Trap Door

For hours Nancy had refused to acknowledge that there was no means of escape from the tower. She had pried at the lock with a nail file from her bag. She had tried to break the door panels by sheer force, but their strength had defied her. Now she wandered aimlessly about the dimly lighted circular room. Hungry and thirsty, she grew more and more desperate. What had become of George? And Bess? In utter dismay Nancy realized that she had the car keys with her. She sank down on the bottom step of the winding iron staircase to try to figure things out. Staring straight ahead at the dusty wooden floor, she thought, «This is the worst trap I've ever been in!»

Suddenly she became aware of something in the floor. A tiny crack outlined a space about three feet square. Because of the gloom and dust, she had not noticed it before.

«Speaking of traps,» Nancy muttered, «maybe this is a trap door!»

Quickly she dropped to her hands and knees and inspected the crack. Obviously it marked the outline of an opening, but there was no ring or handle with which to pull up the wood. Nancy pried at first with her fingers, then with the nail file. The slender bit of steel snapped in her hands!

«Oh, how can I get this door open?» she thought, looking for something heavier. There was not a single object in the tower room. After a while she sighed in despair. The room seemed to be growing stuffy. Or was it because she felt almost ill from hunger? Her tongue parched and her head aching, she slowly climbed the stairs and went out on the parapet for some fresh air.

The sky became overcast. In a short time it would be almost dark. Except for the occasional hoot of an owl and the intermittent croaking of frogs, there was no sound.

Then suddenly Nancy heard approaching footsteps. Her first impulse was to shout, but intuition warned her to remain silent. Cautiously she looked over the parapet. A man was unlocking the door far below her! He snapped on a flashlight and entered the tower. Nancy's heart pounded. Should she walk boldly down the stairs and try to bluff her way out? «No,» she decided. «I'm sure something sinister is going on at Heath Castle, and this man probably is involved. Maybe I can get out of here while he's busy. He may have opened that trap door and gone below.»

Nancy tiptoed across the little balcony room. Suddenly a light flashed through the open door-way. The beam missed her by a fraction of an inch!

As she shrank into the shadows, Nancy heard the man coming up the iron staircase. With sinking heart, she stepped in back of the door and pressed herself against the wall. The intruder went directly to the parapet. As Nancy peered out, he began to flash his light slowly as if he were signaling. The backward reflection of the rays dimly revealed his face. Nancy had never seen this cruel-looking man before. Though the young detective longed to watch what he was doing, she dared not linger. Silently she slipped through the door and darted down the steps. Upon reaching the courtyard garden, she hurried to the arched doorway. Luckily it was still unlocked.

Nancy groped her way through the dark corridor in the castle. A moment later she bumped her knee into a piece of furniture and struck it so hard that she nearly cried out in pain. Precious minutes were lost as she carefully felt along walls for a door to the grounds. At last her efforts were rewarded. With a deep sigh of relief, she rushed into the open.

«What an adventure!» Nancy shuddered. «Now if only I can find George and Bess!»

Nancy made her way back to the tool house. It was empty. From there she walked toward the main gate, but because of weed-grown paths and treacherous rocks it took her quite a while before she saw the vague outline of a wall ahead of her. «I hope it's close to the gate,» she thought. «Oh-»

Something was moving through the bushes. In an instant the stillness was broken by the sharp barking of dogs.

«Can I make it?» Nancy wondered. She leaped for the wall and scrambled up just as the two hounds arrived. Breathlessly she dropped to the other side. Five minutes later she came to the car. To her amazement and delight George was huddled on the back seat. She was half asleep. «George!»

The girl sat bolt upright. «Nancy!» «I'm so sorry I left you,» Nancy apologized, then asked, «Where's Bess?»

«Gone to get your father. What in the world happened to you?»

«Plenty. But first, tell me what time Bess left.» «It seems hours ago. It's a long walk to a bus or a phone. Somebody should be here any minute, though.»

As the girls sat in the car, they told each other their adventures.

«After Bess left,» George concluded, «I heard a noise in the distance. I hid in the bushes near the gate. Mr. Hector drove out. While he was locking the gate, I peeked into his car to see if you were there. I really expected you to be lying on the floor, bound and gagged!» «I was a prisoner, all right, but not tied up.» «I'd like to find the boy who took my clothes,» George said grimly.

«Did you recognize him?»

«I never saw him before. He was about twelve years old. But I'd like to wring his neck.» «I spotted him from the tower,» Nancy said. «He looked like Teddy Hooper, but I'm not sure.»

George changed the subject. «Where do you suppose that man in the tower came from. No one besides Hector drove in here.»

«He must have entered from the beach, the way the boy did,» Nancy replied.

Headlights cut the darkness. Was it Carson Drew? Or was Daniel Hector returning? The two girls ducked out of sight. The car stopped and Bess alighted.

«Why, George is gone!» she exclaimed. «No, she isn't,» her cousin spoke up, coming out of hiding.

Nancy was already running to the car from which her father had stepped. In an instant she was in his arms.

«Why, Dad, you're trembling!» she said. «Nancy, Nancy, I'm so glad to see you. You gave me such a fright. Where-?» «I'm sorry I made a mess of things,» his daughter apologized. «But maybe you'll forgive me when you hear what happened.» «Tell me about it on the way back. Bess can drive George and herself home in your car. We'll follow them, and you can take the car the rest of the way.»

On the drive to River Heights Mr. Drew listened to Nancy's story without comment. «I'm convinced,» she concluded, «that a group is searching for something at Heath Castle. The walls there aren't crumbling from age. They're being tampered with!»

«I agree it looks mighty suspicious,» Mr. Drew said. «And Daniel Hector seems to be involved. But suppose you put the whole case out of your mind until you've had a square meal.» Upon reaching home, Nancy went directly to the kitchen. Hannah Gruen, who had been nearly beside herself with worry, embraced the girl. «You poor child!» she said. «I'll fix you a warm supper right away.»

Hannah hastened to prepare the meal. Too hungry to wait, Nancy helped herself to a glass of milk and a few cookies. As she ate and drank, she related her adventure to the housekeeper. «Oh, Nancy!» Mrs. Gruen sighed. «Your love of mystery will prove your undoing! You must be more careful.»

Mr. Drew said, «I think you'd better stay away from Heath Castle.»

«Oh, Dad!» she protested.

«Why not forget the whole affair for a few days?»

«But time is so short-»

«As it happens, I'm going away on a little trip, Nancy. I thought you might enjoy coming along.» Nancy shook her head. «If you'll excuse me, Dad, I believe I'd rather stay here and try to solve the mystery of Juliana.»

«I'm sorry,» Mr. Drew said, his eyes twinkling. «I thought Hampton might prove of interest to you, especially since it was the town where Juliana Johnson was advised to go.» Nancy could scarcely believe her ears. «Say that again, Dad!»

«I was talking with Dr. Gibson in Henryville today,» Mr. Drew revealed. «I learned he was Juliana's physician. In fact, he told her to take the trip from which she never returned.» «Tell me more!»

«There's not much to tell. Juliana was thin and rundown, so the doctor advised her to take a vacation. He suggested she slip off to a quiet place without letting anyone know where she was going.»

«Did the doctor know where she went?» «No, but he had suggested Hampton. At the time of her disappearance, the police tried to locate her there, but were unsuccessful.» «Oh, Dad, I give in,» Nancy said excitedly. «I'll go with you!»

«I rather thought you would,» Mr. Drew said with a smile.

«When do we leave?»

«Tomorrow morning. Better pack tonight!»