The Mystery of the Antique Doll

that box and take a look at this doll,” she said firmly. She carried the package to her bed. “This thing is awfully heavy, Honey. Didn’t you notice when you were carrying it?”
    “It seemed fine to me. But maybe we shouldn’t open it,” Honey said, a worried expression on her face. “Mr. Reid specifically said not to take the doll out. If we open the box, we might not be able to get it closed correctly.”
    “Don’t worry,” Trixie said. “I’ll be careful. Besides, I’m just going to look. I won’t take her out. We’d better make sure we picked up a doll and not something else.”
    “Why would we get something else?” Honey asked, startled.
    “I don’t know,” Trixie answered, as she untied the string and took off the plain brown paper. “Let’s just say I have a feeling, that’s all. What if the man made a mistake? We’d feel pretty silly if we went to all this trouble and didn’t bring back the right package.”
    “I suppose you’re right,” Honey said as she watched Trixie slide the top off the wooden case.
    “Gleeps, Honey!” said Trixie. “Take a look at this!”
    Inside the case was the most beautiful antique doll the girls had ever seen. The doll was dressed in an exquisite, lavender satin gown, with a pale-blue front panel trimmed in lace.
    “Golly,” Trixie said. “She looks just like Marie Antoinette.”
    The delicate porcelain face had a rosebud mouth. The doll’s blonde hair was piled high on her head, and a few fat ringlets fell to her porcelain shoulders. A little beaded purse dangled from her china wrist, and it was obvious to both girls that she was very valuable.
    “No wonder Mr. Reid wanted to be extra careful with this doll,” Trixie said. “She’s probably worth a fortune!”
    “We’d better put her back now,” Honey said. They carefully slid the top back on the wooden case and wrapped it up again.
    Before they had a chance to discuss the doll any further, Mrs. Wheeler knocked on the connecting door.
    “Start getting dressed, girls,” she said. “We’ll be going down to dinner in about fifteen minutes.”
    Trixie and Honey rushed to get ready. Gazing at her reflection in the mirror, Trixie was surprised to see that she looked presentable. Perhaps it was because she was in Paris, or maybe it was the fancy hotel. Trixie turned this way and that, pleased for once with her reflection.
    The girls joined the Wheelers and had a delicious French dinner in the hotel dining room. After a rich dessert, they returned to their room, exhausted, and flopped into bed. As soon as their tired heads hit the fluffy pillows, they were fast asleep.

    During the next two days, Honey and Trixie went on a whirlwind tour of Paris with Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler. On Sunday, they took a sight-seeing trip on the Seine in a glass-covered boat; they went to the top of the Eiffel Tower and got a spectacular view of Paris as the sun was setting; and they ate in a charming little Left Bank cafe.
    On Monday, they went out to Versailles for a tour of the park, the gardens, and the palaces. Trixie was awed by the luxury and wealth of the former French kings. She began to feel a little like Marie Antoinette as she fell under the spell of the huge palace.
    As they came out of the smaller palace, Petit Trianon, Trixie suddenly felt a shiver of warning travel up her spine. Whirling around, she could have sworn she saw the red-haired man.
    She quickly scanned the crowds but he wasn’t there. Unable to tell for certain whether she’d seen him or not, she finally decided it was just her imagination.
    They returned to Paris, had an early dinner, and then taxied quietly out to the airport.
    As they walked through the airport, Trixie again had the distinct feeling they were being followed. Whipping her head around, she caught sight of the man with the red hair and bushy eyebrows standing next to a newspaper vendor.
    This time she was sure. The red hair, the rumpled trench coat, and those strange bushy eyebrows! But what was he doing here? Suddenly Trixie was certain that the man was following them. But why?
    She quickly tugged on Honey’s sleeve. Pulling her back a few paces behind the Wheelers, Trixie urgently whispered in her ear.
    “Remember I told you someone was watching us when we picked up the doll?” she said. “Well, he’s been following us, and he’s back there by the news vendor! Take a look!”
    Honey stopped and looked over her shoulder.
    “Trixie, are you sure?” Honey asked,