Chapter 17 The Mystery of the Ivory Charm by Carolyn Keene
A Vital Document
Several miles farther down the road Nancy drew up beneath the shade of an ancient oak, preparing to examine the papers which had been found in Peter Putnam’s coffee pot.
“Isn’t it a shame we didn’t bring along a lunch?” she commented regretfully. “This is an ideal spot for a picnic and I’m as hungry as a Polar bear!”
“Would you be satisfied if I should offer you a peanut butter sandwich and a slice of chocolate layer cake?” Bess asked, smiling.
“Would I be satisfied? What a question! But you can’t conjure up anything like that.”
“Oh, can’t I?” Bess laughed, reaching into the back seat of the car and lifting out a filled paper sack. “Here’s a loaf of sliced bread, a jar of peanut butter, and a huge cake fresh from the bakery. I was taking the things home when George and I met you in front of your father’s office.”
“What will your mother say if we eat up the family provisions?” Nancy laughed.
“Oh, Mother gets hungry herself sometimes,” giggled Bess. “We’ll replace the items before we return home.”
In high spirits the girls spread a blanket under a nearby tree and prepared for a feast, such as it was.
“We have no knife!” Bess exclaimed in dismay. “I never thought of that. How can we spread the sandwiches?”
“We’ll use a nice clean stick,” Nancy chuckled. “That willow tree should supply one.”
“We can break the cake into big hunks,” George added. “This will be fun. We’ll use our fingers for everything.”
While her chums labored over the sandwiches, Nancy opened the sheaf of documents, studying them eagerly.
“Don’t keep them a secret!” Bess protested. “Did you get the right papers?”
“I’m sure I did. Some of these appear to be written in an Indian language, but others are in English.”
“Is Coya’s name mentioned?” George asked, peering over Nancy’s shoulder.
“I haven’t seen it yet. Yes, here it is! Oh, oh, it’s just as I suspected all along!”
Nancy sprang to her feet, and to the amazement of her chums executed a little dance.
“Tell us what it’s all about,” Bess pleaded impatiently. “It’s not fair to keep us in suspense. Either hand over that paper or reveal what it contains.”
Nancy instantly grew sober, and sinking down on the grass she spread out the English document so that her chums could read it over her shoulder.
“I can’t make a thing of it,” George complained. “The writing is too cramped.”
“It says here that Coya is the direct heir of a former ruler of an Indian province called—oh, dear, I can’t even start to pronounce the place!”
“Don’t try,” Bess said. “Just give us the important details.”
“As a babe, Coya was spirited away from his native land. Oh, I suspected it from the very first!”
“Why was he taken away, and by whom?” George questioned, trying to read the paper for herself.
Nancy studied the writing for several minutes.
“Girls, this is a shock! Coya was deprived of his throne through the work of Anita Allison!”
“Miss Allison!” George exclaimed incredulously. “But these papers belonged to her! Why did she not destroy such incriminating evidence?”
“I think I can answer that,” Nancy said thoughtfully. “Rai gave these papers to Jasper Batt, who was to deliver them to Miss Allison. Before he was able to do so they were stolen by Peter Putnam. Naturally, if Miss Allison had received the documents it’s very likely she would have destroyed them immediately.”
“But how did the woman become involved in such a disgraceful affair?” Bess mused.
“One guess is as good as another,” Nancy said. “But I’d judge it was through her interest in mysticism. At any rate, whatever her original motive may have been, she plotted to raise Iama Togara to the throne in place of Coya. This paper reveals that Miss Allison, working with Rai, kidnaped Coya. In return for making Togara a rajah, they received as their reward a priceless royal treasure. The natives were led to believe that the infant Coya had been devoured by a tiger; hence, they were willing to accept the new ruler.”
“It sounds fantastic,” Bess declared.
“Rai couldn’t have received very much of the treasure,” George commented. “At least he appeared poor when we found him.”
“I imagine that Miss Allison kept the bulk of the loot for herself,” Nancy said. “And just think! We helped her remove it from the secret tunnel.”
“Rai must be a stupid fellow to accept such an arrangement,” Bess remarked. “One would think he would be inclined to protest.”
“He is no match for Miss Allison, that’s certain,” Nancy agreed. “I suspect the woman kept him satisfied by giving him the Ivory Charm.”
“But why is the trinket so highly prized?”
“This document explains that the charm originally belonged to Coya’s parents. It was one of the most cherished pieces in the family treasure and was believed to bring luck and health to the wearer.”
“Rai set great store by the charm,” Bess nodded. “But he made a sad mistake when he gave it to you, Nancy.”
“Yes, Rai is sorry already that he parted with it. Unless I’m mistaken, Miss Allison will regret that she ever heard of that lucky piece before we’re through with the case!”
“It may turn out to be her unlucky piece,” Bess chuckled.
“There’s one thing that worries me,” Nancy said thoughtfully. “I believe that Coya has been kidnaped by Rai.”
“Surely the man can be traced,” George replied. “He has probably gone back to the circus.”
“Harm may come to Coya before we can reach him. I feel certain that the boy will never remain voluntarily with Rai.”
“No,” Bess agreed, “he will try to return to you, for he was happy living at your home.”
“Rai and Miss Allison are both afraid that Coya will learn of his true parentage,” Nancy said slowly. “If they suspect that these papers have fallen into my hands, the boy’s life may no longer be safe.”
“You think they would be so heartless as to put Coya to death!” Bess exclaimed in horror.
“I believe they might find a convenient means of ridding themselves of him. We must make every effort to find the boy before it is too late.”
The girls had been so intent upon their discussion that they had failed to note the approach of a small herd of cows pastured in the field. A low, angry snort gave them their first warning.
Startled by the unexpected noise, the girls scrambled to their feet. Hurriedly they gathered up the blanket and picnic things. As the unfriendly leader of the herd moved swiftly toward them, Nancy and her chums rolled under the wire fence which marked the boundary line of the field.
“Just in time!” Bess exclaimed. “That big red one meant to run after us.”
Nancy abruptly paused and shook the blanket.
“My papers!” she cried. “Did either of you pick them up?”
“Why, no,” George answered. “Didn’t you?”
“I was so startled I don’t remember. I thought I did.”
The girls hastily retraced their steps to the fence. Just beyond, lying in plain sight, were the documents.
“Nancy, you can’t get them now!” George cried in alarm, comprehending her chum’s intention. “You’ll be injured!”
“I’m not going to lose those papers,” Nancy replied grimly.
Jerking away from George’s restraining hand, she rolled under the fence and moved swiftly toward the herd.