Chapter 19 The Clue of the Velvet Mask by Carolyn Keene
Danger in the Dark
Thinking quickly, Nancy decided not to reveal that she suspected anything.
After tucking the velvet hood back in the pocket, she took the coat from the hanger and handed it over to the man. With a suggestion of a French accent, she inquired:
“Madame is ill? She is leaving the party so soon? Perhaps I can help her?”
“No, thanks,” he replied, still keeping his face muffled in the white scarf. “I’ll attend to her.”
As soon as he was gone, Nancy took off her cap. In its place she substituted the hat she had brought which belonged to Hannah Gruen, and slipped on the housekeeper’s loose coat.
“You’re in charge here alone,” Nancy told the dumfounded Hilda as she darted away. “I doubt if I’ll be back.”
“Well, I never!” Hilda sputtered. “Leaving me to look after all the coats—”
Unmindful of her protests, Nancy hurried down the hall in pursuit of the man carrying the green coat. Passing the room where Ned was stationed, she gave him a prearranged signal. Immediately he joined her at the stairway.
“What’s up?” he demanded. “Have you spotted someone?”
“I think so,” Nancy whispered. “Keep an eye on that man in the Moor’s costume. 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 glasses, who was waiting in the hallway below. She was not costumed.
“You think they’re thieves?” Ned whispered.
Nancy did not answer. She watched intently as the man solicitously helped the old lady put on her coat. Then they parted, the man turning toward the dance floor, and the elderly woman moving slowly toward the carriage entrance at the side of the house.
“Follow him, Ned,” Nancy said. “I’ll watch her.”
Ned started off in pursuit. The man dodged in and out among the dancers, and finally headed toward the kitchen.
“Now what could this bird want in the kitchen?” he said to himself.
Even as he wondered, Ned’s quarry reached the swinging door to the kitchen, pushed it open, and darted inside.
Now more determined than ever not to lose track of the man, he quickened his pace to a near run. He was just about to dash into the kitchen when a detaining hand fastened on his arm. Ned turned to face one of the caterers.
“Sorry, young man, but you are not supposed to—” the waiter began.
Ned took no time for explanations. He shook himself free and slipped through the door. He found himself in a large pantry and caught sight of the elusive man disappearing through the kitchen to a door that apparently led to the basement.
Heedless of possible danger, Ned hurried across the main kitchen. Reaching the entrance to the cellar, he found it unlocked.
Ned opened the door and peered down the steps, at the same time flipping the basement light switch. Nothing happened. The fugitive must have unscrewed the bulb, Ned thought, in order to delay any pursuers and escape through the basement exit.
Lighting a match, Ned found the handrail and cautiously descended the stairs, looking about him 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, he heard a slight noise behind him. Wheeling around to investigate, he felt a searing pain at his temple.
Next thing Ned realized he was sprawled on the cement floor, his head throbbing. He had been ambushed, but where was the prowler?
Rising to his knees, Ned saw the flicker of a flashlight far across the expansive basement. Finally the beam came to rest on the electricity panel. The dim figure holding the light was studying it.
“So that’s what he’s up to,” Ned thought. “He’s going to pull the switch and plunge the whole house into darkness so his gang can rob the place. I must stop him!”
Although his knees sagged, Ned pulled himself to his feet, and inch by inch crept toward his enemy. Now he was only six feet behind him. The man’s hand reached toward 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 over and over on the hard cement floor.
The struggle between the two now became a desperate one. Ned had but one purpose in mind; to knock out this muscular, wily opponent so that he himself could reach the panel and switch the lights back on. The other was as fiercely bent on keeping him pinned to the floor.
Little dreaming of the struggle being waged so furiously in the basement, Nancy had concentrated on trailing the white-haired woman. She was now convinced that the old lady was much younger than her appearance indicated.
As Nancy followed at a careful distance, she observed the agile way the woman walked when she thought she was not being noticed.
“That getup is a disguise, all right,” she told herself. “In fact, that woman has the same kind of figure as the one who wore the Javanese costume at the Hendricks’ party!”
It became apparent to Nancy that the woman knew exactly where she was going. The “old lady” stepped quickly past the carriage entrance and turned into a hallway which now was deserted of guests.
With a sharp intake of breath, Nancy recalled that in this hall was a priceless silver peacock displayed on a table in front of a gilt mirror.
“I’m sure she intends to steal it,” Nancy surmised. “I must catch her before she can take it.”
Nancy stealthily drew closer to her quarry. But a creaking board beneath the thick broadloom carpet betrayed her presence. The old woman turned swiftly to look over her shoulder. Seeing Nancy, she was so startled that she forgot to maintain her bent position and straightened up abruptly.
Nancy’s heart leaped. She had made no mistake. This person was a member of the daring Velvet Gang and meant to take the silver peacock!
Her pulse racing, Nancy lunged forward to seize the thief. But she snatched only empty air. With amazing agility, the “old lady” side-stepped her. Just then the lights went off throughout the house.
The familiar pattern of operation was being repeated, Nancy thought despairingly. Under protection of total darkness and the resulting confusion, another well-planned robbery was in progress.
Spurred by a realization that the thieves were about to score again, Nancy groped frantically for the “old lady.” But suddenly she froze where she stood, as a man’s voice behind her commanded:
“Stand where you are! Don’t move!”