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The Dark Crypt






 

Nancy Drew maneuvered her blue sports sedan through the River Heights traffic and headed into the countryside.

" As I told you on the phone, Mrs. Campbell has a mystery for us, " she told her friends Bess Marvin and George Fayne, who were in the back seat. " It involves a ghost."

" You didn't say anything about a ghost! " blonde Bess protested. " I wouldn't have come along if 1 had known that! "

Her cousin George, a slender, athletic girl who did not scare as easily as Bess, chuckled. " That's why Nancy didn't tell you! "

Bess bit her lip. " Where does Mrs. Campbell live? " she asked. " And how did you meet her, Nancy? "

" My Dad did some legal work for Mrs. Campbell, " Nancy replied. " She lives a few miles out of town, is about sixty years old, and all she told Dad is that she needs help with a ghost."

Bess rolled her eyes upward. " Just what I need. Why—" Suddenly, she let out a frightened yell. ''Duck! "

Before Nancy and George could react, a rock hit the top of the car and slid through the open sun roof into the blue sedan. It landed on George's lap!

Startled, Nancy hit the brakes and pulled to the side of the road. ''What in the world was that! " she cried.

George held up the stone. It had a piece of paper wrapped around it. " A strange way to deliver mail! " she fumed. She removed the rubber band that held the note in place, then unfolded the paper.

" Go back to River Heights or I'll finish you off! " she read aloud.

Bess stared at the crudely scrawled letters. " I don't like this one bit! " she declared. " Maybe we should turn around."

" No way! " her cousin said firmly. " Whoever threw that note into our car isn't going to scare us, right, Nancy? "

The titian-haired detective agreed. " Let's get out and see if we find a clue to who wants to prevent us from seeing Mrs. Campbell, " she suggested.

The girls climbed out of the car. Bess was reluctant, but followed without saying another word. They ran into the bushes, where they heard twigs snapping ahead of them.

" There he is! " Nancy cried. " Come on! "

They plunged deeper into the underbrush, but the going was slow because of the thick foliage. Suddenly, they heard a motor roar to life. A car started up, then the noise grew faint and died away in the distance.

" He was prepared for a quick getaway, " Nancy said in disappointment as they made their way back to the road.

Just then, George bent down and picked something up from the ground. " Look at this! " she exclaimed.

" A slingshot! " Bess said, after examining the object. " The man fired the stone from a slingshot! If it was a man, " she added.

George nodded. " It could have been a woman. We don't know yet."

" I really have no great desire to find out, " Bess muttered.

Nancy put an arm around her friend. " Oh, come on. We've had worse things happen to us before."

" That's true, " Bess admitted. Then she laughed. " All right, let's go see Mrs. Campbell! "

Half an hour later, the girls turned into a long driveway leading to a large, white-framed house with black shutters. It was quite a distance from the road and hidden by a clump of trees. A red barn stood off to one side, and a duck pond, fringed with water-lilies, stretched out in front.

" An old-fashioned farmhouse! " Bess cried. " It's very pretty! "

Mrs. Campbell, a chubby woman with curly, gray hair, greeted the girls at the door and ushered them onto her back porch. " I'm so glad you came, " she said. " Please sit down. I have some lemonade and snacks ready for you in the kitchen. Make yourselves comfortable while I get them."

Bess's eyes lit up. She loved to eat, and when she bit into a homemade piece of pecan pie a few minutes later, she was as eager to hear about the mystery as George and Nancy.

" It all happened ten years ago, " Mrs. Campbell began. " That's when my husband inherited this house from his father and we moved from our apartment in River Heights. We had some valuable heirlooms, and the moving company foreman, Mr. Becker, drove them in his own car."

" What kind of heirlooms? " Bess inquired.

" We had a Paul Revere silver tea service, a priceless heirloom, and flatware crafted by Hester Bateman, the great English silversmith of the eighteenth century. Things like that."

" Oh, I'd love to see them! " George exclaimed.

" They're gone, " Mrs. Campbell said sadly. " Mr. Becker was hijacked on the way over here. The hijackers took them from his car, put them in their van and got away."

" Maybe he stole them himself! " George spoke up.

" Nobody knows, " Mrs. Campbell replied. " The police were suspicious and got his fingerprints. When they checked their records, they found he was wanted for armed robbery!

" This was another case, though, " Mrs. Campbell continued, " not ours! Becker has been in prison ever since, convicted of that crime. But he never admitted he took our heirlooms, and we have never recovered them."

" You mentioned a ghost when you spoke to my dad, " Nancy put in. " Can you tell us about that? "

Mrs. Campbell took a faded envelope from the pocket of her jacket and handed it to the girl. Inside was a note, printed in blue crayon.

" Ghost guards treasure where entrance leads to darkness, ' " Nancy read. " What does this mean? "

" I have no idea. I found it when I was tidying the attic. It was on the floor under an old trunk that had not been moved since we got here. I have a feeling that the treasure mentioned in this letter refers to our heirlooms. But I can't figure out where the ghost is that guards an entrance leading into darkness."

" Becker could have dropped this note, " Nancy reasoned. " Maybe he hid the heirlooms, then reported them stolen. He could have written the note for an accomplice, but dropped it by mistake."

Mrs. Campbell nodded. " That's what I thought. But do you have any—" She stopped when Nancy suddenly jumped up and rushed across the porch. The young detective had spotted a furtive figure in the hedge, spying on them! She hurried to the spot, but the eavesdropper had already dashed across the backyard next door and ducked into the woods.

Nancy followed, but soon lost his trail and returned to the porch.

" Someone else was anxious to hear about your mystery, " she told Mrs. Campbell. " Too bad he got away before I could see what he looked like."

" Do you think he overheard our conversation? " Bess asked worriedly.

Nancy shook her head. " No. He was too far away. But I bet that's what he came for! " She thought of the incident on the road but did not mention it to their hostess. She did not want to further upset the woman.

Mrs. Campbell stood up. " That hedge divides my property from my neighbor's, Mr. Hansen, " she declared. " I'd better let him know there was a prowler around."

" If we're lucky, Mr. Hansen was looking out the window just now and saw more of that man than I did, " Nancy said hopefully.

A few minutes after Mrs. Campbell called her neighbor, a stocky man with beady brown eyes and an impressive black mustache came over from the house next door. " I'm George Hansen, " he introduced himself to the girls as he walked up the steps. He shook hands with everyone, a friendly smile on his face.

" I thought I'd come over and talk to you, " he went on. " I'm worried about that prowler. I wonder what he could have been after."

Nancy shrugged. " Did you happen to see him, Mr. Hansen? "

The man shook his head. " No. But I bet this has something to do with Mrs. Campbell's mystery."

Nancy was surprised to hear that the woman had told anyone else about her problem, but did not comment. Instead, she turned to her hostess. " Would you mind if we look around the house a bit? " she inquired. " Perhaps we'll find another clue."

" Oh, no, go right ahead, " Mrs. Campbell said, then poured a glass of lemonade for Mr. Hansen.

The young detectives excused themselves and began a systematic search of the house. They inspected the attic, a huge, dusty area with boxes and suitcases piled high in one corner. Then they worked their way through every room until they ended up in the basement. There they found a cluttered assortment of old furniture and appliances. None of it seemed to have been touched in years.

The girls sighed and set to work, shifting all the pieces and looking for anything that might give them an idea of where the heirlooms could be.

" I'm going to lose five pounds doing all this heavy work! " Bess said, rubbing her forehead and spreading the dust into her blonde hair.

'That'll be terrific! " George quipped, glancing at her cousin's plump figure. " Only trouble is, you'll gain it all back at dinner time! "

Bess made a face. " Why don't you come over here and help me move this book case? " she said. " Nancy, you, too. This job will require all three of us."

When the girls managed to slide the heavy piece of furniture to one side, Bess noticed the outline of a rectangle about five-by-three feet in the cement floor underneath. There was an iron ring at one end of the panel. " A trapdoor! " she cried out. " Look! "

" You just made a great discovery, " Nancy declared. She pulled on the ring, but it was stuck tight.

George saw a crowbar lying in one corner and picked it up. " Try this, " she suggested.

Nancy pushed the crowbar through the ring. Slowly she pried up the metal panel and lifted it to one side. A flight of stone steps were leading into darkness!

" It's pitch black, " Bess said. " We're not going down there, are we? "

Nancy pulled her pencil flashlight out of her pocket. " Yes, we are, " she said. " Don't worry, I'll go first."

Cautiously, she descended step-by-step into the darkness below. The stairs were damp, and she struggled to keep her footing. Suddenly a hand reached out and clutched her shoulder!

With a muffled cry, Nancy spun around.

" It's only me, " George gasped. " Sorry. I almost lost my balance."

At the bottom of the stone steps was a small room with brick walls. It was empty, and there was no other access besides the way they had come.

" I wonder what this was used for, " Nancy said.

" Well, the heirlooms certainly aren't here, " Bess declared.

" Neither is a ghost, " George chuckled.

The words made Bess shiver. " Let's go back and ask Mrs. Campbell about this place, " she said and was the first to hurry up the stairs.

Their hostess was still sitting on the porch talking to her neighbor. When the girls told her about the secret room they had found, she frowned. " I had no idea it was there, " she said. " There are many stories about this old house. One has it that smugglers once used it. The ringleader was an ancestor of my husband. Maybe he built the room to hide his contraband, or his men."

" At first we thought the cryptic message you found referred to that room, " George spoke up. " But I guess it was a false clue."

" Crypt, " Nancy repeated thoughtfully. " Maybe that's it! Mrs. Campbell, do you have a family crypt in the Bayport Cemetery? "

" Why, yes, " the woman replied. ''But it hasn't been opened in twenty years! "

" I wonder if your heirlooms could be hidden there, " the girl speculated. " The word ghost could refer to the cemetery, and the entrance leading to darkness could be the door! "

" This is beginning to sound like a tale by Edgar Allan Poe! " Mrs. Campbell said with a smile. " But if you want to check it out, go right ahead."

She went into the kitchen and returned with a rusty old key. " The crypt is almost at the end, on the left, " she said.

Bess took the key, looked at it curiously, then put it in her purse. " Come on, " she said in an uncommon spurt of courage. " Let's see if we can find the treasure."

The three girls went out through the front door. Mr. Hansen, who had finished his lemonade, said good-bye to Mrs. Campbell and retraced his steps across his backyard.

George volunteered to drive this time, and Nancy sat next to her. She turned to Bess, who was in the back, and said, " Let me have a look at that key, will you? "

Bess pulled it out of her purse and handed it to Nancy. " It's really old, " the young detective said. " It has Campbell Crypt, River Heights Cemetery embossed on it." After inspecting the key thoroughly, Nancy put it in her pocketbook. " It's getting dark, " she observed. " I'm glad it's a clear night, and there's a full moon. At least we'll be able to find our way."

Bess began to regret having suggested that they go to the cemetery, but she didn't say anything. By the time they arrived, the moon threw a silvery light through the trees. The mournful call of a night owl made the girls shiver. But they left their car at the entrance and bravely walked through the massive gate.

A chilly breeze had replaced the heat of the afternoon, and it wafted the scent of flowers in the girls' nostrils. The trees, swaying in the wind, took on grotesque shapes and towered like giant black spirits above the graves.

" This place isn't my idea of fun, " Bess complained in a whisper. " Maybe we should come back tomorrow."

" No, it's easier to scout around now, " Nancy said. " There are no people here who might get the wrong idea."

The marble crypts, each with its own quota of flowers and shrubs, gleamed silver as the moon rose higher. They were an eerie sight.

Cautiously, the friends walked down the center path. Every step they took on the gravel sounded loud in the spooky silence. Ghostlike statues, interspersed among the graves, seemed to move in the breeze.

Suddenly a sepulchral voice thundered through the cemetery. " Nancy Dreeeeeeew! Beware! I am a Campbell who has risen from the grave to warn you! Leave this cemetery at once or you will be in great danger! "

Nancy, Bess, and George stood stockstill, dumbfounded.

" N-Nancy, let's go! " Bess urged.

" No way! " the young detective replied. " This is no ghost, just someone trying to scare us."

" Well, he's succeeded, " Bess declared. " I'm leaving."

*'Okay, you go back to the car and wait for us, " Nancy suggested. " If you see anything funny, honk the horn! "

Bess turned without another word and hurried away. Nancy and George pressed on. They were sure that the crypt was not far away. Suddenly George grabbed Nancy's hand. " Did you hear that? " she whispered.

" Yes. Someone tried to cry, but it was kind of muffled, " Nancy agreed. " Maybe it was Bess. We'd better see if she's okay."

As the girls turned to retrace their steps, the sepulchral voice could be heard again. " Nancy Dreeeeew! Leave at once. Go, or you will not get out of here alive! "

" I'm getting worried, " George said.

Nancy nodded. " Let's go to the car and see if Bess is there."

But when the girls arrived at Nancy's blue sedan, Bess Marvin was nowhere in sight.

" That muffled cry came from over there, " Nancy said when the girls had returned to the center path. She took George's hand, and together the girls began to search for their friend.

" Bess? " George called out. " Bess, where are you? "

There was no reply.

A lump formed in Nancy's stomach. What had happened to Bess? Suddenly there was a slight movement behind a statue to their left. " George, over there! " Nancy hissed.

Cautiously, the girls walked toward the spot, their eyes riveted on the statue.

" Bess? " Nancy called out again.

 

Suddenly she felt something hitting her in the back, and she pitched forward. The next moment, she tumbled into a deep, black hole!

Out of the corner of her eye, George saw a dark figure, wearing a mask, push her friend. She realized that they were just at the edge of an open grave. Before the man could attack her, she lashed out with a well-aimed karate chop. He flew backward, and rolled over, then sprang to his feet again. With a grunt, he rushed at George, but she evaded him skillfully, poised for another strike.

The man realized he had an opponent whose agility he could not match. He managed to get out of George's way and ran toward the gate.

George turned and looked for her friend. " Nancy? " she cried out.

" Down here, " Nancy replied.

George stared into the open grave. " Bess! " she exclaimed.

" That man gagged her and dumped her in this hole, " Nancy explained. " Help pull her out." She hoisted the blonde girl up, and Bess, once she was safe, slumped down on the grass with a sigh. Nancy, meanwhile, found a foothold and, grasping George's hand tightly, managed to climb out of the empty grave.

" Whew! " she said. " Someone wants to keep us away from that crypt, that's for sure! "

Just then, the girls heard a car start in the distance. " He chickened out, " Nancy said with a grin. " George, how'd you get him to run? "

" Karate, " George said. " He was a bit on the heavy side and not too agile, and I managed to flatten him. He wore a mask so we wouldn't recognize him. Maybe he figured it was better to run than to risk having his mask pulled off in a fight."

" Good work! " Nancy hugged her friend with glee.

" You're not continuing this search, are you? " Bess asked, getting up from the grass. " I'm in no shape to—"

" Sure you are, " Nancy said. " The guy's gone. Now is the time. Come on, girls! "

Reluctantly, George and Bess followed Nancy to the Campbell crypt. It was a large structure, about twelve feet square and six feet high, with the family name carved on marble above the door.

Nancy took the key from her handbag, inserted it, and opened the door. It swung inward with an eerie creak.

She shined her light on the musty interior, and the girls stepped farther into the crypt. Marble slabs holding coffins lined the walls.

Nancy played the beam of her flashlight over them, then let it rest on a coffin that stood on the floor toward the left, underneath a marble slab. Its lid was slightly ajar!

" I don't see Mrs. Campbell's treasure, " George whispered. " Only her relatives! "

" Wait a minute, " Nancy said. " See that coffin on the floor? It has no name plate on it like the others. And its top isn't on tight! "

" You're not going to open that coffin! " Bess objected. " Are you out of your mind? "

But Nancy had already grabbed the coffin and pulled it out from under the slab. She pushed up the lid, and the three girls stared in amazement. Inside the box were objects wrapped in cloth!

George pulled one out and removed its cover. It was a silver sugar bowl!

" Nancy! " Bess breathed. " You found Mrs. Campbell's heirlooms! "

" Not without your help, " Nancy replied. " If—"

She stopped suddenly at a loud, creaking noise behind them. All three girls whirled around and saw the door being shut. A moment later, hollow laughter rang through the crypt. " Hahaha! You did not heed my warning. Now you will soon be dead, along with the Campbells and the smugglers I locked in the secret room those many years ago! Good-bye, Nancy Dreeeeeeeeeew! "

 

" T-that man d-didn't leave after all! " Bess whispered. " He's locked us in! "

George bit her lip. " We were so sure that he was gone that we left the key in the lock. That wasn't very smart."

" True, " Nancy admitted. " We really goofed! "

" What do we do now? " Bess asked worriedly.

Nancy played her light over the door. " We'll never be able to get it open, " she said.

" That means we're trapped! " Tears began to well up in Bess's eyes.

" Don't worry, we'll find a way out, " Nancy said firmly. But she sounded much more confident than she felt. " Let's check this place out inch by inch, " she went on. " Maybe we'll find a loose slab of marble we can remove and squeeze through."

Desperately, the three detectives searched the walls, floor and ceiling, but the blocks were all firmly in place.

''Nothing, " said George disconsolately. " It's solidly built. A mouse couldn't get out! "

She coughed. The air was becoming unbreathable.

Nancy inspected the coffin containing Mrs. Campbell's heirlooms.

" You know, the handles on each end are made out of three pieces. Two jut out of the wall, like brackets, and the third is a straight piece connecting the two. If we could remove one of the straight pieces, we could use it as a chisel to push the bolts out of the door hinges."

George nodded excitedly. " All we'd need is something to hammer it with."

" Right."

The girls looked around the floor. " Here, how about this? " Bess suggested and pointed to one of the supports of the coffin. It was made of metal.

" Great! " Nancy took the heavy cube and banged it against the coffin handle. The pin loosened and soon she held the rod-like piece in her hand. " Now for the hinge! "

She stepped up to the door. " George, would you hold this handle like a chisel, under the lower hinge. I'll hammer, and we'll see if we can get the bolt out. Bess, you shine the flashlight on the spot, okay? "

" Okay." Bess illuminated the hinge while Nancy and George went to work. At first the bolt did not budge, and once, Nancy's substitute hammer slipped, almost hitting George's hand.

" Nancy! " George cried out. " Don't do that! "

" Sorry, " Nancy replied. " It was an accident. Here, let's try again."

Finally, after laboring for some time, she knocked the bolt out of the hinge far enough so that she could pull it out altogether.

" What a relief! " Bess gasped and set down the flashlight for a moment. " The air is becoming terrible in here. If we don't get out soon, we'll suffocate! "

" All we have to do now is take out the upper bolt, " Nancy said.

Bess nodded. " I'll hold the chisel for you this time, " she offered. " George, take the light."

It was hard to dislodge the rusty pin, and Nancy's wrist was aching as she hammered away. At last she managed to pull out the bolt, and the girls opened the door. With a cry of relief, they ran out of the dusty, dark crypt, and collapsed on the grass. Eagerly, they gulped in the cool night air.

" We'll have to report to the police, " Nancy spoke up. " And we'd better take the heirlooms with us, in case the ghost decides to pay the cemetery another visit."

The girls carried the treasure to the car and drove to River Heights Police Headquarters. The sergeant on duty was surprised when they told him of their adventure. " We'll have to put that joker behind bars, " he said angrily. " Do you have any idea who he could be? "

The girls shook their heads.

" Obviously it's someone who knew about the heirlooms, " Nancy said. " It could have been one of the men who moved the Campbell’s years ago. Perhaps he heard about the treasure from Becker when visiting him in jail."

" Well, right now we'd better get back to Mrs. Campbell, " George suggested. " I'm sure she's worried about us."

" Tell her the treasure is safe and sound, " the sergeant said. " I'll have to keep it here as evidence. Perhaps she could drop by tomorrow to identify her property."

Mrs. Campbell was relieved when the girls arrived, and delighted that they had found her possessions. She offered them her guest room to spend the night.

 

Next morning, just as they were having breakfast, Mr. Hansen came over from next door. " Oh, hello, girls! " he cried out. " I'm glad to see you're back safe! "

" Safe? " Nancy asked, her eyebrows shooting up. " How did you know we were in danger? "

" Oh, well—" the man seemed at a loss for words. " You—were going to the cemetery yesterday. Didn't you say something about a ghost? "

Nancy nodded. " Yes, we did, " she said.

" Well, did you find Mrs. Campbell's heirlooms? " the man continued.

" Yes, " George spoke up. " We don't know yet if all her things were there. She'll have to go to the police station and identify them."

" Police station? " Mr. Hansen asked sharply. " You mean, you didn't bring the treasure back with you? "

" Of course not! " Bess told him. " We had to report what we found, and the police are keeping the heirlooms as evidence until they catch the thief! "

All the color seemed to have drained from Mr. Hansen's face. " Oh, " he said. " Well, I think I'd better go back home. I have a few chores to do this morning."

" I think you'd better stay! " Nancy said. Suddenly, the pieces of the puzzle were falling together for her. She turned to George. " Quick, call the police, " she whispered.

George looked puzzled, but did not question her friend. She went into the next room and made the call while Mr. Hansen stared at Nancy, not knowing what to make of the girl's request for him to stay.

" What do you need me for? " he finally asked.

" Some explanations, " Nancy said. " Actually, I have all the explanations. All you have to do is confirm them.

" You knew about Mrs. Campbell's treasure, and you followed us to the cemetery last night. You thought Bess had the key to the crypt, so you waylaid her and threw her into an open grave. When you didn't find the key in her pocketbook, you shoved me in, too. Good thing you didn't succeed with George."

" I have no idea what you're talking about, " the man said.

" Nancy, you're wrong! " Mrs. Campbell spoke up. " I've known Mr. Hansen for many years. He's always been a good friend! "

" He's only pretended to be, " Nancy said. " He must have been hoping you'd show him that mysterious note so he could retrieve the treasure. When he found out you had called us, he tried to keep us away by throwing a rock with a threatening note into our car on the highway."

" Do you know what you're saying? " Mrs. Campbell was shocked.

" I do, " Nancy replied confidently. " Twenty years ago Mr. Hansen plotted with Mr. Becker, the movers' foreman, to steal your heirlooms while you and your husband were moving to your new house. Becker stole your crypt key and had a duplicate made, then returned the key surreptitiously."

'This is ridiculous, " Mr. Hansen cried out. " I refuse to listen to this nonsense any longer! " With that, he turned and headed for the door. When he opened it, he ran straight into the arms of two policemen!

" Lieutenant Green, " one introduced himself. " And this is Sergeant Russo. I understand you have a problem? "

" We have evidence that this man is a thief! " Nancy said and pointed to Mr. Hansen. She told Lieutenant Green what had happened so far, then went on.

" My guess is that Mr. Hansen and Mr. Becker did not want to be seen together, so they used a secret code to communicate. Becker wrote Hansen a note saying where he had hidden the heirlooms, but dropped it in the attic by mistake. When the movers were ready to leave, he wanted to put the note into Hansen's mailbox, but couldn't find it. He wasn't able to write another one, because the rest of the men were waiting for him. The next day he was arrested for the robbery and went to jail."

" Why couldn't he have told Hansen about the hiding place while he was in jail? " Lieutenant Green asked.

" Hansen probably never visited him, " Nancy said.

*'He wanted no one to suspect he had any connections to a criminal. Also, even if Becker had told him, Hansen wouldn't have had the key! "

" What a story! " Mr. Hansen exclaimed. " It's all conjecture. There's no proof! "

Bess stared at him. " I bet you were the prowler yesterday. You wanted to find out what we knew, so you tried to eavesdrop on us."

" Of course, " Nancy agreed.

" Then he followed us to the cemetery, " George took up the story. " He played ghost to scare us, then kidnapped Bess to get the key."

" And when that didn't work, he locked us into the crypt, " Nancy concluded.

" That just proves how silly your theory is, " Mr. Hansen put in. " Mrs. Campbell knew you were at the cemetery. She would have sent the police if you hadn't returned. And I still wouldn't have the treasure."

" You went off to round up a couple of accomplices, " Nancy said. " Then you came back to do away with us. Fortunately, we had escaped by then."

Mrs. Campbell stood up. " But Nancy, I still can't believe Mr. Hansen is a criminal. And you can't prove it! "

" Yes, I can, " Nancy said. " How many people knew about that secret room in your basement that we discovered yesterday? "

" Why, no one, " Mrs. Campbell replied. " I didn't even know until you told me about it."

" Mr. Hansen was here when we found it, " Nancy went on. " And when he played ghost at the cemetery, he said that we would soon be dead, just like those smugglers he locked into the secret room many years ago! "

Mr. Hansen's mouth dropped open when he realized that he had given himself away. He made a quick dash for the door, but Lieutenant Green and Sergeant Russo grabbed him before he could get out. Later, he confessed everything.

" I did work with Becker, " he admitted. " I had arranged for a fence—someone to handle the loot for us. He was to meet Becker during Becker's drive from River Heights to the Campbells' new house. But something went wrong and he didn't make it. Becker didn't want to take the treasure home, because he was afraid the police might search his house if they ever traced the previous robbery to him. So he stashed the stuff in the woods. He knew he couldn't leave them there, so when he saw the crypt key at the Campbell's house, he had a duplicate made during his break."

" But why did he write you the note? " George asked.

" Just to let me know that things were under control. He probably figured once the fence was ready, we'd all go and retrieve the stuff."

" Only he couldn't deliver the note, " Bess said. " Then he was arrested before he had another chance to contact you."

" That's right, " Hansen said glumly.

" And now you'll join him in jail, " Sergeant Russo added.

The police led the man away and the girls turned to comfort Mrs. Campbell, who was still shocked about the fact that she had lived next door to a criminal for ten years.

" Well, I'm glad he's behind bars, " she said finally. " Nancy, I'm sorry I doubted you. You did a great job! "

" It was Bess who urged us to go to the cemetery, remember? " Nancy said.

Bess made a face. " I should have known better! " she declared. " Next time we'll send the police. That ghost scared me to death! "

" What ghost? " George asked, and they all broke out into gales of laughter.

 


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