Free (#26) The Clue of the Leaning Chimney by Carolyn Keene

way, dear?” she suggested.
    Nancy patted her aunt’s hand reassuringly. “Don’t worry about me, Aunt Eloise. I promise to be doubly careful. Anyway, I’m going home tomorrow and maybe he’ll stay here.”
    Actually the young detective felt that if Carr and Manning were the same person, there was a good possibility he was already on his way back to the River Heights area. She would have to watch her step!
    “You’re going home?” her aunt repeated. “Oh, Nancy, I thought—”
    “Sorry, darling,” her niece said. “A friend of Ned’s is being married. Ned’s to be an usher. I promised to drive up to Emerson and get him day after tomorrow.”
    “I hate to have you leave,” her aunt said wistfully. “But I bow to the younger generation! Now let’s do some sightseeing.”
    The following day, on arriving home, she was welcomed by a smiling Hannah Gruen and a barking, tail-wagging Togo.
    Ned telephoned just as Nancy started to unpack. Nancy plunged into a brief description of her activities.
    “Wow!” he exclaimed when she finished. “You sound like a one-woman police force! Anyway, I’m glad you’re back. I’d begun to think you’d forgotten about me.”
    “Not a chance!” she assured the youth. “I’ll be at Emerson tomorrow by twelve o’clock.”
    “Okay.”
    Later, Nancy called Mr. Soong. The Chinese gentleman was shocked to hear that an imitation of his rare Ming vase had been sold to the Sen-yung Oriental Gift Shop. He congratulated Nancy on her brave attempt to capture Carr and expressed the hope that the man would be apprehended soon.
    The next day when Nancy arrived at Ned’s fraternity house she was immediately surrounded by the various members. Having attended many parties there, she was well known and well liked.
    “Ned’s not here,” one teased. “Prof kept him after class. How about lunch with me?”
    “Say, you big so-and-so,” called a youth, clattering down the stairs. “Lay off!”
    Ned appeared, grinning, turned Nancy around and marched her back to the car. They had lunch at an attractive inn, then started for Ned’s home, a few miles out of River Heights. On the way, Nancy gave Ned all the details of her search for a China clay pit near the leaning chimney. While they were going through Masonville, she suddenly asked Ned to stop.
    “What’s up?” Ned asked.
    They were in front of the courthouse.
    “I’ve been wanting to find out who owns that fenced-in property in the woods,” Nancy replied. “Let’s go in to ask the Registrar of Deeds.”
    Ned followed her up the steps and into the registrar’s office. The clerk handed them a map and ledger. Together they flipped the pages until they came to the entry Nancy was seeking.
    The records showed that a tract of land comprising some two hundred and fifty acres, including the abandoned Civil War mine, had been purchased by Miles Monroe of Philadelphia five years ago.
    “Miles Monroe!” Nancy exclaimed in surprise. “That’s where he said he came from!”
    “Who’s he?” Ned inquired.
    “A geologist I went to see about the China clay pit. Now I know why Mr. Monroe asked me to let him know if I located it.”
    “Sounds phony to me,” Ned declared. “Want to stop and see him?”
    “If you have time.”
    “I’m not due at the bachelor dinner until seven-thirty. So let’s go. I’d like to see this Mr. Monroe and ask him what he means by trying to put one over on the world’s prettiest detective.”
    “Ned, stop it!” Nancy commanded.
    They left the courthouse and drove to Miles Monroe’s apartment in River Heights. As before, an eye stared through the peephole in answer to Nancy’s ring. When the professor recognized Nancy, the door flew open.
    “Glad you called,” he said. “I have something to show you. But first, tell me why you came.”
    Nancy introduced Ned, then quickly got to the problem on her mind. “We’ve found out your secret, Professor Monroe!”
    “My secret?” he asked,