The Mystery of the Vanishing Victim

her friend’s exaggerated gloom.
    “I really don’t think it will be that bad, Trix. It won’t be any fun to face him, though. But I don’t see what else we can do.”
    “We could just wait a day or two and see if the police catch Mr. Meiser,” Trixie said hopefully. “Sergeant Molinson knows he’s here on Glenwood Avenue. It’s probably only a matter of time until they find the house.”
    Honey shook her head. “I don’t think that would be the right thing to do,” she said. “First of all, we know that Mr. Meiser is hurt. I think he’d be better off back in custody, where he’d at least be in the prison ward of a hospital.
    “And second, what about that woman and her children? I’d hate to see them hurt, and they could be if the police stumble onto the house and Henry Meiser gets desperate.”
    “Oh, woe!” Trixie said. “You’re right both times, Honey.”
    “Then we’ll go to the police,” Honey said firmly. She turned her bike in a wide arc and started back toward the downtown section of Sleepyside.
    Trixie turned slowly to follow. She coasted for a moment, then she pedaled quickly to catch up with Honey. “I have an idea!” she said hoarsely.
    “Oh, no,” Honey groaned.
    “Now wait—just listen to what I have to say,” Trixie pleaded. “Suppose Henry Meiser decides to turn himself in. If he goes to the police station by himself, the woman and her children won’t be in any trouble. And nobody will ever have to know that we knew he was in that house.”
    “That’s a wonderful idea, all right,” Honey said flatly. “As soon as I get home, I’ll get out my lucky rabbit’s foot, and when it gets dark, I’ll make a wish on the first star for Mr. Meiser to turn himself in.“
    “No,” Trixie said scornfully. “I mean we could talk Mr. Meiser into turning himself in.”
    Honey stopped riding and propped herself against a curb. She stared at Trixie as if her friend had taken leave of her senses.
    “It’s so simple!” Trixie exclaimed. “We’ll come back tonight after dinner. We’ll tell the woman who lives there that we know Mr. Meiser is there, but we haven’t told the police. That will get her trust. Then we’ll ask her if we can talk to him.”
    “And he’ll hit us on the head with something and escape again. How will we explain that to Sergeant Molinson?” Honey asked.
    “I don’t think he’ll hurt us, Honey.” She clapped her hands over her ears as she saw Honey start to protest. “I know, I know. He’s been convicted of assault, and that proves he’s dangerous. But it doesn’t—it doesn’t prove anything to me, I mean. I talked to Henry Meiser for a long time at the hospital. I just don’t think he’s a violent person.”
    “If I tell you I won’t come back here tonight, what will you do?” Honey asked.
    “I’ll come alone,” Trixie answered firmly.
    “And if I call Sergeant Molinson this afternoon and tell him where to find Henry Meiser, will you ever forgive me?” Honey asked.
    Trixie didn’t answer.
    “All right,” Honey sighed. “We’ll come back tonight after dinner.”

    At seven-thirty, the two girls were hurrying down Glenwood Avenue toward the mysterious house, where they were sure Henry Meiser was hiding.
    “Do you think Brian and Mart believed you when you said we wanted to canvass for the rummage sale tonight to make up for the work they did on the Model A today?” Honey asked.
    “They must have. Brian offered to drive us to Sleepyside and pick us up, didn’t he? I think they were just so relieved that Mr. Burnside wasn’t angry that they weren’t thinking about anything else,” Trixie answered.
    “It is perfectly perfect ot-Mr. Burnside to help them find replacement parts and let them keep the car for the sale and everything,” Honey said.
    “It’s ‘perfectly perfect’ that his insurance policy on the car only had a fifty dollar deduction, or whatever you call it,” Trixie added. “We’ll be able to work that off in one afternoon.” She paused to catch her breath. The mysterious house was only half a block away. “I just wish Brian had given us more time.”
    “We have all the time we need,” Honey said. “If we can’t persuade Henry Meiser to give himself up in the next hour, we’ll never be able to.”
    The girls paused in front of the house.
    “Well, here goes,” Trixie said. She moved slowly up the walk. She stopped and started to turn as she heard Honey’s stifled scream.
    Then a hand was