The Clue Of The Velvet Mask Part 23

"No thanks," he replied, still keeping his face m.u.f.fled in the white scarf. "I'll attend to her."

As soon as he was gone, Nancy told the dumbfounded Hilda, "You're in charge here alone now."

Unmindful of the maid's protests, Nancy hurried down the hall in pursuit of the man carrying the green coat. Pa.s.sing the room where Ned was stationed, she gave him a prearranged signal. Immediately he joined her at the stairway.

"What's up?" he asked quickly.

"Keep an eye on that man in the Moor's costume," Nancy whispered. "No matter what happens, don't let him escape you."

From the staircase, the couple saw him move directly to a bent, white-haired old lady with gla.s.ses, who was waiting in the hallway below. She was not costumed.

Nancy and Ned watched intently as the man solicitously helped the woman put on her coat. Then they parted, the man turning toward the dance floor, and his companion moving slowly toward the entrance at the side of the house.

"Follow him, Ned!" Nancy whispered excitedly. "I'll watch her."

Ned started off in pursuit. The man dodged in and out among the dancers, and finally headed toward the kitchen. He pushed open the swinging door and darted inside.

Determined not to lose track of the man, Ned also slipped through the door. He found himself in a large pantry and caught sight of his quarry disappearing through a door that apparently led to the bas.e.m.e.nt.

Heedless of possible danger, Ned hurried across the kitchen. Reaching the entrance to the cellar, he opened the door and peered down the steps, at the same time flicking the bas.e.m.e.nt light switch. The cellar remained dark. The man must have removed the bulb, Ned thought, in order to hamper pursuit and allow time to escape through the bas.e.m.e.nt exit.

Lighting a match, Ned cautiously descended the stairs, looking for the fugitive. He was not in sight.

By the time Ned reached the bottom step, the match was burning his fingers and he dropped it. As he started to light another, Ned felt a thud, then a searing pain in his temple. The blow sent him sprawling on the cement floor, his head throbbing. He had been ambushed!

CHAPTER XV.

Captured!

WHERE was the prowler? Ned reflected dizzily. Rising to his knees, he saw the beam of a flashlight far across the expansive bas.e.m.e.nt. The dim figure holding the light was studying the electricity panel.

"He's going to pull the switch and plunge the whole house into darkness so the Velvet Gang can rob the place!" Ned thought. "I must stop him!"

Although his knees sagged, Ned pulled himself to his feet and crept toward his enemy. The man's hand reached for the switch. Ned sprang at his quarry, but a split second too late. The switch was pulled as the two went down in a tangled heap, rolling on the hard cement floor.

The struggle was a desperate one. Ned had but one purpose in mind: to knock out this muscular, wily opponent so that he could switch the lights on again. The other was as fiercely bent on keeping Ned pinned to the floor.

Meanwhile, Nancy had concentrated on the white-haired woman. Following at a careful distance, she observed the agile way the old lady walked when she thought she was not being noticed.

"That getup is a disguise, I'm sure," Nancy told herself. "In fact, that woman has the same figure as the one who was at both the Hendricks' party and the musicale at the Elkins' home."

It became apparent to Nancy that the woman knew exactly where she was going. The "old lady" stepped quickly past the side entrance and turned into a hallway.

With a sharp intake of breath, Nancy recalled that farther down the hall a priceless silver peac.o.c.k was displayed on a table in front of a gilt mirror.

"I must catch her before she can steal it!"

Nancy stealthily drew closer to her quarry. But a creaking board beneath the thick broadloom carpet betrayed her presence. The woman turned swiftly to look over her shoulder. Seeing Nancy, she was so startled she forgot to maintain her bent position and straightened abruptly.

Nancy lunged forward to seize the thief. But she s.n.a.t.c.hed only empty air. With amazing agility the woman side-stepped her. Just then the lights went off throughout the house.

Spurred by a realization that the thieves were about to score again, Nancy groped frantically for the "old lady." But suddenly she froze as a man's voice behind her commanded:

"Stand where you are! Don't move!"

Nancy immediately recognized the voice as that of Detective Ambrose. He had mistaken her for one of the thieves!

Ignoring his order to stand still, she kept feeling her way forward and groping for the elusive "old lady."

"She'll head straight for that silver peac.o.c.k," Nancy reasoned, "so that's where I'll go."

In the darkness Nancy stumbled into the woman and quickly seized her.

"Let me go!" hissed the thief, clawing at her.

"Help!" cried Nancy, trying to hold the woman, who fought like a tigress!

Just then the lights went on. Detective Ambrose was running down the hall toward Nancy and her captive, a green-cloaked figure in a black velvet mask.

"Hang on!" Ambrose shouted.

"She has the peac.o.c.k!" Nancy cried as the prisoner vainly tried to hide the long-tailed silver bird beneath her coat.

The detective seized the masked woman and held her firmly while Nancy retrieved the valuable ornament. Then she pulled off the velvet hood.

Nancy had expected to expose the Javanese masquerader from the Hendricks' party. Instead, she faced the sullen-looking young woman who had a.s.sisted in George's abduction.

"One less masked thief!" Detective Ambrose exclaimed. "Where are the rest of them?"

The woman did not answer. After a moment the detective snapped a pair of handcuffs on her.

"Come along, sister," he said.

Meanwhile, Nancy had glimpsed something white sticking out from behind a nearby cabinet. She pulled out the wig which the masquerader had been wearing.

Before Nancy could tell the detective about it, Mrs. Dwight, accompanied by Mr. Lightner, came hastily down the hall. Both had been fearful of trouble when the lights went out.

"What happened?" Mr. Lightner demanded.

Mrs. Dwight who looked faint said nothing.

"Well, I guess we've got to give Miss Drew credit," the detective said. "She caught the thief!"

"Very fine," said Mr. Lightner. "What I want to know is how this woman got in here."

Nancy held up the wig. "She was wearing this. Did you admit a white-haired lady?"