men arose. Stocking masks hid their faces.
“All right!” muttered one of them.
Nancy started to scream, but a hand was clapped over her mouth, and she was held in a grip of steeL
CHAPTER XV
A Threat
As Nancy struggled vainly to free herself, one of the men spoke. His voice sounded disguised.
“Nancy Drew, I’m warning you that if you don’t do as we tell you, you’ll be sorry, and your father sorrier. You’ve got to mind your own business!”
Nancy squirmed sideways, trying to see her captors. The men’s masks made it impossible to distinguish their features.
The taller of the two gave her a rough shake. “Will you promise?”
“Promise what?” Nancy mumbled as the hand on her mouth was lifted slightly.
“Stop trying to be a detective!”
“Are you afraid I’ll have you arrested?” Nancy countered.
An automobile was coming down the street, its headlights cutting a path along the dark pavement. The engine had a familiar sound. Her father’s car! Nancy took heart. She must keep on sparring for time until he turned in.
She struggled to break free. “Take your hands off me!” she mumbled but the men paid no attention. They held on tighter and once more made their demand.
The car, which had been approaching slowly, turned into the Drew driveway. Nancy gave a quick jerk, freeing her mouth for a second.
“Help! Help!” she shouted.
The man who held her gave the girl a sudden push which sent her reeling into the steps of the side porch.
“Come on!” he snapped to his companion. “We’d better get out of here!”
Crouching low, they ran along the hedge, and disappeared into the protecting shadows of the garden next door.
Carson Drew leaped from his car and hurried to Nancy’s side. She fell into his arms, exhausted by the encounter.
“Why did you scream?” he demanded anxiously.
“Two men—” She pointed to where they had gone. “Oh, Dad, if you hadn’t come, I don’t know what would have happened.”
Breathlessly Nancy told him how his timely arrival had saved her from further threats. She and her father quickly ran in the direction the men had taken and searched in the neighbor’s garden, but the strangers had disappeared.
“Did you recognize either of them, Nancy? How were they dreased?”
“They wore stocking masks. The build of one of the men resembled that of David Dorrance and his double.”
“The thief is afraid you’re getting too hot on his trail,” Mr. Drew said thoughtfully.
Nancy told of her suspicions and of her report to the police.
“I’m glad you told the chief,” he replied. “And hereafter, let them track down the pickpocket. You’ll only be inviting danger if you continue to trail him. Next time I might not be around to save you!” he added affectionately, and took her hand as he led her back to their home.
“I’ve been hoping,” Nancy said, “to recover the money for the Boys Club and your stolen papers.”
“The thief probably has spent the money by this time,” Mr. Drew replied. “Don’t worry any more about my wallet. Buy me another for my birthday!”
As they sat at dinner a little later, she observed that her father looked worried.
“Nancy,” he said quietly, “I wish you would stop taking so much interest in Mrs. Alexandra.”
“Why, Dad”—Nancy stared at her father in dismay—“I can’t abandon the dear lady to Michael’s clutches! Only today I learned that he has been robbing her of rather large sums of money. Wait until you see this paper!” she added, getting the slip from her purse.
Mr. Drew inspected the sales notations obtained through Anna and Mr. Faber.
“You don’t expect Mrs. Alexandra to believe that her grandson is a thief?” he asked.
“No, and I don’t intend to tell her until I have more proof.”
“Don’t do anything until I’ve had time to consider the legal angle,” her father advised.
“I’ll wait,” Nancy promised. “Telling the poor woman the truth will probably end our
“All right!” muttered one of them.
Nancy started to scream, but a hand was clapped over her mouth, and she was held in a grip of steeL
CHAPTER XV
A Threat
As Nancy struggled vainly to free herself, one of the men spoke. His voice sounded disguised.
“Nancy Drew, I’m warning you that if you don’t do as we tell you, you’ll be sorry, and your father sorrier. You’ve got to mind your own business!”
Nancy squirmed sideways, trying to see her captors. The men’s masks made it impossible to distinguish their features.
The taller of the two gave her a rough shake. “Will you promise?”
“Promise what?” Nancy mumbled as the hand on her mouth was lifted slightly.
“Stop trying to be a detective!”
“Are you afraid I’ll have you arrested?” Nancy countered.
An automobile was coming down the street, its headlights cutting a path along the dark pavement. The engine had a familiar sound. Her father’s car! Nancy took heart. She must keep on sparring for time until he turned in.
She struggled to break free. “Take your hands off me!” she mumbled but the men paid no attention. They held on tighter and once more made their demand.
The car, which had been approaching slowly, turned into the Drew driveway. Nancy gave a quick jerk, freeing her mouth for a second.
“Help! Help!” she shouted.
The man who held her gave the girl a sudden push which sent her reeling into the steps of the side porch.
“Come on!” he snapped to his companion. “We’d better get out of here!”
Crouching low, they ran along the hedge, and disappeared into the protecting shadows of the garden next door.
Carson Drew leaped from his car and hurried to Nancy’s side. She fell into his arms, exhausted by the encounter.
“Why did you scream?” he demanded anxiously.
“Two men—” She pointed to where they had gone. “Oh, Dad, if you hadn’t come, I don’t know what would have happened.”
Breathlessly Nancy told him how his timely arrival had saved her from further threats. She and her father quickly ran in the direction the men had taken and searched in the neighbor’s garden, but the strangers had disappeared.
“Did you recognize either of them, Nancy? How were they dreased?”
“They wore stocking masks. The build of one of the men resembled that of David Dorrance and his double.”
“The thief is afraid you’re getting too hot on his trail,” Mr. Drew said thoughtfully.
Nancy told of her suspicions and of her report to the police.
“I’m glad you told the chief,” he replied. “And hereafter, let them track down the pickpocket. You’ll only be inviting danger if you continue to trail him. Next time I might not be around to save you!” he added affectionately, and took her hand as he led her back to their home.
“I’ve been hoping,” Nancy said, “to recover the money for the Boys Club and your stolen papers.”
“The thief probably has spent the money by this time,” Mr. Drew replied. “Don’t worry any more about my wallet. Buy me another for my birthday!”
As they sat at dinner a little later, she observed that her father looked worried.
“Nancy,” he said quietly, “I wish you would stop taking so much interest in Mrs. Alexandra.”
“Why, Dad”—Nancy stared at her father in dismay—“I can’t abandon the dear lady to Michael’s clutches! Only today I learned that he has been robbing her of rather large sums of money. Wait until you see this paper!” she added, getting the slip from her purse.
Mr. Drew inspected the sales notations obtained through Anna and Mr. Faber.
“You don’t expect Mrs. Alexandra to believe that her grandson is a thief?” he asked.
“No, and I don’t intend to tell her until I have more proof.”
“Don’t do anything until I’ve had time to consider the legal angle,” her father advised.
“I’ll wait,” Nancy promised. “Telling the poor woman the truth will probably end our
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