ambushed!
CHAPTER XV
Captured!
WHERE was the prowler? Ned reflected dizzily. Rising to his knees, he saw the beam of a flashlight far across the expansive basement. The dim figure holding the light was studying the electricity panel.
“He’s going to pull the switch and plunge the whole house into darkness so the Velvet Gang can rob the place!” Ned thought. “I must stop him!”
Although his knees sagged, Ned pulled himself to his feet and crept toward his enemy. The man’s hand reached for the switch. Ned sprang at his quarry, but a split second too late. The switch was pulled as the two went down in a tangled heap, rolling on the hard cement floor.
The struggle was a desperate one. Ned had but one purpose in mind: to knock out this muscular, wily opponent so that he could switch the lights on again. The other was as fiercely bent on keeping Ned pinned to the floor.
Meanwhile, Nancy had concentrated on the white-haired woman. Following at a careful distance, she observed the agile way the old lady walked when she thought she was not being noticed.
“That getup is a disguise, I’m sure,” Nancy told herself. “In fact, that woman has the same figure as the one who was at both the Hendricks’ party and the musicale at the Elkins’ home.”
It became apparent to Nancy that the woman knew exactly where she was going. The “old lady” stepped quickly past the side entrance and turned into a hallway.
With a sharp intake of breath, Nancy recalled that farther down the hall a priceless silver peacock was displayed on a table in front of a gilt mirror.
“I must catch her before she can steal it!”
Nancy stealthily drew closer to her quarry. But a creaking board beneath the thick broadloom carpet betrayed her presence. The woman turned swiftly to look over her shoulder. Seeing Nancy, she was so startled she forgot to maintain her bent position and straightened abruptly.
Nancy lunged forward to seize the thief. But she snatched only empty air. With amazing agility the woman side-stepped her. Just then the lights went off throughout the house.
Spurred by a realization that the thieves were about to score again, Nancy groped frantically for the “old lady.” But suddenly she froze as a man’s voice behind her commanded:
“Stand where you are! Don’t move!”
Nancy immediately recognized the voice as that of Detective Ambrose. He had mistaken her for one of the thieves!
Ignoring his order to stand still, she kept feeling her way forward and groping for the elusive “old lady.”
“She’ll head straight for that silver peacock,” Nancy reasoned, “so that’s where I’ll go.”
In the darkness Nancy stumbled into the woman and quickly seized her.
“Let me go!” hissed the thief, clawing at her.
“Help!” cried Nancy, trying to hold the woman, who fought like a tigress!
Just then the lights went on. Detective Ambrose was running down the hall toward Nancy and her captive, a green-cloaked figure in a black velvet mask.
“Hang on!” Ambrose shouted.
“She has the peacock!” Nancy cried as the prisoner vainly tried to hide the long-tailed silver bird beneath her coat.
The detective seized the masked woman and held her firmly while Nancy retrieved the valuable ornament. Then she pulled off the velvet hood.
Nancy had expected to expose the Javanese masquerader from the Hendricks’ party. Instead, she faced the sullen-looking young woman who had assisted in George’s abduction.
“One less masked thief!” Detective Ambrose exclaimed. “Where are the rest of them?”
The woman did not answer. After a moment the detective snapped a pair of handcuffs on her.
“Come along, sister,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nancy had glimpsed something white sticking out from behind a nearby cabinet. She pulled out the wig which the masquerader had been wearing.
Before Nancy could tell the detective about it, Mrs. Dwight, accompanied by Mr. Lightner, came hastily down the hall. Both had
CHAPTER XV
Captured!
WHERE was the prowler? Ned reflected dizzily. Rising to his knees, he saw the beam of a flashlight far across the expansive basement. The dim figure holding the light was studying the electricity panel.
“He’s going to pull the switch and plunge the whole house into darkness so the Velvet Gang can rob the place!” Ned thought. “I must stop him!”
Although his knees sagged, Ned pulled himself to his feet and crept toward his enemy. The man’s hand reached for the switch. Ned sprang at his quarry, but a split second too late. The switch was pulled as the two went down in a tangled heap, rolling on the hard cement floor.
The struggle was a desperate one. Ned had but one purpose in mind: to knock out this muscular, wily opponent so that he could switch the lights on again. The other was as fiercely bent on keeping Ned pinned to the floor.
Meanwhile, Nancy had concentrated on the white-haired woman. Following at a careful distance, she observed the agile way the old lady walked when she thought she was not being noticed.
“That getup is a disguise, I’m sure,” Nancy told herself. “In fact, that woman has the same figure as the one who was at both the Hendricks’ party and the musicale at the Elkins’ home.”
It became apparent to Nancy that the woman knew exactly where she was going. The “old lady” stepped quickly past the side entrance and turned into a hallway.
With a sharp intake of breath, Nancy recalled that farther down the hall a priceless silver peacock was displayed on a table in front of a gilt mirror.
“I must catch her before she can steal it!”
Nancy stealthily drew closer to her quarry. But a creaking board beneath the thick broadloom carpet betrayed her presence. The woman turned swiftly to look over her shoulder. Seeing Nancy, she was so startled she forgot to maintain her bent position and straightened abruptly.
Nancy lunged forward to seize the thief. But she snatched only empty air. With amazing agility the woman side-stepped her. Just then the lights went off throughout the house.
Spurred by a realization that the thieves were about to score again, Nancy groped frantically for the “old lady.” But suddenly she froze as a man’s voice behind her commanded:
“Stand where you are! Don’t move!”
Nancy immediately recognized the voice as that of Detective Ambrose. He had mistaken her for one of the thieves!
Ignoring his order to stand still, she kept feeling her way forward and groping for the elusive “old lady.”
“She’ll head straight for that silver peacock,” Nancy reasoned, “so that’s where I’ll go.”
In the darkness Nancy stumbled into the woman and quickly seized her.
“Let me go!” hissed the thief, clawing at her.
“Help!” cried Nancy, trying to hold the woman, who fought like a tigress!
Just then the lights went on. Detective Ambrose was running down the hall toward Nancy and her captive, a green-cloaked figure in a black velvet mask.
“Hang on!” Ambrose shouted.
“She has the peacock!” Nancy cried as the prisoner vainly tried to hide the long-tailed silver bird beneath her coat.
The detective seized the masked woman and held her firmly while Nancy retrieved the valuable ornament. Then she pulled off the velvet hood.
Nancy had expected to expose the Javanese masquerader from the Hendricks’ party. Instead, she faced the sullen-looking young woman who had assisted in George’s abduction.
“One less masked thief!” Detective Ambrose exclaimed. “Where are the rest of them?”
The woman did not answer. After a moment the detective snapped a pair of handcuffs on her.
“Come along, sister,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nancy had glimpsed something white sticking out from behind a nearby cabinet. She pulled out the wig which the masquerader had been wearing.
Before Nancy could tell the detective about it, Mrs. Dwight, accompanied by Mr. Lightner, came hastily down the hall. Both had
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