The Mystery of the Antique Doll

that here this minute!”
    But Willy, loving the game, dashed back into the living room with Trixie on his heels. He ran around behind the couch. Seconds later, he emerged with dust bunnies on the end of his nose, and a look of triumph on his face.
    Trixie, not fooled for a minute, reached her arm behind the couch and pulled out the bag of carrots.
    “Naughty dog!” she scolded sternly. But Willy just wagged his tail and dashed back into the kitchen.
    Following Mrs. De Keyser’s careful instructions, the girls put the meat and vegetables they’d sliced into a heavy Dutch oven along with some spices. Then they followed her up to the second floor of the house and got out the vacuum cleaner. Trixie quickly began to vacuum Mrs. De Keyser’s bedroom, while Honey straightened the bedclothes and plumped the pillows.
    “Now you’re sure this isn’t too much for you?” Mrs. De Keyser asked.
    “It’s not hard,” Trixie said, smiling. “We thought we’d come every day after school and do things for you.”
    “Oh, my goodness,” she answered. “That really isn’t necessary. I’ll manage quite nicely on all you’ve done here today.”
    “Oh, no,” Honey said. “I think we should come at least every other day, don’t you, Trixie?”
    Trixie bent her head in concentration as she stuck the vacuum cleaner nozzle behind a chair cushion.
    “We can come as often as you need us, Mrs. De Keyser,” she said. “Every other day would be fine with us.”
    “Are you sure?” Mrs. De Keyser asked. “I certainly wouldn’t want to trouble you.”
    “It’s no trouble, Mrs. De Keyser,” said Trixie, turning off the vacuum cleaner. “Besides, we are grateful for the chance to get off the bus here. We’ve been meaning to stop and have a look at the new antique store.”
    “Oh yes...” Mrs. De Keyser began, then her voice trailed off. A frown creased her brow at the mention of the antique shop. “Have you been inside yet?” Trixie asked.
    She wondered why Mrs. De Keyser seemed so troubled.
    “Yes, only briefly. Oh, I do so worry about that man,” Mrs. De Keyser said in a sad voice. “You know, I rented that barn to Mr. Reid, and I thought it would make a lovely shop. But now I’m not so sure. It’s right on Glen Road, but so far he’s had hardly any customers at all. I wonder how he affords the rent.”
    “He doesn’t look as if he’s doing so badly,” Trixie muttered, thinking about the expensive car he drove.
    “Well, I mentioned it to the real estate agent, but she said I was being silly to even consider reducing the rent. I suppose it is silly of me because he always pays on time.”
    “Well, maybe things will be better in the summer when more tourists are on the road,” Honey said reassuringly.
    “Yes, that’s what I keep telling myself,” Mrs. De Keyser said. “After all, he has a whole store full of antiques to sell. But, you know, he’s hardly ever open and I never see any customers!”
    “Do you like antiques?” Trixie asked. “We certainly do.”
    Mrs. De Keyser stopped, and then burst into a merry laugh.
    “Oh, my dear. Like antiques?” Her small round form shook with laughter. “Not really. You see, when you get to be my age, an antique is just something that was brand-new when you were young. Some things, of course, are much older than that, but those generally aren’t the ones that turn up in antique stores.”
    Trixie and Honey smiled at Mrs. De Keyser. Then Willy suddenly jumped up, scratching at their skirts.
    “Oh dear,” Mrs. De Keyser gasped, catching her breath. “I forgot all about poor Willy. I know it’s getting to be five o’clock, but would you be dears and take him for a little walk outside? And don’t let him off the leash. The silly thing likes to run off and explore. Sometimes he doesn’t come back for hours at a time.”
    Trixie and Honey got their jackets from the closet, and put Willy on his leash. They stepped outside and breathed in the crisp air. It was early November and most of the leaves had fallen from the trees. The branches looked like spidery drawings against the sky. They shuffled through the dry leaves as they walked. Their red and gold colors had long ago turned to brown, and they blanketed the lawn and the bushes around the house.
    Trixie and Honey welcomed the chance to be outside and to look all around Mrs. De Keyser’s snug little house. To the north stood a long row of fir trees. They had probably been planted a hundred years ago