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Phantom Fashions






 

Nancy realized at once that Norton Thorpe's rude outburst could refer to only one person, Pierre Michaud. But his choice of words seemed unusually harsh, even for a blustering bully like Thorpe. She wondered what had provoked this latest display of bad temper.

Evidently, so did Lisa. After a moment's hesitation, she murmured, " Daddy, I don't think you've any call to talk that way about Pierre, especially in front of a friend of his."

" Oh, you don't, eh? " her father retorted. His face took on a mockingly sarcastic expression. " Then maybe Miss Drew here hasn't told you the latest news about her pushy young French friend. I just heard it on the car radio, driving home."

" What news, Daddy? " Lisa said anxiously.

" He almost blew himself up while he was showing off his brilliant new invention."

" Oh, no! " Lisa gasped, and a shocked look came over her lovely, ivory-skinned face.

" Don't worry, he wasn't hurt, aside from a few scratches and bruises, " Nancy assured her.

" Hmph, too bad. Might've taught the young fool a lesson, " grunted Norton Thorpe.

This heartless remark was too much for Nancy. " If you'll forgive my saying so, Mr. Thorpe, " she said mildly, " I don't see why Pierre's accident is any reason to dislike or despise him. It doesn't prove anything at all about his character."

" That's what you think, young lady. If you were a little older and more experienced, you'd realize it proves a good deal about his character. It shows that he's either a crackpot, who knows nothing about engineering, or else that he's mixed up with a bunch of dangerous foreign crooks who probably followed him over to this country! "

" Actually, Mr. Thorpe, the explosion was due to sabotage, " Nancy Drew responded in a calm voice. " There was definite evidence indicating that the computer he was using to demonstrate his device had been bobby-trapped—perhaps because his invention's so good it may outdate other equipment on the market. I know" Nancy added, " because I was there when the blast occurred and discovered the evidence myself."

The heavyset businessman had been about to heap scorn on her defense of Pierre Michaud. But Nancy's last words robbed him of any effective retort and left Thorpe gaping in speechless irritation.

Flushing darkly, he turned to vent his anger on Lisa. " Make up all the excuses for him you like. I say that scheming Frenchman's up to no good! And I trust we've seen the last of him around here! "

Lisa looked pale and nervous, but said bravely, " I think you're being unjust, Father. Pierre may or may not be successful, but it must've taken courage for him to come over here and try to make good in a foreign country with nothing more than faith in his own idea. Personally I think he's an example of what you always call the best American tradition."

Nancy realized that it had also taken courage on Lisa's part to differ with her father. Both girls wondered anxiously how he would react.

Norton Thorpe looked startled at first, then incredulous, as if he could hardly believe his daughter would dare to disagree with him. His face had taken on a scowl like a thundercloud.

But gradually, much to Nancy's and Lisa's relief, his scowl faded and gave way to a new look of grudging respect.

" Hmph! We're all entitled to our own opinions, I suppose, " he grumbled. Then he turned and stalked off down the attic stairs, without demanding that Lisa's guest leave the house.

The two girls looked at each other. Lisa rolled her eyes and heaved a soft sigh of relief. " Whew! " Then both laughed quietly.

" Well, come on! Let's see what's up here! " Lisa said with a fresh burst of enthusiasm.

Since the girls did not know exactly what they were looking for, they realized the task might take hours. After all, the jumble of old objects and containers had taken years to accumulate. They could hardly hope to examine it all in a single evening.

Nancy pointed out that any of Louise Duval's effects would no doubt have been packed when the family mansion was sold after her death thirty years ago. Any of Paul and Yvette Duval's possessions, on the other hand, would more likely have been stored over a century and a half ago.

" I'm not sure that helps us much, " the pretty young sleuth admitted with a rueful smile. " Still, it may give us a rough guideline."

" I see what you mean, Nancy." Lisa nodded.

" Sounds like a good idea. We'll concentrate on stuff that looks either that old or that recent."

The labels or markings on some of the boxes enabled the girls to judge when they had been packed. Also, in some cases, the contents had been wrapped in newspapers which gave a more exact storage date. Going by such indications, they were able to eliminate a number of items.

Even so, they found themselves searching luggage and crates of family keepsakes, clothing, and household goods that were of no help at all. Some of the stuff looked to be from the period of World War I or World War II; others seemed to date far back into the nineteenth century.

" Fascinating, " Nancy sighed as they gave up on yet another box, " but we're still clueless."

" Wait, this looks interesting! " said Lisa, turning to an ancient, brass-bound trunk. " And it must be a hundred years old at the very least! "

" You're right, that's a real antique! " her companion agreed.

A small, brass key was sticking out of the keyhole of the clasp. It turned fairly easily and the clasp sprang open. As Lisa pushed up the trunk lid, its hinges squeaked in protest.

" Oh, Nancy, look! It's full of old gowns! " the

Thorpe girl exclaimed. " Aren't they beautiful? "

Nancy caught her breath as Lisa pulled out a lace-trimmed evening gown of shimmering, rose-red taffeta, then a graceful, puff-sleeved chemise dress in classic Grecian style, made of filmy light green muslin.

" They must have been Yvette Duval's! " the young detective declared. " At least, the period is right. Those high-waisted styles were popular just around 1800! "

Both girls were thrilled at the thought that these garments had doubtless been worn by the beautiful young woman whose portrait hung in the downstairs hall.

" What a treasure trove! " said Lisa, awestruck as they probed through the contents of the trunk. " To think of these lovely creations being buried away up here all these years! "

Besides the musty assortment of gowns, there were silken petticoats, several scarves, a velvet cloak, long-sleeved gloves, even a satin bonnet.

" How odd! " Nancy murmured as she came on quite a different sort of garment. This was a simple, crudely sewn dress of coarse, dark jersey cloth with a lace-up bodice. It was soiled and stained and seemed the kind of dress that had probably been worn with an apron.

" What on earth is that doing in with all these rich gowns? " Lisa puzzled.

" I'm wondering too, " Nancy mused. " It looks more like a dress that a peasant girl or workwoman might have worn."

As Lisa lifted out some of the more beautiful clothes so they could examine the peasant dress, there was a metallic tinkle. Something had struck the trunk clasp while falling to the floor. Nancy bent to pick it up, and gasped.

" It's a gold wedding ring! "

" Is there a name on it? " Lisa asked excitedly.

Nancy held it up to the light and peered at the tiny engraved lettering inside the golden circlet. " Yes, two names, " she announced. " Yvette and Philippe. And the year 1789."

" Phillipe? " Lisa echoed with a puzzled frown. " Are you sure? "

" See for yourself." Nancy handed her the ring.

Lisa studied its engraving under the light, then looked at her friend in perplexity. " I don't understand. Her husband's name was Paul, not Philippe."

Nancy responded with a thoughtful nod. " I know. In fact there's outside evidence to confirm that fact." She told about the old newspaper article discovered by Mr. Teakin of the historical society, which referred to Paul and Yvette Duval by name. " Perhaps your ancestress was married twice, " the teenage sleuth suggested.

" I suppose that's possible, " Lisa said, her forehead still puckered in a slight frown. " But if so, it's strange that the family was never aware of it... or if they were, that it was completely forgotten. Still, I guess all memories fade with time, don't they? "

The storm had let up when Nancy left the Thorpes' house soon afterward. She sensed that this was only a temporary lull, and hoped she could reach home before the downpour resumed. Unhappily, she had driven only a few blocks when a fresh gust of rain struck her windshield.

Oh, what luck! she thought wryly. Now I'll probably get drenched before I get indoors again!

She slowed at a blinking-light intersection and peered both ways. The streets seemed deserted at this late hour, and no one was coming from either direction. But as she started across, Nancy glanced in her rearview mirror, then reacted as if she had received an electric shock.

A big, old-fashioned red car was following her — from all appearances, the same car that had chased her the other night!

And, as before, Nancy could make out no driver at the wheel!

A pang of fear shot through the girl! She trod hard on the gas pedal to increase speed, even though she sensed already that her pursuer meant to dog her trail relentlessly!

Sure enough, the red car, too, speeded up. The empty blackness of its front seat was terrifying. But Nancy soon had other problems to claim her attention. The road wound steeply downhill toward the neighborhood where the Drews lived. And steering her car was becoming more and more difficult.

What had happened to her power steering? She could hardly turn the wheel. Nancy hesitated to apply the brakes with her ghostly pursuer so close behind. But she knew she would have to do so soon, unless she could bring her car under control. Otherwise she was in danger of going off the road!

Almost in the same moment that the thought crossed Nancy's mind, the decision was taken out of her hands!

There was a sudden thumpety-bump-bump! as her right wheel hit the curb. Her car slued and bounded from the paved road surface onto the dirt shoulder!

The shock jolted Nancy half out of her seat. She uttered a frozen scream of fright as she glimpsed the steep hillside yawning across her field of vision.

The next instant her car went skidding and crashing down the rough, brush-covered hillside!

 


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