The Clue Of The Tapping Heels Part 12

"Correction," said George. "Today we are."

By this time the girls' lunch was ready. It was put into the car and with wishes of good luck from Hannah, Nancy and the cousins rode off.

When they reached the South Bedford munic.i.p.al auditorium where the cat show was being held, the girls carried the Persians inside. Nancy stopped at the desk to claim the booth Miss Carter had reserved.

"You have number ten," the man told Nancy. "As you enter, keep to your right. You'll find it easily."

As soon as the cages had been set in place and doors between them opened so the cats might roam around, the girls tacked up a large sign to an overhead beam. It read:CARTER'S CATS

LOVABLE COMPANIONABLE DECORATIVE.

PUREBRED PERSIANS.

Visitors to the show began to stop and admire Miss Carter's cats.

"They're perfectly beautiful!" one woman exclaimed. "I wish I could buy one, but I travel a great deal and couldn't take care of it."

A couple stopped. The woman said to the man, "Oh, Claude dear, I'd love to have one of these. What do you say?"

"Nothing doing," he answered rather roughly. "Those long-haired cats get hairs all over the place." He took the woman's arm and pulled her away from the booth.

Bess sighed. "At this rate maybe we'll have to take all these cats back home."

"Don't be discouraged," Nancy said. "We've been here only fifteen minutes."

At that moment three judges-two women and a man-walked up and carefully examined Miss Carter's Persians. A few moments later they went off to confer, then returned, smiling. One of the women placed the "Best in Show" ribbon on Abatha's cage.

"How wonderful!" Bess exclaimed.

The other woman put a first-place blue ribbon on Rosemond. All the other cats received second-place red awards.

"Congratulations," said the third judge. "I'm sorry Miss Carter couldn't be here. Give her my regards-I'm Craig Kendall."

"I will," said Nancy. "This will make her very happy."

After the judges walked away, George suggested the price of the cats be raised, with Abatha having the highest amount. Nancy and Bess agreed.

Many pa.s.sers-by stopped to praise the beauty of the Persians. One woman asked the price of each. Nancy told her.

"Oh," she said, "that's rather high, isn't it? A man on the other side of the show is selling Persians much cheaper."

The three girls were interested and a trifle suspicious. George asked the number of the seller's booth.

"It's number thirty," the woman replied. "I remember because I told the man I might be back."

George told Nancy and Bess she was going over to see the Persian cats, and hurried off. When she returned several minutes later, George was very excited.

"Girls," she exclaimed, "I'm sure that the five Persian cats in booth thirty are some that were stolen from Miss Carter!"

CHAPTER X.

Precarious Climb

AT George's announcement Nancy and Bess caught their breath. They were sure George was right and decided to look at the Persian cats.

"I found out," she went on, "that the man had ten, but he has sold five."

"Nancy," said Bess, "you go with George. I'll stay here with our cats."

The other two hurried off, but as they neared booth thirty, Nancy held George back.

"Don't you think it would be better if we pretend to be strolling casually and stop to look at the cats?"

"I suppose you're right," George agreed.

The girls slowed to a leisurely pace. As they pa.s.sed the booth, Nancy was sure the cats were Miss Carter's stolen Persians. They looked exactly the same as the ones the girls were selling.

Nancy studied the man who was in charge. He was short and rather stocky. Was he the one who had worn the spiked golf shoes?

George spoke to the man. "You have some beautiful cats here. I saw them a few minutes ago and went to get my friend. She's crazy about Persians."

"Yes, I am," said Nancy. She asked the price.

When he named it, she said, "Why, that's cheap for such fine animals. They're pedigreed, of course?"

"Oh sure," the man replied.

"Do you have the pedigree papers with you?" Nancy asked.

The man hesitated for a few seconds, then said, "They're here some place. You buy one of the cats and leave your name and address. I'll send you the pedigree later."

Nancy smiled at him. "But I want to see the pedigree before I buy."

The man's att.i.tude changed. "If you don't want to buy on my say-so, don't," he said. "Next customer?" He turned away from the girls, ignoring them completely.

They walked off. "Nancy, what do you think?" George asked.

"I strongly suspect he's a phony. It wouldn't hurt to call the police. If the man has nothing to hide, he won't be in trouble. But if he's the thief-"

Nancy stopped at a nearby phone booth and put in the call. The sergeant on duty said two men would be sent to the cat show at once. He instructed Nancy to wait for them at the Carter booth so she could go with the officers to point out the suspect.

"I wonder if Bess sold any cats," said George as the girls went on. As they neared booth ten, they saw only four cats.

Bess greeted them with a giggle. "Want to know who the real salesman is around here?" she asked, thumping her chest.

"Congratulations," said Nancy. Then she told Bess about the man in booth thirty and said the police would be arriving in a few minutes to talk to him.