Chapter 25 The Mystery of the Brass Bound Trunk by Carolyn Keene
The Secret of the Trunk
Bess and George were more than a little disturbed by Nancy’s claim that she could produce the smuggled jewelry. They knew she had made several attempts to locate a false bottom in the trunk, but had failed to do so. How, then, could she hope to produce the stolen articles at a moment’s notice!
Nancy displayed no uneasiness as the party motored to the Purdy home. Arriving there, she confidently went to the kitchen and asked for a hammer and a chisel.
“What are you going to do?” Bess whispered in her ear. “Can you really produce the jewelry?”
“If my hunch is correct, I can.”
Nancy led the way to Nestrelda’s trunk. While the others watched she began prying off the brass trimmings.
“Here, let me do that,” offered one of the detectives, quickly catching her idea.
Taking the tools from Nancy, he pried away a narrow strip of brass binding.
“Nothing here,” was his brief comment.
“Try these initials—N. D.,” suggested Nancy hopefully.
The detective pried loose one of the letters. Several small round objects tumbled to the floor and rolled into a corner.
“Pearls!” cried Bess, running to pick them up.
“Perfectly matched!” added the detective, taking them from her. “They’ve been removed from a necklace.”
The men then went to work with a will. Soon every inch of the brass trimming had been removed from Nestrelda’s trunk. Concealed beneath it they found diamond rings, unmounted gems, a second necklace, and a bracelet which the girls instantly recognized as familiar to them.
“It’s the one stolen from the New York jewelry store!” cried Bess triumphantly. “I guess that proves the Joslins are responsible for this thievery.”
“Are you satisfied?” Nancy quietly asked the detectives. “Now will you arrest Mr. Halifax?”
“Si, Senorita. He and Lopes will be picked up at once. Are you certain you can prove they worked hand in hand with Joslin?”
“My father will forward all the proof you need,” Nancy replied. “The important thing is to catch those men before they flee the country.”
With Buenos Aires police at work on the case, the three girls considered their responsibility to be at an end. Before nightfall Mr. Halifax and his partner were taken into custody. As was expected, both men protested their innocence, though sufficient evidence had been produced to hold them prisoners.
Mr. Drew remained in close touch with the Argentine authorities by means of telephone and cable. Within a few days he was able to forward documentary proof definitely establishing the guilt of the men and their connection with Mr. Joslin.
In an air mail letter to Nancy the lawyer gave a detailed account of everything that had happened in River Heights during her absence. Nestrelda’s stepfather had signed a confession admitting his part in the jewel smuggling, implicating both Lopes and Halifax. He acknowledged being the master mind of an international group which had sought to defraud many firms and individuals. Jewels had been stolen or acquired at low prices and either re-sold at great profit or smuggled into foreign countries.
Nancy was not surprised to learn that Joslin had made contact with luggage firms he knew to be facing financial difficulties. By one means or another he involved them in unscrupulous schemes. When they had been deeply mired he resorted to blackmail, threatening them with exposure unless they complied with his orders.
“Was that what happened to the Trenton and Washburn firm?” Bess inquired of Nancy.
“Yes, Joslin first gave Mr. Trenton a large order for the manufacture of brass bound trunks. Each piece of luggage was so built that it could be used for smuggling jewelry. As I understand it, Mr. Joslin has never paid for the work.”
“It is in Mr. Trenton’s favor that he never accepted any money. Isn’t it strange that he failed to suspect how deeply he might be implicated?” remarked George.
“He must have realized the risk he was taking,” said Nancy. “That was why he tried to keep Henry Washburn entirely in the dark about the business. I imagine Mr. Trenton was so worried about finances that he couldn’t resist picking up a fat order whenever one would come his way.”
“What will happen to him now? Will he be arrested for assisting Joslin in his dishonest schemes?”
“Dad hopes to clear the Trenton name. Fortunately, Mr. Trenton made only one trunk in the order.”
“And that one was Nestrelda’s?”
“Yes, it was a copy of my own, which I am convinced is a genuine piece of work. I’ve examined the brass trimmings and find them to be solid. Mr. Joslin planned to try out the special trunk and see how successful it was before having any others manufactured.”
“He made his mistake in permitting the luggage to be marked with your initials.”
“That was accidental, of course,” smiled Nancy. “If Nestrelda had used her stepfather’s name, I might never have entered the case.”
“What will happen to Treldy and her mother?” inquired Bess soberly.
“Mrs. Joslin will escape a sentence. She only followed her husband’s orders. The first one of those was to keep me from going on the trip! Also, he forced her to try to steal jewelry, but she was never successful.”
Bess, who had been listening without comment to the explanation, now spoke of Henry Washburn and the embarrassing situation at the moment confronting him.
“Marriage with Treldy is out of the question,” declared Nancy. “He should be glad he left here without proposing to her.”
“He has you to thank for saving him from that,” said George. “Treldy wasn’t his type, and he doubtless realizes it now.”
“I can’t believe that Treldy really loves Henry,” added Nancy reflectively. “She is too young in her ideas to be sure of her own feelings.”
Several weeks later it became known that, due to the young man’s cooperation with Carson Drew, the firm of Trenton and Washburn would be saved from humiliation. All his difficulties being straightened out, Henry planned to take a more active part in managing the business. His new attitude was especially pleasing to Doris, who finally agreed to marry him.
Nancy and her chums were deeply concerned over Treldy’s future. They felt very sorry for her, knowing how deeply shocked she would be by the dishonesty of her parents. Nancy had a long talk with Mrs. Purdy, who shared her viewpoint that it would not do for the girl to return to the United States for some time. She must not learn the ugly story.
“I will stay in Buenos Aires until the case has been forgotten,” the kindly woman announced. “Treldy needs discipline and I shall provide it, together with loving care.”
“Will you have enough money to carry out your plans?” asked Nancy.
“Treldy has a small income of her own left her by her father, Mr. Darlington. That will be sufficient to send her to a school in South America. I know just the place for her.”
With Nestrelda’s problem solved, Nancy and her chums agreed that their worries were pretty much at an end. Gaily they made plans for a delightful holiday, and unpacked the brass bound trunk which police had brought over from the Hotel Imperio.
“How nice it is to have my own clothes again,” laughed Nancy. “If this trunk had been missing much longer I couldn’t have worn my dresses, they would have been so out of date!”
“We’ll have a wonderful time now and really see South America,” declared George, who was helping her chum to hang up her garments. “But I would feel a lot better if you would get rid of this old thing.”
“Old thing?” Nancy pretended to glare at her friend. “Are you referring to this lovely piece of luggage?”
“Why don’t you sell it and buy a new trunk?” suggested Bess mischievously. “One which can’t possibly get you into further trouble.”
“Oh, she never would like that sort of a trunk,” said George.
“Indeed I shouldn’t.” Nancy smiled as she lowered the lid. “Anyway, Hannah prophesied I should bring it home packed with mysteries! I can’t disappoint her, you know.”
THE END