The Mystery of the Missing Heiress

thistles to any bouquet he handed Trixie, jumped to her bidding and helped her set the table.
    Janie, a yellow apron tied over the blue linen dress she would wear on the plane, helped Mrs. Belden turn the steaming pancakes.
    Mr. Belden had gone to his work at the bank. There was an extra spring to his step as he told his family good-bye for the day and went out to his car. the short time Janie had been with them, he, too, had grown fond of her. Now, though he hated to have her leave, he was happy in the knowledge that she would soon be with her own family.
    Now she'll be “Barbara,” Trixie thought, looking at the other girl, where she stood at the stove. She’ll always be “Janie” to me.
    “Don’t you think it would be a good idea if you telephoned Juliana and told her what has happened and where you’re going?” Mrs. Belden asked Trixie.
    Brian whistled. “Doesn’t she know?”
    “No, I forgot,” Trixie answered. “Jeepers, we should have told her. Maybe she’ll want to go to the airport with us. I think there’ll be room in the station wagon.”
    “There’s always room,” Mart said. “Gol, I’ll bet Janie’ll hate to leave our Bob-White bus.”
    “I’ll bet she will, too,” Janie herself said, “and Crabapple Farm and every one of the Beldens, but...
    “You want to go to your own family, I know,” Trixie said quickly. Then she dialed Mrs. Vanderpoel’s number.
    Juliana answered. Trixie told her the news about Janie and that Mr. Wheeler was going to fly her to Illinois.
    “Jim isn’t going on the plane, too, is he?” Juliana asked. The frantic note in her voice puzzled Trixie.
    “No. It’s only a small plane. Anyway, Regan s on the warpath about exercising the horses. He says they’ll never be ready for the show if they aren’t trained. Jim and Brian and Mart plan to jump them this afternoon.”
    “Heavens, the show isn’t until November, is it?” Everyone in the kitchen heard Juliana’s voice. It was so high and shrill that Trixie had to hold the receiver away from her ear. “Does Jim have to take Jupiter out today? I want him to help me send another letter to Holland.”
    “Another? When did you decide that? Why all the hurry? They’ll answer your letter soon.”
    “I don’t want to wait any longer for those slowpokes in Holland. Anyway, it’s my business.” Trixie’s reply showed the exasperation she felt. “You may have to wait for Jim to help you. One thing is sure. He and my brothers are going to take Jim’s mother and father and all of us to the airport, where Mr. Wheeler will take off. Tom, their chauffeur, is sick. Then, after that, he’ll have to ride the horses.”
    “He’ll just have to help me. That’s the most important thing!” Juliana shrilled.
    Mart held his ears and Reddy began to bark.
    “Then you ask him yourself and see what he can do.”
    Trixie hung up the receiver.
    “You didn’t sound very polite,” her mother said.
    “Well, she makes me furious,” Trixie sputtered. “She never once asked anything about Janie’s family—not once!”
    Mrs. Belden filled the plates with steaming hot cakes, called to Bobby, then said quietly to Trixie, “I seem to remember a few times when you could think of only one problem at a time.”
    “If I ever get to be that selfish—oh, Moms,” Trixie answered, “she’s not a bit like Jim’s cousin should be!”
    “I think we re all high-strung this morning,” Mrs. Belden said and put her arm around Trixie. “Have you helped Bobby find clean clothes to wear on the plane?”
    “I have. He’s putting a lot of things in that flight bag Dad brought him. You’d think he was going around the world.”
    “He’s only been on a plane once before,” Mart said. “He keeps saying Mr. Wheeler’s plane is a jet fighter.”
    “It won’t hurt you to help Bobby pretend,” his mother answered. “More pancakes, anyone? Where did Janie go?”
    “To finish packing her things.”
    “She didn’t eat enough. There’ll be no food on the plane, you know.”
    “Trust Miss Trask to send some along,” Trixie said confidently. “Janie’s too excited to eat. I get butterflies in my stomach every time I think of flying.”
    “You?Butterflies in your stomach over anything?” Mart whooped.
    “Well, I do. Maybe I don’t show it. No wonder Janie is nervous. Relatives she can’t remember will be waiting at that airport in Illinois.”
    It was ten o’clock when Jim stopped the Bob-White station wagon in