Chapter 1 The Mystery of the Ivory Charm by Carolyn Keene
Fortune Telling
Nancy Drew, neatly dressed in a blue traveling suit, her golden hair bound snugly beneath a modish little hat, sighed as she addressed her companions, the Fayne and Marvin girls, who stood beside her on the station platform.
“This certainly isn’t the most pleasant way to end a delightful vacation,” she commented.
“We’ve been waiting only an hour, but it seems an eternity,” returned one of her chums, who was not only boyish looking, but was always called George Fayne. She stared down the long expanse of gleaming track. “It’s my private opinion that all trains have been discontinued on this poky old line,” she added.
“Are you really so eager to return to River Heights, Nancy?” Bess Marvin inquired curiously.
“I’m sorry the vacation has ended, but in a way I’ll be glad to get home. One can’t play all the time.”
For the past month the three friends had spent a happy, care-free vacation at a camp in the mountains. They had enjoyed hiking, swimming, horseback riding and mountain climbing; the outdoor life had brought a becoming color to their cheeks. Yet during the final week, Nancy had found the steady routine of fun slightly monotonous, and she was not especially sorry to be returning home.
“I think Nancy secretly was disappointed because she failed to unearth a mystery at camp,” George said teasingly.
“The mystery I’d like to solve right now is that of our train!”
“Girls! I do believe it’s coming!” Bess exclaimed joyfully. “The block signal just dropped.”
The three chums were gathering together their luggage when the station agent emerged from the depot, a train order in his hand.
“Number 6 is reported another half hour late,” he told them with a regretful smile. “This one coming is a special freight.”
In deep disgust the girls sat down on their suitcases again and with scant interest watched the approach of the train. It thundered into the station and the engineer began switching off several cars to an adjoining siding.
“Circus cars!” Nancy exclaimed, her interest quickening.
“A circus would come to town just as we’re leaving,” George commented in disappointment.
“Well, at least we can watch the unloading of the animals,” Nancy said. “Come on, let’s cross over to the siding. Our train won’t arrive for at least half an hour.”
Welcoming any diversion which would help to pass the time, the girls established themselves in the vicinity of the circus cars. The unloading went forward with routine precision. Attendants shouted orders as they dragged forth boxes of equipment and various canvas-covered cages of snarling, wild animals.
“I wish we could see what’s inside,” George complained.
“At least they can’t box up the elephant,” Nancy chuckled. “They’re unloading him now farther down the track.”
The girls drew close to watch as the huge jungle animal was induced to emerge from the car. He was coaxed and guided by a handsome little brown boy of not more than twelve years of age. The lad kept the ponderous elephant under astonishing control. Now and then he uttered a sharp command in a language which the girls did not understand.
“It’s marvelous the way that lad handles the elephant!” Nancy commented in awe. “He scarcely uses the hook at all. He seems to control him through the animal’s affection for him!”
“They make an interesting pair,” Bess remarked. “The boy so small and the elephant so huge.”
“The lad must be from India,” Nancy mused.
While the girls watched and marveled at the small attendant’s skill, a dark-skinned man of middle age, dressed in a white uniform with gold braid and wearing a cumbersome turban on his head, came running along the tracks toward the bull car. His face became convulsed with anger as he bore down upon the Indian lad.
“You Coya!” he shouted furiously. “Always you pay no heed to the words of Rai! You are too lazy and worthless to use the hook!”
“But Rai, I do not require it,” the lad protested in a musical, sing-song voice. “Old Tom obeys my every command. Watch, I will show you.”
“It is Rai who will show you instead!” the man cried furiously. “I will teach you!”
Seizing the boy by the arm he began to beat him cruelly with a small jeweled whip. The terrified lad uttered a cry of fear and pain which caused the elephant to swing its trunk nervously and to emit a protesting scream. For a moment the girls feared that the animal meant to turn upon the attacker.
“Oh! Oh!” Bess murmured, covering her eyes.
It was Nancy who sprang forward to assist the lad from India. Without stopping to consider the possible consequence of her act, she jerked the whip from the man’s hand.
“Don’t dare to strike that boy again!” she commanded. “He has done nothing to deserve punishment.”
The man turned glaring eyes upon her. “My son is lazy,” he said in haughty, clipped English. “It is my right and duty to whip him.”
“But the boy was doing his work splendidly. You have no sympathy for his method of handling the elephant because it differs from yours. Please don’t whip him again.”
The man shrugged and abruptly turned his back upon Nancy. To Coya he said harshly:
“Rai will show you how to handle an elephant.”
Grasping the hook he dug it sharply into the animal’s neck, uttering a loud, terse command. The elephant did not move. Enraged, Rai repeated the move, using the instrument with cruel force.
“Oh, Rai!” the boy protested in distress.
The man tried again without success to force the elephant to obey, and then, as Coya pleaded with him to give up the hook, tossed it angrily on the ground and walked away. Left alone, the lad spoke gently to Old Tom and with a light, guiding tap, caused the animal to move off obediently.
Nancy and her chums retreated to the shade of a nearby tree, for the noonday sun shone down with blinding intensity. They were discussing the scene which they had just witnessed, when George caught a glimpse of Rai coming toward them.
“It looks as if you’re in for trouble, Nancy.”
However, when Rai approached the girls his face was drawn into a grimace evidently intended for a smile. His purpose in accosting them obviously was to explain his recent behavior.
“I did not wish you to misunderstand,” he said with an oily smirk. “I love Coya very dearly, but he is a lazy lad and will not work unless I use the whip.”
The girls remained silent and Rai went on in a voice of forced cordiality:
“Perhaps the young ladies would be amused to have their fortunes told? Rai is said to have the ability to read the future.”
Nancy was about to refuse the offer, but Bess forestalled her by saying eagerly:
“Shall we, girls? It might be fun.”
“First,” said Rai significantly, “my hand must be crossed with silver.”
Bess found a coin in her purse which she dropped into the native’s palm. He frowned slightly as if it were not large enough, but the expression was gone in an instant and he told her a very acceptable fortune which included a year of good luck, an important letter to arrive soon, and a pleasant journey to be made in the immediate future.
“Since we’re all waiting for a train now, the journey is fairly well assured,” Nancy smiled.
George’s turn came next and she too received a prophecy of many good things awaiting her in the coming years. It too was a routine fortune, and for that reason disappointing.
“Never mind telling mine,” Nancy remarked indifferently.
Casually she leaned against a large crate which workmen had unloaded a few minutes before from the circus train and deposited near the tree. George caught her by the hand, jerking her away.
“Nancy, don’t sit on that box! Can’t you read the sign?”
“ ‘Snakes!’ ” the Drew girl exclaimed, for the first time noticing the marking on the crate. “I’d prefer a case of dynamite!”
With a tiny shiver she started to move away, but George and Bess caught her by the hand, pulling her back to the tree where Rai stood.
“Don’t be so stubborn, Nancy,” Bess laughed. “Be a good girl and have your fortune told. Then we’ll all go back to the station.”
To satisfy her companions, Nancy obediently submitted herself to Rai’s strange scrutiny. As he fixed his piercing dark eyes upon her face she experienced an uncomfortable sensation which she was at a loss to explain. For some moments he stared at the girl without speaking. Then, in a low, tense voice he said:
“Rai can see no good fortune ahead. Alas, my daughter, it is written that you shall have great trouble. Ay! There will be dangers to face—one which may claim your life——”
The monotonous voice of the man from India ended in a choked gasp, while Bess and George suddenly uttered a terrified scream. From the lower branches of the tree a huge jungle snake had dropped directly upon the unsuspecting Nancy, wrapping its powerful coils about her in a venomous grip of death!