The Secret Seal

Pierre flung open the car door, jumped out, and slammed it behind him. Then he strode off into his workshop.

Nancy was mystified by the young Frenchman's sudden rudeness. Up until this moment, he had always behaved with the utmost gallantry and politeness. Something must have upset him, she realized. I suppose I'd better find out what's wrong.

With a sigh, she switched off the ignition, got out, and followed him into the workshop. Pierre was standing with his back to the door, running his hands through a tray of electronic parts. From the way he would pick one up and toss it down again, he looked as though he was trying to get his temper under control.

Nyra Betz was still seated at the typewriter, tapping the keys as if unaware that anything unusual had happened. But from her smug, sidelong glance as Nancy entered the workshop and her poisonous, purse-lipped little smile, it was clear that she was thoroughly enjoying the situation.

" Do you mind telling me what's wrong, Pierre? " Nancy inquired mildly.

He swung around to face her, still flushed and fuming. " Are you implying you don't know? "

" I'm afraid I haven't the vaguest idea."

" Tres bien, I shall show you! "

He strode out the door again, toward Nancy's trim, blue sports car. She followed him outside. Pulling open the passenger door, he pointed accusingly toward the instrument panel. " Perhaps you would care to explain this, Miss Drew! "

At first Nancy could not imagine what he was talking about. But when she went around to the other side of the car and slid in behind the wheel, she saw that his finger was jabbing at a small, blue-and-white sticker. It bore the name DATA-LINC, written in stylized script as if it were a trademark.

" Where on earth did that come from? " Nancy murmured in surprise. When she scratched it with her fingernail, she saw that it was held in place by transparent tape.

" Are you trying to make me believe you know nothing about it? " Pierre demanded suspiciously.

" I'm not trying to make you believe anything. I never even noticed it until you pointed it out."

" Then how did that Data-Line seal get there? "

" Hm, good question." By now, Nancy had peeled off the tape and was examining the small piece of paper bearing the blue-and-white name or emblem. " Looks as though it might have been cut off an envelope or letterhead."

Suddenly she gasped and shot a startled glance at the young Frenchman. " Wait a minute! I've just remembered something! "

" Indeed? And what is that, may I ask? "

Nancy related how her two friends had seen an unknown girl poking into her car that morning. " I assumed she was probably trying to steal something, but couldn't because my glove compartment was locked. Now it's obvious she must have been sticking this on the dashboard."

" But why? Can you answer me that? "

" Not yet, " Nancy said coolly, " but I might be able to make a guess if you'd tell me first why the sight of this made you so angry."

" I will certainly tell you, " Pierre replied. " Data-Line is the name of a computer company which had tried again and again to snoop on my work and harass me in every way possible. They know that as soon as my memory device comes on the market, it will make their own products out of date. So naturally they wish to stop me at any cost."

Nancy nodded thoughtfully. " I see."

" If you are working for that contemptible company, " he went on in a sharp voice, " I would prefer that you drop my case at once! "

It was clear that he suspected Nancy of industrial espionage. No doubt her investigation of the Duval mystery seemed to Pierre like a perfect cover for snooping on his computer work.

The young sleuth smiled. " Don't worry, I've never even heard of the Data-Line Company before."

Pierre's angry expression gave way to a puzzled frown. Nancy sensed that he wanted very much to believe her but was still afraid that he might be fooled. " And how do you explain the girl sticking that Data-Line emblem inside your car? " he queried.

" Someone wanted to get me in trouble, "

Nancy replied with a shrug, " by making it look as though I had some connection with Data-Line. Whoever did it hoped to make you so suspicious that you'd tell me to stop investigating the Duval mystery. And the plan nearly worked."

Privately, she was thinking that the mischief maker had to be someone close enough to Pierre to know about his trouble with the Data-Line Company. Nancy reflected that this made Nyra Betz a prime suspect, especially since she seemed so jealous and resentful of Nancy's close investigating relationship with the handsome Frenchman.

In fact, the more Nancy thought about it, the better Nyra seemed to fit the role. She could have cut the emblem off an envelope or advertisement and carried it around in her purse, along with a roll of tape, just waiting for the right opportunity. And on seeing Nancy's car parked on the street that morning, she could have seized her chance.

Bess's description of the culprit as " a tall, skinny girl with sort of light brown hair" certainly fitted Nyra Betz to a T!

Meanwhile, Pierre's frown was slowly changing, first to bewilderment, then to a sheepish grin. " I fear that I have made a very foolish and hasty mistake, " he said with a contrite bow.

" Can you possibly forgive me, Miss Drew? "

Nancy's blue eyes twinkled. " Okay, you're forgiven... that is, if you promise to go on being suspicious of anything out of the ordinary, at least until we get to the bottom of this mystery. Now, how about finding a restaurant? I'm famished! "

Pierre smiled back. " I insist that you be my guest! "

As they drove away, Nancy glimpsed Nyra Betz watching them from one of the workshop windows. She looked furious.

Over a delicious lunch of chicken and avocado salad, the young sleuth filled Pierre in on the events since she had taken over the case. As Nancy expected, he was especially interested in hearing about Lisa Thorpe and pleased by the news that she still wanted to help him.

Pierre in turn related that his financial backer, Mr. Varney, was coming to the workshop tomorrow. He invited Nancy to meet him.

" Thanks, I'd like to very much, " she replied. " Is he from New York City? "

" He may be. I am not sure. That is where he first got in touch with me, but now that you mention it, I am not sure where his office is located. As I may have mentioned, he seems a very modest, retiring sort of person."

Pierre explained that Varney's main interest in life appeared to be helping struggling young scientists and inventors turn their ideas into successful businesses. As long as his investment of money paid off, he seemed content to remain in the background.

After driving Pierre back to his workshop, Nancy found a public telephone. Leafing through the directory, she looked up the name of the woman whom the maid, Emily Owsler, had said was a member of Louise Duval's bridge club.

Mrs. Leon Ferbury herself answered Nancy's ring. She sounded delighted at the young sleuth's phone call. " Why, of course, Miss Drew, " she gushed. 'Til be glad to tell you anything I can about my dear friend Louise. How soon shall I expect you? "

" In about the ten minutes it'll take me to drive to your house, " Nancy responded with a smile, " if that's convenient."

" Splendid! "

Mrs. Ferbury turned out to be a stout, bright-eyed woman with a lively manner and hair so golden that Nancy suspected its color could only have come out of a bottle. But her manner was warm and sincere.

" How exciting to be interviewed by such a famous young detective! Do sit down, dear,

while I ring for tea. And I'm sure you'd like a few little cakes to nibble on."

Nancy smiled and shook her head. " Thanks, but I just finished lunch not long before I called."

" All the better! You'll love these, they're delicious little petits fours! '

Nancy explained that she was looking into a mysterious research project which Louise Duval had embarked on shortly before her death.

" Oh yes, I know exactly what you mean, " said Mrs. Ferbury. " Poor Louise was constantly dropping hints about it."

" Then you know what the project concerned? " Nancy inquired eagerly.

" Ah, no, I'm afraid not. One could see that Louise was practically bursting to tell our bridge club all about it. But she was determined to keep her secret until all the details were worked out. Once her research man completed the project, however—oh my! Then I feel sure Louise would have made it a very exciting occasion when she announced the results! "

" I don't suppose you happen to know who the man was? "

" Oh, but of course I do, my dear! He was a professor at Westmoor University. Let me see now... what was his name? " Mrs. Ferbury frowned and fingered her fluffy golden hair, then showed her teeth in a sudden smile. " Oh, yes, yes, of course—I knew it would come back to me! Professor Crawford, his name was! "

Nancy felt a thrill of excitement. " Thanks ever so much, Mrs. Ferbury. You've been a tremendous help! "

Before following up this new clue, Nancy Drew had another important matter to attend to. An idea had gradually been taking shape in her mind about how to catch the museum intruders. But in order to have any chance of success, her scheme would have to be tried promptly.

Her blue car whizzed through the streets of River Heights and soon turned into the parking lot adjoining the museum building. Hurrying inside, she made her way to the curator's office on the second floor.

As she walked in, Mr. Gregory rose to his feet and beamed at the young detective. " You certainly have an uncanny sense of timing, Nancy! " he announced.

" I didn't hear any alarm go off when I walked in the lobby, " she chuckled. " What is it this time? "

" My staff has just discovered what those mysterious intruders were after."

Nancy was startled. " Congratulations! " she said. " It was some valuable item in the museum's collection, I presume? "

The curator shrugged. " Well, yes and no. They were after a painting, though I'm not sure how valuable it is. To be precise, it's the painting that was presented by the Duval family when the museum first opened."