CHAPTER IIThe Mysterious Mishap

      SIPPING their tea, Helen Corning and her aunt waited for Nancy's decision. The young sleuth was in a dilemma. She wanted to start at once solving the mystery of the "ghost" of Twin Elms. But Nathan Comber's warning still rang in her ears and she felt that her first duty was to stay with her father.

      At last she spoke.  "'Mrs. Hayes—" she began.

      "Please call me Aunt Rosemary," the caller requested. "All Helen's friends do."

      Nancy smiled. "I'd love to. Aunt Rosemary, may I please let you know tonight or tomorrow? I really must speak to my father about the case. And something else came up just this afternoon which may keep me at home for a while at least."

      "I understand," Mrs. Hayes answered, trying to conceal her disappointment.

      Helen Corning did not take Nancy's announcement so calmly. "Oh, Nancy, you just must come. I'm sure your dad would want you to help us. Can't you postpone the other thing until you get back?"

      "I'm afraid not," said Nancy. "I can't tell you all the details, but Dad has been threatened and I feel that I ought to stay close to him."

      Hannah Gruen added her fears. "Goodness only knows what they may do to Mr. Drew," she said. "Somebody could come up and hit him on the head, or poison his food in a restaurant, or—"

      Helen and her aunt gasped. "It's that bad?" Helen asked, her eyes growing wide.

      Nancy explained that she would talk to her father when he returned home. "I hate to disappoint you," she said, "but you can see what a quandary I'm in."

      "You poor girl!" said Mrs. Hayes sympathetically. "Now don't you worry about us."

      Nancy smiled. "I'll worry whether I come or not," she said. "Anyway, I'll talk to my dad tonight."

      The callers left shortly. When the door had closed behind them, Hannah put an arm around Nancy's shoulders. "I'm sure everything will come out all right for everybody," she said. "I'm sorry I talked about those dreadful things that might happen to your father. I let my imagination run away with me, just like they say Miss Flora's does with her."