Free The Secret in the Old Attic by Carolyn Keene Page B

all right, miss,” the clerk complimented her.
    Nancy smiled, paid for the sheet music, and left the shop. Her mind was working fast. She was sure Mr. March had whistled parts of the melodies she had just played. Then a sudden thought struck her.
    “If Ben Banks stole them from Fipp March, I wonder if his publisher knows,” she mused. “It could explain his giving out no information.”
    At four o’clock Nancy met Bess and George and drove to the March house. Effie greeted them at the door.
    Nancy said to her, “Tonight you go to the movies and then home for the night. We’ll stay here.”
    “Wow!” said Effie in delight, hurrying off to change her clothes.
    While Bess and George were starting preparations for supper, Nancy went to find Mr. March. He was trying to seal a crack in the second-floor hall ceiling.
    “I have something to show you,” she said, holding out the music. “Does this look like your son’s work?”
    “Now bless you, I wouldn’t know!” exclaimed Mr. March, peering at the sheets. “I can’t read music.”
    “I’ll sing the melodies to you,” Nancy offered.
    After hearing them, the elderly man cried out, “Yes, those are Fipp’s tunes! I’d like to go into court and face that thief Ben Banks!”
    Nancy told him about the letter she had received and the reply she had sent.
    “Good,” he said. “Those songs belong to the Marches, and I want the world to know it!”
    “I wish I could find some definite proof before I meet Mr. Jenner,” said Nancy. “Tomorrow I’ll hunt for some more.”
    Supper was a delicious meal, which included a special casserole of beef and vegetables, ice cream and cake. Mr. March was delighted.
    “This seems like old times.” He chuckled. “It’s like one of the family dinner parties we used to have.”
    Shortly after supper Nancy put Susan to bed. But the child was not sleepy. She begged for one story after another.
    “Tell me about a king,” she said.
    “Well, once upon a time—”
    Nancy’s voice trailed off. Susan noticed that her attention was focused on the garden.
    “Why don’t you go on?” the little girl asked impatiently. “Do you see something?”
    Nancy did not reply. Jumping quickly to her feet, she moved closer to the window. The hour was well past nine o’clock and dusk had settled over the garden.
    In the gleam of light from the kitchen windows she saw the bushes move. As they parted, the dark, shadowy figure of a man glided forward. Was this the man Effie had seen?
    “I’ll be back in a minute,” Nancy said to Susan.
    Without taking time to tell anyone what she intended to do, Nancy hastened outdoors in pursuit of the prowler.

CHAPTER XII
    A Surprising Discovery
     
     
     
    IN the darkness it was not easy for Nancy to distinguish objects, but she dimly saw the back of a man. He disappeared around a corner of the house. By the time she reached the spot, he had vanished.
    “Now where did he go so quickly?” she asked herself, perplexed.
    She listened for footsteps, but could hear none.
    “He must have gone into the house,” she speculated excitedly. “But where?”
    Cautiously she circled the old mansion, looking at each darkened window for a telltale light. None appeared.
    “If that man is in the house, he must know his way around in the dark!” Nancy thought. “I must warn the others.”
    She hurriedly went inside. Nancy spoke first to Bess and George, who were still in the kitchen.
    “There is a prowler around,” she said breathlessly. “Will you please post yourselves outdoors and yell if you see him leave the house.”
    “Where are you going?” George asked.
    “To the attic.”
    “Not alone?” Bess quavered.
    “I’ll get Mr. March.”
    The elderly man was considerably upset by Nancy’s announcement. After making sure that Susan was all right, they tiptoed to the attic door. Quietly Mr. March opened it.
    As he did so, creaking sounds came from overhead. This was followed by the same harplike notes