The Clue Of The Velvet Mask Part 16

"Unjustly so, I'm sure, Mr. Lightner. She wasn't even at that musicale where there was a robbery."

"I know," Mr. Lightner said. "But there were other parties and certain thefts right here which raised doubts as to her honesty."

"If I could prove she's innocent, would you take Linda back?" Nancy asked.

"Why-uh-yes. Of course, that is, with Mr. Tombar's okay."

Nancy realized that Linda would need a reference to secure a new job. She could not get one from her ex-employer.

Nancy thought quickly. She could only help Linda by catching the thieves! Nancy must get an invitation to the affair on June twenty-sixth.

"Mr. Lightner," she said, "you know, of course, that I've been trying to help Dad solve the mystery of the party thieves."

The man smiled. "Yes, he told me even I was under suspicion for a time!"

"May I go to the lecture at the Claytons'?" Nancy asked.

He readily gave his consent, telling her to meet him there at seven-thirty Wednesday evening.

"I'm taking personal charge," he informed her. "I've decided it's high time I did a little investigating of my own."

"Then Mr. Tombar won't be there?"

"No," Mr. Lightner replied. "He's in a huff about it, too. But that's beside the point."

Further conversation revealed that Peter Tombar was annoyed also because Mr. Lightner had asked him not to take such long lunch hours.

Nancy smiled. "The man must have been driving out into the country a good deal," she thought. "Well, if he doesn't do that any more, another clue is washed out."

Speaking again of the lecture, she suggested that as a precautionary measure all the cards of admission be marked with a special swirl. Then no uninvited person could possibly slip in without being detected. Mr. Lightner immediately agreed to Nancy's proposal.

"I have the list here, ready for addressing," he told her. "Shall we mark them now? I'll have a messenger deliver them this evening."

The work was done quickly. Each card was marked on the reverse side.

"It's essential that we tell no one what we've done," Nancy advised Mr. Lightner. "Not even your secretary or Mr. Tombar."

"Surely both of them can be trusted."

"Nevertheless, let's keep this as our own secret."

"Very well," Mr. Lightner said. "I'll personally check every invitation at the door."

After lunch Nancy went to Mr. Johnson's office to inquire what progress had been made in recalling the charge plates. She learned that they were coming in very slowly. He said that he did not dare push the matter, lest any dishonest employee get an inkling of what lay behind the scheme.

"I'll let you know if anything turns up," the credit manager promised.

Nancy had a long talk with her father. Mr. Drew said he had decided to take the Lightner case, thanks to his daughter's fine sleuthing. But the company owner refused to believe that any of his present employees were dishonest.

"His clients are getting a bit impatient and want to start their suits," Mr. Drew revealed, "but we're stalling for time."

"If I could only discover something worth while!" Nancy sighed.

She spent the rest of the day with George, who had sent for her. The listless girl was in no better spirits and Nancy missed her friend's help in sleuthing. All she could do was humor George.

Bess was out of town, leaving Nancy with a lonesome feeling.

"But I mustn't give up, even for a second," she determined.

The distraught George again begged Nancy to give up the case. "You-you simply must stop working on it," she pleaded.

"George, whatever has happened to you?" Nancy asked. "This case is no different from others I've worked on."

"It's much more dangerous. Nancy, please-"

The young sleuth patted George's hand. "I'll be careful, really I will," she promised. "Tomorrow I'm going to a perfectly safe highbrow lecture!"

The next evening Nancy arrived at the Clayton home early. To her chagrin she found Tombar there.

"It wasn't necessary for him to be here," Mr. Lightner told Nancy. "But he insisted I might run into difficulty handling some of the details I wasn't used to."

Nancy smiled and made no comment. It was obvious to her that Tombar wanted to be there! Making a great show of directing the placement of chairs, he bustled about, growling orders at everyone.

Mr. Lightner had posted himself at the front door to inspect each card that was presented. Nancy stood close by to scrutinize the arriving guests. Everyone seemed straightforward-looking and above suspicion.

"So far so good," Mr. Lightner presently whispered to Nancy. "At least two-thirds of the cards are in. All are authentic."

Nancy had observed a man loitering outdoors near the parking lot. She called Mr. Lightner's attention to him.

"Oh, don't worry about him. He's a private detective I employed. After the program starts, he'll move inside and help keep an eye on everyone."

In a few minutes the lecture began. Not all the cards had been turned in, so Mr. Lightner remained at the front door to meet latecomers.

"It looks as if the party thieves aren't going to show up," Nancy remarked. "Just to be sure no one is prowling about the garden, I'll walk around outside."

She circled the house, noting that all the windows on the first floor were very high above the ground. It would be difficult to climb in and dangerous to drop from any of them!

In her tour Nancy presently came to the parking area and wandered among the cars. Approaching a long black sedan, she was startled to see a man lying on the ground, almost under the front wheels.

"Oh," she thought, "he's ill!"

Kneeling, she realized that he was unconscious. As wild ideas raced through Nancy's mind, she received a further shock. All the lights in the Clayton house suddenly went out!

CHAPTER XI.

Loot for Sale