kitchen to help Hannah prepare breakfast.
During the meal, Mr. Drew and Hannah took turns going upstairs to peek at Ned. They reported that he was asleep.
When the telephone rang, Nancy hastened to answer it. Dr. Black was calling with his report.
“Your friend Ned definitely has ornithosis,” he stated. “I will have medication sent over at once. It’s an antibiotic which should alleviate the virus immediately. Nancy, I think you should inform the Thurstons about Ned’s symptoms.”