The Mystery of the Uninvited Ghost

track of her while you’re gone,” Trixie said. Even as they talked, both Trixie and Jim nodded and smiled at guests.
    When they reached the lower hall, Trixie ran back outdoors to the small table where her mother sat. “Moms, has anybody seen Hallie? Did she come back from the inn?”
    “No,” Mrs. Belden answered soberly. “I can’t imagine what happened to her. Miss Trask called the inn. The clerk said Hallie stopped at the desk for Ella’s key, but she didn’t return it.” When Trixie gasped her dismay, her mother’s voice took on a reassuring tone. “Enjoy the reception, dear. The adults are taking care of this problem now. Matthew sent one of the policemen who was guarding the gifts to find Hallie and bring her back. You know Hallie. She probably took the woods path home and is spending all this time pushing her bicycle uphill the whole way.”
    “Moms!” Trixie moaned. “Hallie may be in danger! She keeps promises. She’d be here to take charge of the guest book if she could. Oh! First Dan, and now Hallie!”
    “What can happen?” Mrs. Belden asked. “Miss Ryks is sitting right there with Sergeant Molinson. There are also police at the inn investigating the robbery.”
    “There’s that gang!” Trixie said shakily.
    “Without their boss, what can they do?” asked her mother reasonably. “If, indeed, Miss Ryks is their boss. Look at her. Doesn’t it seem improbable?”
    Trixie’s heart sank. Even her mother doubted her theory. She protested, “But I saw—”
    “Hurry!” said Mrs. Belden. “The receiving line is forming.”
    Trixie stood between Juliana and Honey in the line. Worried though she was, her breath caught each time she heard Hans say, “This is my wife, Juliana.” Once he said indulgently, “This is like greeting guests on an ordinary Sunday afternoon.”
    Juliana giggled. “Not in Amsterdam, I promise you. I won’t know two hundred people for years!”
    Honey whispered, “Something’s bothering you, Trixie Belden. I can tell.”
    “Oh, Honey!” Trixie whispered back. “If only you knew!” She stood on tiptoe, trying to see what her brothers were doing. Had they gone with Jim? No. They were circulating among the guests, performing their duties as ushers. And Miss Ryks? Where was she? Oh. There she was. The sergeant was pushing the old fraud’s chair.
    When Miss Ryks came through the receiving line, Hans raised her hand to brush it with his lips, and Juliana kissed her forehead. As soon as the elderly woman was beyond earshot, Juliana said, “Hans, we never did find out whose family she knew!”
    In the folds of her white dress, Trixie crossed her fingers. I hope, she prayed desperately, I can keep her from spoiling the wedding. When Trixie saw a flash of pink, her hopes rose for a moment, but it wasn’t Hallie’s ribbon sash. Mrs. Dejong was wearing pink accessories.
    After all the photographs had been taken, at least thirty young people followed Juliana into the lower hall. Lightly she ran up the stairs and paused, holding her bouquet high. Hans stood by the newel-post, watching her. Juliana buried her face in her bouquet for a last fragrant sniff, blew a kiss to Hans, then threw her flowers. Many hands reached for it, but it was Di who captured the bridal bouquet.
    “Next to be married!” someone sang out, and Di giggled.
    Trixie stayed with Honey and Di long enough to touch and smell the flowers, then hurried back to the lawn to keep her promise to Jim.
    She saw him beckon Mart and Brian, and the three of them disappeared through the swinging doors that led to the part of the house where the wedding gifts were displayed.
    With the ring safely on Juliana’s finger, Bobby was relieved of his responsibility. He left the flower girls and followed Trixie to Miss Ryks’s chair. There he stood slightly to the right and scowled at the person in the chair.
    Trixie made the usual “Wasn’t it lovely?” comment to Miss Ryks and the sergeant and turned to Bobby.
    He was openly staring, and one never knew what he might say. Trixie reminded Miss Ryks that she had met Bobby at the shower. Miss Ryks didn’t bother to wheeze an answer but only nodded regally.
    Suddenly Bobby said, “She looks like somebody I know.”
    Miss Ryks’s whole body stiffened, and Trixie wished she could see through those dark glasses. The elderly woman laid a big hand on the sergeant’s sleeve. Looking at an ancient watch on a chain, she said breathily, “Thank you, Sergeant