The Mystery of the Velvet Gown

with admiration. “She had the whole thing figured out, and—”
    Trixie blushed. “Everything was in the letter, Jane,” she said, embarrassed. “I didn’t really—“
    “Hey, how about a little praise and adulation for the last-minute rescuers?” Mart asked.
    “You three and Regan were terrific,” Trixie said quickly. “Really! When we started to run, I was absolutely petrified, even though I knew you were there, around the corner.”
    “It must have been that sixth sense of yours,” Jim chuckled.
    “Well, no,” Trixie admitted. “First I saw you in the rearview mirror of Ashbury’s car, following us in the station wagon.”
    “You did?” Honey cried. “No wonder you were so calm—or acted like it, anyway. Jane and I were so scared.” She shuddered. “I thought I would faint dead away with fear.”
    “I figured they must have come back to school to pick us up,” Trixie explained, “and saw us get into Ashbury’s car.”
    “Exactly,” Brian agreed. “We thought something was fishy, so we decided to follow you. We parked at the end of the drive and walked the rest of the way. Then Jim did a quick spying job through the living room windows, and when he saw Ashbury with the gun, we went to Regan’s apartment over the garage and telephoned the police—-and the rest is history!” Sergeant Molinson began grumbling about their methods and reminding them that a phone call to him sooner would have made things a lot easier on everyone.
    “But a lot less exciting,” Trixie murmured.
    “That kind of excitement,” Miss Trask said decisively, “we can live without!” Everyone laughed.
    Jane Morgan humbly apologized to Miss Darcy for taking the costume. “I’ll tell Di how sorry I am, too,” she added. “And I want to tell all of you that I think you’re terrific. I used to think-well, that doesn’t really matter anymore, because I can see how wrong I was. You really are a great detective, Trixie. Even though I was scared to death tonight, detective work is exciting. I wonder if—”
    “Oh, no!” Sergeant Molinson groaned and threw up his hands. “One Trixie Belden around here is enough!”
    “Hear! Hear!” Mart cried enthusiastically.
    “Yes, but—” Jane continued. “How do you find a mystery?”
    “I don’t think you quite understand yet, Jane,” Brian explained, chuckling. “Mysteries seem to find Trixie!” Everyone joined in the laughter.
    “That’s true,” Trixie said, her blue eyes sparkling, “and I hope there’s another one looking for me right now!”