The Mystery of the Velvet Gown

repositioned themselves to make room for the disabled Irish setter.
    “You wouldn’t believe it!” Trixie finally exploded as she related the encounter with Jane to Jim, Honey, and Di.
    “I don’t know what kind of bee she has in her bonnet,” Jim said, “but whatever it is, it has a very nasty sting sometimes.”
    “Do you have some kind of beef with her, Trix?” Mart asked.
    “Not that I know of,” Trixie said hotly, “but I’ve had just about enough of her.”
    “It’s because she’s so jealous,” Honey explained quietly.
    “I know,” Di added quietly. “She wanted the part of Juliet so badly. She even came to me and asked me to quit the play.”
    “She did?” Trixie exclaimed in wide-eyed amazement. “And here Honey and I have been keeping quiet about what she’s been saying!”
    Di sighed again. “I—I didn’t want to tell you,” she went on, a catch in her voice, “because I was afraid that you all agreed with what she thought—that she could play the role much better than I could.”
    “Don’t be ridiculous!” Trixie exclaimed.
    “Oh, Di,” Honey said sympathetically, “of course we don’t think that.”
    “Why are we going back toward town?” Jim asked suddenly, realizing that Brian was not headed for home.
    “Because our scatterbrained sibling neglected to bring one of her textbooks home,” Mart explained teasingly, hoping to break some of the tension the discussion about Jane had created.
    “Gleeps!” Trixie cried. “I forgot about it again! If you hadn’t remembered to come back, Brian....”
    “I don’t think you are fully cognizant of the fact that you are truly blessed, Beatrix,” Mart said. “Without the assistance of your two highly responsible elder brothers, I’m afraid you would be totally incapable of—”
    “All right, all right.” Trixie sighed in exasperation. “I can’t help it I get sidetracked sometimes.”
    “Sidetracked!” Mart hooted. “I didn’t think that muddled mass of gray matter had more than one track, Miss Belden.”
    Brian pulled up in front of the school. Trixie made a face at Mart, then hopped out of the car and ran up the front steps of the building. Fortunately, the doors were still open.
    Trixie hurried down the hall to her locker and quickly found the necessary book. I don't know why I even bother trying to study this, she thought as she headed back toward the exit.
    As she passed the drama club office, she noticed a thin stream of light spilling into the darkened hallway. Miss Darcy must be working late, Trixie thought. I should stop and tell her that we just picked up Reddy. She knocked softly and peeked around the edge of the partly open door.
    Eileen Darcy looked up quickly and started in surprise. She dropped something from her hand, and it fell to the floor, catching the light in sparkling silvery rays.
    “I—I didn’t mean to scare you,” Trixie stammered, her eyes on the shiny stone lying at her feet. She bent down to retrieve it. Eileen Darcy jumped up from her chair, lunged for the stone, and snatched it from Trixie’s fingers. The costume she’d been holding in her lap fell limply to the floor.
    “Don’t you knock before bursting in on someone?” the drama teacher demanded as she picked up the costume.
    “I—I did knock,” Trixie answered timidly, and went on to explain why she had stopped.
    Miss Darcy’s tone softened slightly after hearing Trixie’s explanation. “I’m sorry. I was just very startled,” she said, nervously smoothing out the wrinkled skirt of the velvet gown she held in her hands. “I was working late, resewing and securing some of the decorations on these lovely costumes. They were loose—it must have happened during shipping.”
    Trixie nodded, but her eyes wandered to the desk top, where a small pile of bright gems and a pair of scissors lay. Miss Darcy caught her look. Dropping the dress on the chair, she took Trixie by the arm and steered her firmly toward the door.
    “Thank you for letting me know about Reddy,” Eileen Darcy said rapidly. “I’ll walk you to the entrance.” They left the office and headed down the corridor. At the large glass doors,
    Miss Darcy waved a quick good-bye, then turned and hurried back toward her office.
    In the car, the rest of the Bob-Whites were chatting and laughing and playing with Reddy. Trixie joined in the fun, not wanting to explain what had just happened until she’d had time to think about it.
    Brian took Di home, then