Free Mystery on Stage by Gertrude Chandler Warner

her costume. “Oh, Dad!” she sounded heartbroken. “It was you all along, wasn’t it?”
    Sarah’s father stared at the fuse in his hand and then at the shocked faces of Sarah, Henry, Benny, Jessie, Violet, and Jim.
    â€œYes,” he muttered looking down at the floor. “I couldn’t let you be in this play,” he continued in a shaky voice. “I just couldn’t.”
    â€œWhy not?” Benny blurted out.
    When the man looked up, he had tears in his eyes. “Sarah’s my only child,” he explained looking at his daughter. “Her mother was an actress. She died in the theater in a freak accident when Sarah was only a baby.”
    â€œI knew that, but I still wanted to act!” Sarah exclaimed. She had tears in her eyes, too.
    â€œTen minutes to curtain time,” Nancy called to Henry from behind the backstage curtain. “I’ll be ready,” Henry called back.
    â€œYou almost ruined our production so your daughter couldn’t be in the theater!” Jim exclaimed. He couldn’t believe it.
    Mr. Bellamy sighed. “Yes, I was very upset when I heard Sarah was even trying out for a part. I made that phone call during the auditions and wrote those notes. I used to go backstage after everyone had left for the evening. I stole Sarah’s script and tore Dorothy’s costume, too.”
    â€œHow did you get in?”
    â€œI would usually be somewhere in the building before the janitors locked the auditorium.”
    Jim nodded grimly. “Someone could have been badly hurt when that light toppled over,” he said, scowling.
    â€œI know.” Mr. Bellamy looked ashamed. “I was so upset, I couldn’t think clearly. I can’t tell you how sorry I am for all the problems I caused you.”
    Jim nodded. “Well, I must confess, I am relieved to know the reason for all these disturbances,” he said slowly. “At first, I thought this play was jinxed, and no one would ever hire me as a director again.”
    â€œOh, that’s why you always looked so worried, even at the very beginning, before the auditions began,” Violet said.
    Jim smiled and looked a little embarrassed.
    Sarah blinked her eyes furiously to keep the tears from running down her cheeks. She went over to her father and put an arm around him. “I really love being with you Dad, but I love acting, too. Please stay for the show. Just watch me. I love the theater so much,” Sarah said.
    Mr. Bellamy looked at his daughter. “I know you do. I must say I’ve been impressed with your determination to go on despite all I did to stop you.”
    â€œFive minutes to curtain time,” Nancy called from behind the curtain.
    Mr. Bellamy sighed. “Will you let me stay?” he asked Jim. “I wouldn’t blame you for saying no.”
    â€œYou can stay,” Jim said gruffly. He motioned to one of the ushers to lead Mr. Bellamy to a good seat.
    â€œTime to raise the curtain,” Jim announced.
    â€œLet’s break our legs,” Benny said as he took his place in the wings beside the other Munchkins.

CHAPTER 10
    Curtain Call
    â€œI t’s going so much better than the dress rehearsal,” Jessie said to Henry as she raced by him between scenes.
    â€œI can tell,” Henry said as he brought one of the switches down to the off position.
    Nancy caught Jessie’s eye and put her finger to her lips. Although she tried to look stern, she couldn’t resist giving the Aldens a big smile. Jim had told her about catching Mr. Bellamy before the show, but she had had no time to thank the Aldens. Now she stood in the wings and quickly turned the pages of her script. As stage manager, she had to make sure everyone was on stage at the right time.
    When the curtain fell on the final scene, the audience clapped and cheered. Sarah and Harold each received a standing ovation. Indeed, the audience applauded so hard, Sarah