The Mystery of the Missing Heiress

some wrong conclusions, Mrs. Vanderpoel.”
    “Maybe so.Maybe not. She puzzles me. I don’t think she’s happy. Maybe it’s that business about the land that’s worrying her, but she’s up in the air one day and down the next. I think it’s probably good for her to work with the dolls.”
    “Nights, too?” Jim asked, remembering. “Do they work on those dolls nights, too?”
    “I guess they do. One of Mrs. Thompson’s sons —I think—picks her up. He’s been by several nights. I never see him. He just honks his automobile horn for her.”
    “Tell her we’re so sorry we didn’t get to see her on our way to talk to the police about those warning signs that were moved. We think someone did it on purpose, and that’s why Janie fell.”
    “It doesn’t seem possible anyone could be so cruel. You’re right to try and track down who did it. This is more detective work for you, isn’t it, Trixie?”
    “If I can help,” Trixie answered. “Oh, look at the time. It’s almost noon. We’ll see you later, Mrs. Vanderpoel. Be sure and tell Juliana We stopped by, and tell her we think it’s simply super about the dolls. The only other booth we know anything about is the one Moms will have—the plant booth, with seedlings from her garden.”
    “Now, what do you think of that?” Trixie asked when they were once more on their way.
    “I think we all need our heads examined,” Mart said. “Moms kept telling us, one by one, that we should be more tolerant....”
    “Yeah. A fine bunch of Bob-Whites we turned out to be!” Brian said.
    “It gives us something to shoot for in the future,” Jim said.
    Trixie, deep in thought, said to Honey, “It’s the strangest thing—I wish I could remember where I’ve heard the name Thompson. Maybe Moms will know. Wasn’t that the cutest doll?”
    When Jim parked the car in front of the courthouse, Trixie said, “I suppose Sergeant Molinson will be as impatient as he always is.”
    “Yeah,” Mart answered. “He thinks you mess up his investigations and get in the way of his men when they’re working on a case.”
    “She does get in the way,” Honey said spiritedly. “And a good thing, too. All he has to do is to think back to some of the cases Trixie and I have helped to solve— Shhh... here we are!”
    “Good morning, Trixie. Good morning, Honey. Good morning, boys. I’m glad you stopped in. I have some questions to ask you about what happened up there on the cliff yesterday.”
    “Did Dad see you this morning?” Jim asked. “Yes. He’s putting some men to work today to fence off that ledge where the girl fell. The erosion there has to be stopped, too. I have a call in for the county engineer right now. Trixie, although I still disapprove of your dangerous methods, you were a real heroine yesterday. If I have the story the way it happened.”
    “She was!” Honey said. “Trixie always does things nobody else has nerve enough to do.”
    “You’re telling me!” the sergeant said.
    “She finishes them, too,” Honey said. “Sergeant Molinson, who do you think took those warning signs away from that place? Who is trying to injure Janie?”
    “Wait just a minute, young lady. Those warning signs having been removed doesn’t necessarily mean that someone wanted the girl to fall over the cliff, does it?”
    “What other possible reason?” Trixie asked. “Maybe the county engineer’s department was making some kind of a survey before undertaking anti-erosion work there. The signs may have been in their way.”
    “So they threw them over the cliff?” Trixie asked. “That doesn’t wash.”
    “How do you know anyone threw them over the cliff?” the police sergeant asked.
    “Because,” Jim said, “we found them down below, smashed. We think someone moved them on purpose.”
    “Yes, we do,” Trixie agreed. “And if you’ll give me a chance, I’ll tell you about a lot of other odd things that have been happening. Some strange man was hanging around the surveyors. Some strange man put our station wagon out of commission in the Bronx. Some strange man was parked near our house the night—”
    “What on earth does that have to do with the young girl Janie?” Sergeant Molinson said, smiling indulgently and sending a crimson flush to Trixie’s cheeks.
    “There is some connection someplace. An important police officer like you should find it. You just get me all confused. Anyway, with all the experts working on the case, nobody yet has