Part 27 (1/2)

As the man turned toward the burned house, Nancy was in a quandary. She did not dare rouse her friends, yet she wanted to follow the intruder. She must find out who he was-Ned, come to help her, an inquisitive neighbor, or Felix Raybolt.

Leaving her friends, Nancy began to follow the man. Stealthily she crept nearer the ruins, dodging from tree to tree. She was glad there was no moon, for the darkness afforded protection.

When she was only a few feet away from the man, Nancy paused. He turned on a flashlight. This was not Ned Nickerson. From descriptions of the estate owner and from numerous newspaper photographs of him, Nancy felt certain that the tall, thin figure must be Felix Raybolt! He was carrying a shovel.

Suddenly he scrambled over the rubble and began to dig vigorously in the cellar wall some distance from where Nancy had been working.

”So that's where the secret hiding place is,” thought the young detective.

She watched excitedly as Mr. Raybolt uncovered a group of stones in the foundation wall. He removed them, opened the door of a safe beyond, and pulled out a stack of papers. To Nancy's horror, he laid them down and set a match to the sheaf.

”It's evidence against him!” Nancy said to herself. ”He can't destroy it!”

Instantly Nancy sprang forward. She grabbed the shovel and beat out the flames. At the same time she cried, ”Mr. Felix Raybolt, you can't burn those papers!”

The man had started violently and staggered backward. Nancy caught him by the arm, saying, ”Why have you been hiding?”

Almost at once, Mr. Raybolt recovered from the shock of the unexpected encounter, and jerked himself free. For an instant he looked at Nancy in blank amazement.

”A snooper, eh?” he sneered.

Without warning he grabbed both his flashlight and her own. He turned and started to run across the grounds. ”Get out of my way! Mind your own business!” he warned.

Nancy darted after him, but he definitely had the advantage of being familiar with the area. Her only chance to capture him lay in the possibility of his turning toward the place where she had left Bess and George. She must arouse them. Nancy did not know what Raybolt might do if she made an outcry, but she had to take that chance.

”Help! Help!” she screamed.

Bess and George, having heard the shrill cries for help, and approaching footsteps, were now convinced Nancy had uttered the cries and that she was in danger.

”Oh, what shall we do?” asked Bess. ”The screams seemed to come from near the ruins.”

”s.h.!.+” George warned. ”Those footsteps coming up the driveway! Maybe it's someone who can help us!”

This remark electrified Bess, who turned on her flash and rushed frantically ahead. She was the first to reach two men running up the driveway.

”Mr. Drew! Ned Nickerson!” the cousins cried in relief.

”Where's Nancy?” the men asked together.

”We don't know,” Bess gasped. ”We heard her scream-over by the ruins.”

The men dashed past the girls, Ned in the lead. Bess and George started after them.

”Help! Help!” came Nancy's scream again, but this time it was nearer.

Suddenly a man's figure burst from a clump of shrubs at the bend in the driveway. He saw the approaching group too late to stop. He could not turn, for Nancy appeared directly behind him. He veered off to the lawn.

”Hold on there!” Mr. Drew commanded sharply.

”Dad!” Nancy cried out, and an instant later she recognized the second figure. ”Ned!”