The Mystery of the Missing Heiress

whirled her around the room, while the others snapped their fingers or shrugged and twisted to Mart s one-fingered beat.
    In the midst of it all, in walked Juliana.
    She nodded to the Bob-Whites. Then she saw Spider. His blue suit and brass buttons seemed to paralyze her. “A policeman!” she gasped.
    “A friendly one,” Spider said, bowing low.
    “It’s Spider. I’ve told you about him,” Mrs. Vanderpoel said. “It’s Juliana, Spider, Jim’s cousin. I’ve kept something warm for you, dear. The Bob-Whites and Spider all stayed for dinner. I wish you had been here. Were you working on your dolls again?”
    Juliana hesitated, then nodded her head.
    “You make me ashamed, Juliana,” Trixie said. “We haven’t done a thing about booths for the Turf Show. We love the dolls you’re making. They’re darling.”
    “Thank you,” Juliana said nervously. “If you will excuse me, I’ll go to my room. I’m glad to have met Mrs. Vanderpoels Spider. I’m glad to have seen the rest of you, too. I hope Janie is feeling better. I’ll say good night now.”
    She spoke it as if it were a piece she had learned, Trixie thought. She’s terribly nervous. She had such a queer smile...or ... there goes my imagination again!
    Aloud she said, “I think we have to say good night, too, Mrs. Vanderpoel.” She hugged the roly-poly woman with both arms. Honey did, too. Even the boys, Mart shamefacedly at first, then wholeheartedly, hugged her.
    “It’s no good saying thanks. That word couldn’t cover the wonderful time we’ve had,” Trixie said from the doorway.
    “Don’t say it. Come again. That’s the thanks I like best. Good night, now, all of you.”

    At Crabapple Farm, where Jim let the Beldens and Honey out of the station wagon, they said good night to Spider.
    “I’m sorry I couldn’t help you with your sleuthing, Trixie,” he said, and she knew he really meant it from his heart. Then he added, chuckling, “I just happened to remember—I saw a couple of your good friends in Sleepyside today. Snipe Thompson and his nephew Bull. I guess their time is up in the pen. They probably won’t try to rob another antique show, Trixie, but they’re bad citizens—mighty bad citizens. Good night.”

A Shadow at the Window ● 16

    SEE WHAT I brought you, Janie! Moms, where’s Bobby? Has he gone to bed? Mrs. Vanderpoel sent him some pheasant, too. Get a whiff of this, Janie!” Trixie uncovered the bowl, still warm. “Mmmmm... mmmmm, delicious! Bobby went to bed only a minute ago. Please, Mrs. Belden, may he come downstairs?”
    “If you’ll promise to eat every bit of your share. You hardly ate a thing for dinner,” she replied.
    “Oh, dear!” Trixie said. “We were all wishing so much that you could be at Mrs. Vanderpoel’s house. We ate and ate and ate. She’s almost as good a cook as you are, Moms.”
    “Flattery! Flattery! Here comes Bobby. He heard his name.”
    “I smelled something good.”
    “You couldn’t possibly eat, after the way you crammed yourself at dinner.”
    “I can always eat. Mmmm... pheasant! Here, you have some, too, Moms... just a little bite. Daddy?”
    “Who do you suppose was at Mrs. Vanderpoel’s house with us this evening? Guess!” Trixie’s eyes shone.
    “Spider!” Bobby shouted.
    “Who told you?”
    “Mart did.” Bobby giggled. “Mart did, when he told Moms you could stay at Mrs. Vanderpoels house for dinner. I wish Spider was still living in that house, Trixie.”
    “So does he, Bobby. I don’t think he’s too happy in his job at White Plains, do you, Honey?”
    Nobody who’s ever lived in Sleepyside is completely happy anywhere else. I know I’d never be.”
    “Mrs. Vanderpoel wishes Spider still lived with her, too. You know, Moms, it’s kind of scary back there in the woods. I keep remembering the time I stayed there all night, and Snipe and his nephew tried to rob the place.”
    Mrs. Belden smiled. “It seems funny now, but it was frightening at the time. I don’t like to think of it. The funny part was the way Mrs. Vanderpoel was ready for the thieves. Isn’t she wonderful?” Trixie giggled. “She took down her father’s old rifle and aimed it at them and said she’d shoot their heads off if they came an inch closer.”
    Mrs. Beldens face became sober. “They could have shot first. The situations you get yourself into, Trixie—you and Honey!”
    “They scare me to pieces, too, Mrs. Belden, Honey said. “But Trixie always gets us