#1 The Secret of the Old Clock

10/7/2016 The Secret of the Old Clock
A Suspenseful Search
CHAPTER XVIII
WHEN Nancy awoke the following morning, bright sunlight was streaming through her open bedroom
window. As her eyes turned toward the clock on her dresser, she was alarmed to see that it was a little after nine
o'clock.
"How could I have overslept on a morning like this?" she chided herself.
Quickly running her hand under the pillow, she brought out the Crowley notebook and surveyed it with
satisfaction.
"What a surprise the Tophams are going to get!" she murmured softly.
After hastily bathing and dressing, Nancy hurried downstairs looking very attractive in a blue summer sweater
suit. She kissed Hannah Gruen, who said a cheery good morning and told Nancy that Mr. Drew had already left
for his office.
"Oh dear," Nancy said, "I wonder if he forgot our date?"
"No indeed," the housekeeper replied. "He phoned Judge Hart and expects word from him by ten o'clock. He'll
let you know the result. My goodness, Nancy, you've really made a big discovery. I do hope everything turns out
for the best."
She went into the kitchen but returned in a moment with a plate of crisp, golden waffles.
"Better eat your breakfast," she advised. "Your dad may call any minute."
Nancy ate a dish of strawberries, then started on the waffles. "These are yummy," she stated, pouring maple
syrup over a second one.
She had just finished eating when the phone rang. Mr. Drew was calling to say Judge Hart had made
arrangements at the bank. "Come to my office with the notebook and key, Nancy. We'll start from here."
"I'll be right down, Dad."
Nancy went upstairs for her purse, then drove to her father's office.
"I have the notebook with me," she told the lawyer. "Do you want it?"
"We'll take the book along. I want to show it to the head of the trust department at the bank," Mr. Drew said.
"It's our proof we have good reason for taking a look in Mr. Crowley's box."
After leaving a number of instructions with his private secretary, Carson Drew followed his daughter from the
office. He took his place beside her in the convertible.
"I'll never get over it if we don't find a newer will," Nancy declared, as they drove along. A flush of excitement
had tinted her cheeks and her eyes were bright.
"You must remember one thing, Nancy," returned her father calmly. "Crowley was an odd person and did
things in an odd way. A will may be there, and again it may not. Perhaps he only left further directions to finding
it.
"I remember one case in Canada years ago. An eccentric Frenchman died and left directions to look in a trunk
of old clothes for a will. In the pocket of a coat were found further instructions to look in a closet of his home.
There his family found a note telling them to look in a copper boiler.
"The boiler had disappeared but was finally located in a curiosity shop. Inside, pasted on the bottom, was what
proved to be a word puzzle in Chinese. The old Frenchman's heirs were about to give up in despair when a
Chinese solved the puzzle and the old man's fortune was founda bag of gold under a board in his bedroom
floor!"
"At least they found it," said Nancy.
The trip to Masonville was quickly accomplished, and Nancy parked the car in front of the Merchants Trust
Company.
Father and daughter alighted and entered the bank. Mr. Drew gave his name and asked to see the president
After a few minutes' wait they were ushered into a private conference room. An elderly man, Mr. Jensen, arose
to greet them.
The introductions over, Mr. Drew hastened to state his mission. Before he could finish the story, the bank
president broke in.
"Judge Hart has told me the story. I'll call Mr. Warren, our trust officer."
He picked up his desk phone and in a few minutes Mr. Warren appeared and was introduced. Nancy now
brought out the notebook, opened it to the important page, and handed it to the men to read.
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