The Mandie Collection by Lois Gladys Leppard Page A

safeguard my store.”
    â€œGrandmother wants to take an inventory of all her possessions, and she doesn’t have any writing tablets. So that’s what we are here for,” Mandie explained.
    â€œI know exactly what type your grandmother buys,” Mr. Heywardsaid, going over to shelves stacked with merchandise. He pulled out a stack of tablets and turned to ask, “How many of these would Mrs. Taft like?”
    â€œShe said I might as well get a dozen. That way she won’t run out anytime soon,” Mandie replied.
    â€œI don’t have that many right here in this shelf, but I do in the stockroom. I just sold a dozen to Miss Snow, who just left. I believe she is from your school. Anyhow, if you young ladies will wait for me, I’ll be right back,” Mr. Heyward said, disappearing through a doorway.
    Mandie quickly looked at Celia and said, “Let’s go look out the back door while we wait.” She rushed to the windowed door at the rear and gazed out at the streets beyond.
    Celia peered over Mandie’s shoulder. “Mandie, you are not thinking of going out into that alley again, are you?” Celia asked in a hoarse whisper.
    Mandie hummed under her breath and then said, “No, not right now. I just wanted to see if any of those bums Tommy and Robert told us about happened to be wandering around in the streets back here. But I don’t see anyone.”
    â€œNeither do I,” Celia said.
    â€œI would still like to find that puppy we heard in the alley that night,” Mandie told her.
    â€œMandie, that puppy is probably long gone by now, and we shouldn’t roam around down there again,” Celia said nervously. “Besides, it could be dangerous. Those people stealing from everyone may be hiding out in that alley.”
    Mandie looked at her friend. “You are right, Celia. I wonder if Uncle Ned has looked in that alley, or the sheriff, or somebody—whoever is hunting the burglars.”
    â€œI don’t think Uncle Ned said,” Celia replied.
    â€œYou know, Celia, I just had an idea,” Mandie said slowly. “That dark alley would be the perfect place for those burglars to hide their loot.”
    â€œMandie!” Celia exclaimed. “We are not going in there to look for it.”
    â€œIt would be awfully nice if we could recover Grandmother’ssilver set, because I’m sure it’s very old and worth lots of money,” Mandie said.
    â€œWe will let the lawmen recover it, Mandie,” Celia insisted. “We are not going to get involved in dangerous things like that. I refuse.”
    â€œWe’ve been in there before and nothing happened to us,” Mandie argued.
    â€œOh no, not much! Remember that bum who spit at us and we had to run?” Celia reminded her.
    â€œWe wouldn’t have to speak to him if we saw him again. Remember, he didn’t bother us until we tried to talk to him,” Mandie said.
    â€œThere may be dozens of men like him in that terrible place,” Celia said.
    â€œMaybe I could persuade Tommy Patton to go with me to investigate that place,” Mandie said.
    Mr. Heyward called to them down the aisle, “I have the order ready, young ladies. I’ll take it out to Ben for you.”
    â€œOh, thank you, Mr. Heyward,” Mandie replied. Then, as the three of them walked toward the front door, Mandie asked, “Do bums really live in that old dark alley back there?”
    Mr. Heyward looked at her and said, “It’s definitely no place for young ladies like you two. That whole section back there needs to be torn down. It’s a festering sore and a place for bums. Although that alley is a few blocks away, I even keep my back door locked now since hearing of the burglaries. I’m afraid some of those decrepit people may come into my store.”
    â€œI hope they find all the thieves,” Mandie said.
    Mr. Heyward opened the front door for them