Free (#16) The Clue of the Tapping Heels by Carolyn Keene

very much.”
    “Then good-by for now,” said Nancy.
    She and Mrs. Bealing hurried off to the market. “This is very exciting,” the nurse said. “Now all we need is to have the tapper show up and spoil the show. I can’t understand why the police haven’t rounded up somebody in this case. Well, what do you think we should have for dinner?”
    “Steak is always safe,” Nancy replied. “And how about a lemon meringue pie? I’ll telephone Hannah and ask if she’ll make one right away.”
    She dashed off to a street phone while Mrs. Bealing started to shop. It was nearly six o‘clock by the time they reached home.
    Bess, intrigued by the thought of a romantic meeting between Miss Violette and Toby Simpson, found it hard not to give away the secret. She and George had set the table. Flowers and candles gave it a very festive air. Hannah Gruen was just putting the meringue on the pie. She had also made a tasty-looking tossed salad with tomatoes and cucumbers.
    “We’ll start with melon,” Nancy announced. “Then will come the steak, French fries, and string beans. Everybody can help prepare them for cooking.”
    Bess had gone upstairs and suggested that Miss Carter wear one of her most becoming dresses. “And I’ll comb your hair in a modern style,” she offered.
    “What’s going on?” the actress asked, a suspicious look coming into her eyes.
    Bess did not answer directly. She said, “Don’t you think we should celebrate selling all those cats and Nancy rescuing the last one?”
    Miss Carter smiled. “I suppose we should.” She pointed out a filmy pale-blue dress and Bess helped her put it on.
    “You look darling,” the girl said. Then she started working on the actress’s fluffy gray hair. Within a few minutes Miss Carter’s long hair was arranged in an attractive style.
    As she looked in the mirror, the woman smiled. “I do look lovely, don’t I?” A faraway expression came over her face. “Like I used to be when I played in The Dancer and the Fool.”
    Presently George came upstairs and together the two girls carried Miss Carter to the first floor. They had dimmed the lights in the dining room so she would not notice the extra place at the table. The girls sat down in the living room with her, while Mrs. Bealing and Hannah Gruen were putting the finishing touches on the meal.
    At exactly seven o‘clock the front doorbell rang. Nancy went to answer, followed by Bess and George. They had already decided that the meeting between Miss Carter and Mr. Simpson should take place alone in the living room.
    When Nancy opened the door, she put one finger to her lips and merely said, “Won’t you come in?”
    Mr. Simpson, smiling, stepped into the hall. Nancy pointed out the doorway to the living room and motioned for him to go inside. The girls huddled together, waiting.
    The next moment they heard a cry of delight from Miss Violette. “Toby! Toby! You’ve come back to me!”
    “Yes, dear. It has been so many years. I lost complete track of you, but today I had a little luck, and thanks to your friend Nancy Drew, here I am.”
    There was a long silence and the girls figured the couple were having a loving embrace. A few minutes later Miss Carter called the girls inside.
    She formally introduced Mr. Simpson, then asked for a complete explanation of the whole affair. Nancy quickly told the story, then the three girls said they must go out to the kitchen to help.
    On the way, Bess whispered excitedly, “I’m so happy I could just burst!”
    “I feel pretty good about the whole thing myself,” George said.
    When the girls entered the kitchen, Hannah and Mrs. Bealing wanted to know about the meeting between the actress and actor When thev heard it had been a happy one, both were pleased.
    A little later, when everyone was seated at the table and grace had been said, Miss Carter told the others a little about her early life on the stage.
    “Then finally I played opposite Toby and we began to