(#44) The Clue in the Crossword Cipher Read Free

our lives.”
    Bess looked scared. “He may take revenge instead.”
    Nancy said, “Wallace might even be the man who has been following Carla recently.”
    “And sent that warning note about ‘the cat’?” Bess queried.
    “Could be.”
    Nancy immediately telephoned her friend Police Chief McGinnis. After telling him what had happened, Bess and George saw Nancy nodding her head in agreement as she listened. Finally she said, “He’s about thirty, dark-complexioned, has close-cut black hair, and is extremely thin.”
    Presently the young sleuth said good-by and put down the phone. Turning to her friends, Nancy said, “Harry Wallace is a phony. He’s not on the detective squad. Chief McGinnis is going to put out an alarm for him at once. By the way, George,” she said with a grin, “the chief thanks you for using a little judo on that impostor.”
    “Hypers!” George cried, rubbing her hands together gleefully. “The first villain in this mystery. I wonder how many more we’ll encounter.”
    Bess quickly spoke up. “I hope he’s the only one. I want to help solve the crossword cipher mystery, but I can get along without people like him!”
    Later that day Bess and George telephoned Nancy to tell her they had received permission from their parents to go to Lima. Carla was overjoyed when she heard the good news.
    “We will have a marvelous time,” she promised.
    Fortunately, Nancy and the cousins had passports. Mr. Drew made the arrangements for the flight. The girls would leave early the following morning from River Heights and fly to New York City. From there they would take a jetliner to South America.
    “With Harry Wallace at large,” he said, “I think it would be best if you girls leave River Heights unobtrusively.”
    “How can we do that?” Nancy asked.
    “By staying at the airport motel tonight. Bess’s and George’s families can drive them separately and should be sure they’re not being followed. Carla’s uncle can take her to the motel and you—” Mr. Drew grinned. “I believe Ned Nickerson is coming here this evening?”
    Nancy blushed. Ned was a special friend who attended Emerson College.
    “Yes, Ned is coming to have dinner with us. He’ll be glad to take me to the airport.”
    The tall, good-looking football player arrived at six o’clock. After warm greetings he said to Nancy, “So you’re taking off again to solve another mystery. Can’t you fix things so I could go along?”
    Nancy smiled. “I wish I could. Now I have to depend on George and her judo to take care of troublemakers.”
    She had already packed for the trip and was free to spend the entire evening with Ned until it was time to join her friends at the motel. He tried his hand at deciphering the puzzle on the plaque but finally gave up.
    “If you can solve this one, and keep out of trouble with Carla’s pursuers and ‘the cat,’ ” he remarked, “you ought to get a vote of thanks from the Peruvian government!” Nancy laughed.
    At ten o’clock she said good-by to Hannah Gruen and her father. The housekeeper begged Nancy to be careful and the lawyer said, “No instructions from me, my dear, but you know that I wish you success and I’ll be looking forward to your return.”
    When Nancy and Ned reached the airport motel, he carried her two bags into the lobby. One contained the plaque and Nancy said that she would carry that suitcase. “I’ll check the other one.”
    As Ned bid her good-by and looked straight at her, Nancy detected a wistful look in his eyes. He said, “My thoughts are repetitions of your father’s and Hannah’s combined.” He took both her hands in his and added, “You will come back safely, won’t you?” He kissed her.
    “I promise,” Nancy answered, and waited until he drove off. Then a porter carried her bags to the room which she would share with Carla.
    The Peruvian girl, as well as Bess and George, were already there. Bess teased Nancy. “I thought maybe you’d