Nancy's Mysterious Letter Part 25

"I thought for a change I'd stay out to dinner, so I went to a tearoom that's open on Sunday. This was the reason I didn't get home until aa little while ago."

So far, there was nothing about Mrs. Roderick's story to upset her. Nancy and Ned waited patiently for her to go on.

"As soon as I came into the house, I went upstairs to change my clothes. To get to my bedroom, I had to pa.s.s Miss Drew's door. When I glanced into the room, I saw something on the bureau. This seemed funny to me so I went in to look at it."

Mrs. Roderick went on to say that lying on the bureau was two weeks' room rent but no explanation by Miss Drew as to why she had left it.

"I thought I'd better investigate to see if her clothes and jewelry and everything were gone.

Sure enough they were. There's no question but that she moved out."

Nancy asked Mrs. Roderick if Miss Drew had left any kind of a message.

"Oh yes," the woman said, "but it didn't say anything personal-wasn't even addressed to me. In fact it really wasn't a note. Just a lot of words scribbled on a piece of paper."

Neither Nancy nor Ned was sure this was the case but hesitated to ask to see the note.

"You know how eager we are to find Miss Drew," Nancy said. "If you have no idea where she's going, do you mind if I look around her room for a clue?"

"No, go ahead," Mrs. Roderick said, and led the young people upstairs.

She watched in interest as the couple made a thorough search of the place. Finally they admitted defeat.

Nancy turned to Mrs. Roderick. "Are you sure that Miss Drew came here herself?"

The woman looked startled. Then she answered slowly, "No, I'm not. And n.o.body else around here would have seen who it was. We're church-going folks on this street, so everyone would have been out."

"Then it's just possible," Nancy said, "that someone else could have used Miss Drew's key and come in."

"I suppose so," Mrs. Roderick agreed. Suddenly she turned and looked straight at the couple. "Are you two detectives?" she asked.

The young people began to laugh, then Ned said, "I'm not, but Nancy Drew is the best girl detective in the whole world!"

"Don't you believe him," Nancy said quickly. "I have solved some mysteries, I'll admit, and I enjoy it, but I'm sure there are many other girls who could do the same."

Mrs. Roderick was silent a few moments, then she said, "I think I'd better show you that paper with the funny notes on it. I put it in my room. See what you can make out of the thing."

She went to get it and soon returned, holding a sheet of white paper on which several verses were written in small handwriting. Nancy and Ned read them quickly.

"These are quotations from Shakespeare," Nancy told Mrs. Roderick.

"Shakespeare? Then I suppose it's not so funny," the woman remarked, "since Miss Drew was coaching the Shakespearean play."

Ned requested that Nancy read the various lines aloud. She did so, pausing between each quotation and puckering her brow. They said:My mind is troubled, like a fountain stirr'd;

And I myself see not the bottom of it.

Striving to better, oft we mar what's well.

We that are true lovers, run into strange capers.

Prosperity's the very bond of love.

... so we profess

Ourselves to be the slaves of chance.

Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.

Travelers must be content.

It is the stars,

The stars above us, govern our conditions.

When Nancy finished reading, Mrs. Roderick remarked, "If that was meant to be a message to me, I can't make head or tail of it."

Ned admitted that he could not fathom the meaning of the conglomeration of quotes. Since Nancy had said nothing, he asked her, "Have you any idea what this means?"

Nancy smiled. "Yes. I think I know."

CHAPTER XIX.

A Trap

MRS. RODERICK and Ned waited breathlessly for Nancy's interpretation of the Shakespearean quotations.

As Nancy continued to study the words, Mrs. Roderick said impatiently, "If Miss Drew left that paper for me, how in the world did she expect me to get any message out of it? I'm not familiar with Shakespeare's plays."

"I can't answer that," Nancy replied, "but this is what I think she was trying to tell you. First of all, Miss Drew believes she has fallen in love but she has some doubts."

"I should think she would," Mrs. Roderick said, "if the man she thinks she has fallen in love with is as bad as you picture him."

Ned, interested in Nancy's findings, begged her to go on.

"Well, Miss Drew is about to take a chance anyway," Nancy said.

The others nodded and waited for her to proceed.

"The bride and groom, or the couple, are going traveling, probably by air. I think that was the reference to the stars. And it will be a night flight."

"Why couldn't it be on a s.h.i.+p?" Mrs. Roderick asked.

Ned grinned. "I think I can guess that one. The quotations mentioned that the stars had governed the condition. That could mean weather. If it's a bad night, their plane wouldn't be able to take off."