Part 26 (2/2)

It was a long and b.u.mpy ride back to the Glicks'. On the way Nancy, who was sitting in front between the two officers, asked what had brought them to the old Hoelt homestead.

”You didn't just happen to be there to answer my signal,” she said, a twinkle in her eye.

The officers confessed that they had been making a very intensive investigation of Roger Hoelt. They had learned about the family homestead and had decided to go there and look around.

”You were just in the nick of time,” Bess said. ”I was nearly suffocated.”

Officer Wagner smiled. ”I'm glad we found you, but that doesn't change the fact that it was Nancy Drew who solved this case.”

Nancy made no comment. As always happened when she had solved a mystery, she began to wonder what the next challenge would be. It was not long in coming, for at that very moment events were taking place that would enmesh the young detective in another exciting adventure, The Hidden Window Mystery.

The police officers kept their radio tuned to headquarters during the entire drive. To everyone's elation, the news was flashed to them a little later that Mr. and Mrs. Hoelt and their accomplice had been arrested. They had been caught riding in Nancy's car, which would be returned to its owner at the Glick home.

The broadcast went on to say that Roger Hoelt had confessed to having posed as an Amish man from Ohio. In his childhood he had lived in Lancaster and so had learned the customs and language of these people. Therefore, it had been easy for him to pose as one of them.

Hoelt admitted that when Nancy found out he had taken the Follett furniture he had tried in every way to keep her from locating him. He had resorted both to violence and to defamation of her character.

”The witch tree symbol was his undoing,” the police officer announced on the shortwave radio. Hoelt had copied his family's old hex sign on a piece of paper and lost it at the Follett home when he stole the furniture. When he came back to look for it, Nancy and Mrs. Tenney surprised him there and he had fled to the second floor. Hearing of Nancy's plan to search the house, he had run away and checked out of the hotel. Three days before that, he had made a phone call to his accomplice in Lancaster, saying he was ready for the man to bring his truck and steal the antique furniture.

The evening of the day when Nancy had surprised him in the Follett mansion, Hoelt had planned to spy on the Drew home. While cruising back and forth in his car, he had seen a chance to hit Togo and had done so out of spite.

Later that evening he had phoned Mrs. Tenney. Disguising his voice, he had posed as an antique dealer from New York and had cleverly induced Mrs. Tenney to tell him all she knew about Nancy's part in the case, including the fact that she was going to Lancaster to try to find the thief. Hearing this, Hoelt had at once started for Lancaster. On the way he had mailed the warning letter in Montville.

On a trip back to Lancaster, after his release from prison, Hoelt had heard about the secret in the old table. Since the secret was reputed to have some connection with the old Hoeltproperty, he had seen a chance to find a treasure, acquire the property cheap, and then become wealthy.

From the time he had learned Nancy had taken the case, he had worked against her, trying to keep her from locating him.

”But he failed!” cried Manda, leaning forward to hug Nancy. ”If you had not come to Amish country, I would not now be going home to my parents. Oh, I am so happy to have met a wonderful person like you!”

Nancy smiled and returned the compliment as Manda dropped her voice confidently. ”I will tell you three girls a secret,” she said. ”I met a fine young man in Lancaster who wants to marry me in a month. Papa and Mama will like him, too, and I know they will give me a big wedding. Nancy, George, and Bess-you will promise to come, please?”

”We'd love to!” exclaimed Nancy, as George said, ”You couldn't keep us away.”

”It sounds dreamy!” Bess said with delight. ”And you Amish have wonderful wedding feasts.” She chuckled. ”Ain't?”

end.

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