Part 4 (1/2)
”Did you find the ring in the ashes?” Nancy questioned with rising interest.
”No. The firemen and police won't let anyone go near the ruins. I found the signet ring near the hedge back of the house.”
There was a brief moment of silence as Nancy mulled this over. Then she asked quickly, ”Does that ring bear a Swedish inscription? If it does, I may have a clue to the owner.”
She was thinking of the stranger she suspected of being the owner of the mysterious diary-the man who had vanished behind the Raybolt hedge.
”There is an inscription in a foreign language, but I can't read it,” Ned told her. ”Say! Would you like to see the ring?”
”Love to,” Nancy confessed. ”It may furnish a clue. But shouldn't the ring be turned over to the police?”
Ned did not agree. ”I believe, at least for the time being, it's a case of 'Finders Keepers.' The ring was a good distance away from the fire area.”
”All right, then. I am eager to see it.”
”If you'll let me, I'll drop around tonight at eight and bring the ring along,” Ned offered.
”Good.”
After Ned had hung up, Nancy fairly danced back into the bedroom. She sent one slipper flying toward the bed, and the other into the far corner of the room. The young sleuth attempted to convince herself that her jubilant spirits were the result of Ned's discovery. The ring might be a clue to the ident.i.ty of the person who had set the Raybolt house on fire. Bess and George, she knew, would have interpreted her reaction very differently!
As soon as she had dressed, Nancy picked up the diary and placed it in her top bureau drawer for safekeeping.
”I wish I had time to go somewhere and have it translated right now,” she thought regretfully, ”but it's late and I must take my car to the garage.”
Nancy hurried downstairs to the kitchen. Mr. Drew had already eaten breakfast and left for his office. Hannah Gruen uncovered a hot plate on the stove.
”Mm, blueberry m.u.f.fins,” Nancy said. After biting into one, she added, ”Oh, this is extra delicious.” As she ate, Nancy told the housekeeper about wanting the diary translated.
”But kept confidential, I suppose,” Mrs. Gruen remarked. ”It's not often that I can help you on a mystery, Nancy, but this time I believe I can.”
CHAPTER IV.
The Initialed Ring
”OH, HANNAH, that's wonderful!” Nancy exclaimed. ”But don't tell me you can read Swedish.”
”I wish I could. The person to translate the diary is our old Swedish bakery friend, Mr. Peterson. He has moved his shop to the other side of town.”
”Oh, I remember Mr. Peterson,” said Nancy with a chuckle. ”When I was a little girl, and you and I went there, I used to wheedle tarts and cookies from him.”
”And always get them,” Mrs. Gruen replied, a twinkle in her eye. ”You were his favorite customer. I'm sure that he'll be glad to translate the diary for you.”
Nancy was delighted at the prospect of seeing kindly Oscar Peterson again.
”Hannah, that's a wonderful idea! I'll go to the bakery first chance I have. Right now, I must have my car fixed.”
Nancy took the convertible to a garage downtown. The mechanic promised to have it ready sometime the following afternoon. Then Nancy walked slowly homeward. Suddenly Nancy heard her name called. Turning, she saw Bess and George hurrying to meet her.