The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene Read Free Book Online Page A

family could make things extremely difficult for you."
    "I'm not afraid of them, Dad."
    "Good!" Mr. Drew exclaimed. "I was hoping you would say that. I'm glad you have the courage of your convictions, but I didn't want you to march off into battle without a knowledge of what you might be up against."
    "Battle?"
    "Yes. The Tophams won't give up the fortune without a bitter struggle. However, if they attempt to make serious trouble, I promise to deal with them myself."
    "And if I do find the will?"
    "I'll take the matter into court."
    "Oh. thank you! There's no one like you in all the world."
    After leaving her father's office, Nancy went directly home to get her car. When she told Hannah Gruen her plans, the housekeeper warned, "Don't become too deeply involved in this matter, dear. In your zeal to help other people, you may forget to be on your guard."
    "I promise to be as careful as a pussycat walking up a slippery roof," Nancy assured the housekeeper with a grin, and left the house.
    Quickly backing her car from the garage, she set off in the direction of the Turner home. The miles seemed to melt away as Nancy's thoughts raced from one idea to another. Before the young sleuth knew it she had reached the house.
    "Hi, Judy!" she called to the little girl, who was playing in the yard with a midget badminton set.
    The child looked very cunning in a pink play suit. The hand-embroidered Teddy bears on it were surely the work of her loving aunts.
    "Hi, Nancy! I'm glad you came. Now I'll have somebody to play with," Judy said, running up to the visitor.
    Obligingly Nancy took a racket and batted the feathered shuttlecock toward the child. "Hit the birdie," she called.
    Judy missed but picked up the shuttlecock and whammed it nicely across the net. Nancy hit it back and this time the little girl caught the birdie on her racket and sent it over.
    The game went on for several minutes, with Judy crying out in delight. "You're the bestest batter I ever played with, Nancy," she declared.
    After ten minutes of play, Nancy said, "Let's go into the house now, Judy. I want to talk to your aunties."
    Judy skipped ahead and announced her new playmate's arrival.
    "Hello, Nancy," the women said as she entered the living room.
    "We were watching the game from the window," said Mary Turner. "This is a real thrill for Judy. Edna and I are very poor at hitting the birdie."
    "It was lots of fun," Nancy replied. "I'm glad to see you all again."
    She now asked whether the police had located the thieves who had taken the silver heirlooms from the house.
    "Not yet," Mary answered. "And what's worse, we found that several other pieces had been taken, too."
    "What a shame!" Nancy exclaimed. "But I'm sure the stolen articles will be found." Then she added, "I came here on a particular mission."
    "Yes?"
    "Your story about Mr. Josiah Crowley intrigued me. Then, the other day, I met two girls, Grace and Allison Hoover, who told me of a similar promise from him regarding his will."
    "How amazing!" Edna Turner exclaimed. "I heard Josiah mention the Hoovers and Allison's beautiful voice."
    "Dad and I have become very much interested in the case and are inclined to agree with you and the Hoovers that Mr. Crowley may have written another will shortly before his death and hidden it some place."
    "Oh, wouldn't it be wonderful if such a will could be found!" Mary exclaimed. "It might mean all the difference in the world to Judy's future."
    "What I want to do," Nancy went on, "is talk to as many of Mr. Crowley's relatives as I can find. Some place I may pick up a clue to where a more recent will is hidden. Tell me, do any of his other relatives live around here?"
    "Yes. Three that I can think of," Edna answered.
    She went on to say that two cousins, who had never married, lived on a farm just outside Titusville. "Their names are Fred and William Mathews."
    Suddenly the Turner sisters blushed a deep pink. They glanced at each other, then back at Nancy. Finally Edna