The Mystery at Saratoga

giving a ride to Regan told us he’d driven that guy to the track. I bet if we found that taxi driver again, he’d be able to tell us—”
    “Hold it right there,” Regan interrupted. “Trixie, I appreciate everything you’ve gone through to find me, and I appreciate your trying to believe I was innocent, when a lot of people said I wasn’t. I’m glad you found me. Seeing you girls has done me a world of good. It’s reminded me of how much I want to clear myself so that I can go home, to Sleepyside and the Manor House.”
    “But?” Trixie queried.
    “But,” Regan said firmly, “I don’t want you to get involved with that man. Racetrack hoodlums are as tough as they come. I’d never forgive myself if something happened to you girls while you were trying to help me out. Don’t try to find that man, Trixie. Promise me you won’t.”
    “I—I promise,” Trixie said reluctantly.
    “Good girl,” Regan said. “I’ll clear myself in due time, and I’ll be back at the Manor House as soon as I do. And I want both of you to promise me something else. Promise me you won’t tell anyone where I am. The only way I can hope to clear myself is to stay undercover a while longer.”
    “We won’t tell anyone,” Trixie said quickly.
    “I wanted to tell my parents we’d found your boots, but Trixie stopped me,” Honey confessed. “I’m glad she did.”
    “Me, too,” Regan said. “But for heaven’s sake, don’t feel bad because you wanted to confide in your parents, Honey. It was the right thing to do.
    We’ll tell them everything soon, believe me. And now,” he concluded, rising from the table, “I’d better call you girls a cab so you can get back to town.”

An Old Romance ● 13

    RELUCTANTLY, Honey and Trixie got into the backseat of the taxi, after giving Regan one last hug. As the cab pulled away, they knelt on the backseat and waved to their friend until the cab turned a corner and he was lost from their sight.
    Turning and sitting down on the backseat, Trixie sighed happily. “Well, Honey, the first part of our mission is accomplished. We found—” Trixie glanced at the cabdriver— “we found our friend and got his side of the story.”
    Honey nodded. “It’s amazing, Trixie. As soon as I saw him, all my doubts and suspicions just vanished, and I knew he was innocent. Our first hunch, back in Sleepyside, was the right one after all: He ran just because he was young and scared, not because he had a gambling problem or resented his boss or any of the other theories We came up with later.”
    “I think that’s an important lesson for us, Honey,” Trixie said. “What your heart tells you about someone is usually right. Later on, when your head gets into the act, you start thinking up all kinds of wild theories that are logical enough but just not true.”
    “We should try to remember that,” Honey said. “But we shouldn’t discount all the ‘wild theories’ we’ve had since we came to Saratoga. Following up on them helped us solve our mystery.”
    “Part one of our mystery,” Trixie corrected her. “We know now that our friend didn’t do what he’s been accused of doing, but we still have to find out who did.”
    “Trixie, you promised!” Honey wailed. “Not five minutes ago you said you wouldn’t get involved!”
    “I said I wouldn’t get involved with the scarfaced man,” Trixie pointed out, “and that’s a promise I’m only too happy to keep.” She shuddered. “I don’t need to be told that he’s out of my league. But don’t forget, there are a couple of other suspects in this case that we’re in a perfect position to keep an eye on, and I intend to do just that.” Honey shook her head in mock exasperation, but there was a smile on her face as she said, “Trixie Belden, if the criminals we chase were half as sneaky as you are, they’d all commit perfect crimes and never get caught.”
    “Why, what do you mean?” Trixie asked, her blue eyes rounded innocently.
    “You know what I mean,” Honey said sternly. “Every time someone makes you promise to stay out of trouble, it turns out you’ve found a loophole that will let you go charging right ahead without breaking the promise.” Honey sighed. “I don’t suppose you have any tricky ideas for breaking our promise not to tell my parents what we know, if we think we should.”
    Trixie shook her head. “That’s one promise we have to keep, Honey. Remember what Dan said to us outside the