A Shimmer of Beauty

Nancy was startled by the news about Roger Harlow's old enemy, Howard Ainslee. If Ainslee now lived in this area, he might well be involved in the mystery that she had been asked to solve!

" Thank you, Mr. Morston, " she said slowly. " You've certainly given me something to think about."

Her informant stroked his thin mustache and shrugged. " Just a small piece of information, my dear. It may or may not be important. That's for you to judge. If there's any other way I can help, please call on me."

" I shall. And thanks again, Mr. Morston."

As she drove off, Nancy pondered what she had just learned. Was it possible that Ainslee still bore a bitter enough grudge against Roger Harlow to have stolen his prize thoroughbred? The idea seemed fantastic, especially after a lapse of ten years. Yet both men had invested millions of dollars in their feud with the result that Ainslee had lost his chance to win control of a vast corporation. Surely, crimes had been committed in revenge for far lesser grievances than that!

For that matter, maybe Howard Ainslee was still trying to take over the same company and felt that any trouble for Roger Harlow would work out to his own advantage.

Nancy put the whole matter out of her head as she parked her car in the courtyard of the old Grimsby Mansion. Most of the Westmoor film club members had already arrived and were busy getting set up to begin shooting.

Denise Foley came scurrying up eagerly in a full-skirted gown as Nancy entered the house. " Do I look allright in this silly bonnet? " she asked a trifle breathlessly.

Nancy could see that she was nervous at the prospect of acting in front of a movie camera with the rest of the film club looking on. " Of course! It's perfect! she assured Denise.

The first scene that morning was to be filmed in the parlor. Denise was to play the role of an inquisitive neighbor. She had seen a tall dark stranger in a black cape lurking near the mansion at twilight the previous evening, so she was calling to find out if Nancy had attracted a new suitor.

The filming began soon after Nancy had changed into her costume and applied her makeup. All went smoothly as Ned called " Cut! " and ordered spotlights to be moved into position so the two actresses could be photographed in close-up.

" Hey, what's that? " Mike muttered suddenly. He held up his hand, signaling the others to be still for a moment.

A sound could be heard coming up through the floor!

" It sounds like something ringing down in the basement, " said Ned. He looked around at the other club members. " Is anyone down there? "

Heads were shaken. " No, we’re all here, " Sara White replied.

Although nobody said so, everyone immediately wondered if another intrusion was taking place.

" I’d better go see, " Ned said.

" We’ll both go, " Mike declared.

The two young men started down the hallway leading to the rear of the house. The others followed uneasily. But when Ned pressed the switch for the landing light, the back stairway remained dark. Nor could any glow be seen from below when he pressed the cellar light switch.

" That's funny, " Jack Billings said with a frown. " They should both work. We replaced every bulb in the house."

" Never mind. We can grope our way down, " said Ned. " There's probably enough light coming through the basement windows to see what's ringing."

" No, wait! " Nancy spoke up anxiously. " Those stairs are too steep to take any chances! "

She dashed out to her car and returned with a flashlight. " Here, use this! "

Ned grinned and flicked it on. " Whatever you say, ma'am." He started down the steps with Mike close behind him.

They had just gone around the bend of the landing when the others heard startled exclamations from the two youths.

" What's wrong, you guys? " Jack called.

" Take a look! "

As the others crowded down the stairs and craned for a glimpse, they saw that a wire had been stretched at ankle height across the third step down from the landing!

" Good grief! " Jane Logan gasped in dismay. " You two could have fallen and broken your necks! "

Ned Nickerson nodded grimly. " We would have if Nancy hadn't insisted on me taking this flashlight! "

The ringing noise could still be heard, although it now seemed to be dying away. While Mike disconnected the wire, Ned went on down to investigate. He soon returned to the foot of the stairs to show the others what had caused the sound.

" An alarm clock! " Sara exclaimed. " Whose is it? "

" Good question, " Ned responded. " Will the owner please speak up? "

Nobody said a word.

" The next question, " said Ned, " is why the lights won't work." He went off to check the fuse box. Presently, he called out. " Try turning them on now! "

When Jack pressed the switches at the top of the stairs, both the landing and basement lights went on.

" The fuses were unscrewed, " Ned reported.

Nancy was horrified. It seemed clear that someone had deliberately set a booby trap for them. The alarm clock must have been placed in the basement the night before and set to go off the following morning. And the same party had no doubt stretched the wire across the stairs and unscrewed the two fuses. As a result, anyone who went down the unlit steps to investigate the alarm sound was almost certain to trip over the wire!

'Tm still not sure what's going on, " Nancy confided to Ned a little later when they were alone for a few moments. " But whatever it is, this is more serious than we realized."

Ned nodded, his face grave. " I agree. I wonder how the creep who set the trap got into the house last night."

" Are there any signs of a break-in? "

" The door locks haven't been tampered with. I've already checked. Of course, whoever did it might have pried open a window, I suppose."

Despite the ominous way in which the day had begun, two good scenes were successfully filmed during the morning. As lunchtime approached, Ned mentioned to Nancy that Bess Marvin would be needed again that afternoon to play the role of maid.

" I know. I phoned yesterday to remind her, " Nancy said. " In fact, I promised to go and pick her up.

Bess was ready and waiting when Nancy arrived at the Marvins' house. The plump, blond girl was bubbling over with excitement, eager to resume her movie-acting career.

" What happens today? " she asked, settling herself beside Nancy in the car.

" Oh, a couple of juicy scenes. One of them, " Nancy added with a giggle, " is where you accidentally sweep up the vampires fangs! "

After stopping on the way for hamburgers, they drove to the Grimsby Mansion. Nancy was not needed for the sweeping scene so she did not get back into costume immediately. She was opening the drapes wider in the sitting room in order to provide more light for the filming, when her eye was caught by a glimmer of colors from the bushes just outside the window.

" Oh, my goodness! What's that? " Nancy said. She hurried outside for a better look and returned moments later, wide-eyed at her discovery.

" What is it? " asked Bess, who had just come downstairs in her maid's costume. She gasped as Nancy showed her what she had found. " An opal! '

" And it’s huge! " Denise said as she and the other club members crowded around to see it.

The lovely gem was aflame with color and attached to a silver chain.

" How on earth do you suppose it got out on that bush, Nancy? " asked Sara.

The titian-haired sleuth shook her head. " I've no idea. But I'm sure I know whose it is. I've seen it in a portrait of Mr. Harlow's late wife at Rainbow Ranchi"

There was no time to return the pendant that evening as Nancy had a Saturday night date with Ned. But the following morning, she drove to Rainbow Ranch. As she got out of her car, Tina came skipping up.

" Hi, Nancy! Did you come over to play with me? "

" Well, that's partly why I came, " Nancy said and smiled. " But I'm also bringing something back to your grandfather."

Tina's face blanched in terror as she saw the opal. " No, please! " the little girl begged. " You mustn't! "