The Clue Of The Tapping Heels Part 8

"And I'll attend to getting a locksmith to come here this very afternoon," she added.

After Bess had left, Nancy and George searched the small bedroom for clues to the ident.i.ty of the occupant. There was a cot and along one wall stood a highboy. On another was a series of cupboards that reached from the floor to the ceiling. One had a grill metal front but the others were of solid wood. All the doors were locked. The girls opened the highboy drawers but found nothing inside.

George stared at the cupboards. "I sure wish we could get a look inside."

"I wonder," said Nancy, "if by any chance that pudgy man lives in this room and the key he dropped might open these cupboards. I'll get it."

She went upstairs and took the key from her purse. Nancy was back in a few minutes and inserted the key in the lock.

"It fits!" she exclaimed.

One by one the cupboards were opened. There were several books in one; the others held boxes of letters and other papers.

"These are all addressed to William Woonton at this address," Nancy said, after examining several.

"It's a secret room!" Nancy cried out

"And here's a diary," George spoke up, lifting a book from underneath a pile of papers. "It says Diary of Gus Woonton."

The girls began to turn the leaves of the diary. The notations were startling. They told of Gus Woonton being kept prisoner in the windowless room with only a small duct in the ceiling for fresh air.

One item read: "This is the work of my crazy guardians who are taking care of me while my parents are traveling for a year. My guardians declare I'm crazy and have to be locked up, but it is the other way around. But I'll get square with them. Every time they let me out of here, I'll take-"

The sentence was not finished, and though the girls scanned the book thoroughly, they could find no clue as to how Gus was getting square with his guardians or what he planned to take.

"Do you suppose," said George, "that the pudgy man could be Gus Woonton? And he's the tapper?"

"Anything is possible," Nancy replied. "I wonder where he goes when he isn't in this room."

Without waiting for a response from George, she went on, "I guess we'd better lock this cupboard and close that panel into the other part of the bas.e.m.e.nt." She chuckled. "Poor Gus! When he comes here for another night's sleep, he won't be able to get in."

"Why not?" George asked. "He can use this same hook he always does."

Nancy smiled. "We'll take the key and the tool upstairs and hide them. I suppose this room is where the tapper hides. Now maybe we or the police will be able to nab him."

George and Nancy went to Miss Carter's room. Mrs. Bealing had returned. Both women were astounded at the discovery the girl detectives had made. But Miss Carter could throw no light on Gus Woonton or his parents or guardians.

"I'll call my lawyer, Carl Amberson, at once and ask him who owned the house before the Smiths did," she said.

The girls were near the phone and could hear Mr. Amberson's voice very clearly. Not only was he surprised at the strange happenings, but said that the William Woontons had indeed owned the house at one time.

"I did not know they had a son Gus and I have no idea where they might be. I'll try to find out, though, and let you know."

After Miss Carter finished speaking with Mr. Amberson, Nancy asked permission to turn this part of the mystery over to her father.

"He has traced many lost persons," she said.

The actress agreed and Nancy telephoned Mr. Drew. He, too, was amazed at the turn of events and promised to do what he could.

A few minutes later Bess arrived with a locksmith. The man worked for over an hour to change all the locks, including those on the garage, then went off.

"Now I feel safer," Bess said with a sigh as she turned over the keys to Miss Carter.

They were about to start preparations for dinner when the telephone rang. Mr. Drew was calling Nancy.

"I have some very important information for you," he said. "I think you'd better come home as soon as possible. And be sure to bring the diary and the cupboard key with you."

CHAPTER VII.

The Runaway

"CAN'T you tell me now what you found out?" Nancy asked her father.

He laughed. "I think the matter should be kept secret for the present. Anyway, I'd rather not discuss it on the telephone. Here's more news. The Faynes and Marvins want Bess and George to come home. There's a special family party being held out of town tonight that they're to attend."

Nancy was a bit alarmed about leaving Miss Carter and Mrs. Bealing alone. Apparently Mr. Drew guessed her thought.

"I know you don't want to desert the Amity Place mystery," he said, "so I have persuaded Hannah to stay with Miss Carter while you girls have to be away. She'll take a taxi out there."

"Oh, Dad, you think of everything!" Nancy said.

Mr. Drew told her a client was waiting so he would have to say good-by. "I'll see you later."

Nancy gave his message to Bess and George. Mrs. Bealing was delighted to hear that her friend Hannah Gruen was coming to spend a little time at Miss Carter's. "She's such a capable person to have around."

"She certainly is," Nancy agreed.

Bess and George had exchanged guilty glances. Both admitted they had completely forgotten the family party!

George said, "Nancy, you always pick up such fascinating mysteries, you make us forget our duties to aunts and uncles and cousins!"

Nancy chuckled. "Sorry, girls. Maybe you can pick up a clue at the party. Ask your relatives if they ever knew or heard of people named Woonton who used to live in Berryville."

"Will do," George promised.

The three girls went back to the bas.e.m.e.nt and opened the panel to the secret room. Nancy unlocked the wall cabinet and took out the diary. Then she relocked the cupboard, and the panel was closed again.

Since Bess and George did not know when they would be able to return, they decided to pack all their clothes and take them home. "I'd enjoy a change of slacks and blouses, anyway," said Bess.

The cousins had just finished packing when Bess called out, "I heard a car door slam. Perhaps it's Mrs. Gruen arriving."

The bell rang and Nancy hurried to the front door. Hannah Gruen stood there, a broad smile on her face.

"Nancy," she said, "this is the first time I've ever tried to subst.i.tute for you in solving a mystery."

As Nancy gave the housekeeper a hug, she said, "Who knows? Maybe you'll solve it while I'm gone."