Nancy's Mysterious Letter Read Online Free PDF Page A

the woman demanded.
    Nancy heaved a sigh. “Mrs. Skeets, will you please tell me why you came here. I am not aware that I have ever met you or done anything to you.”
    “Well, to begin with, I’m Mrs. Maud Skeets. I’m Sailor Joe Skeets’s wife, which is my bad luck. Never forgive him for forever sailin’ off to all comers of the world and leavin’ me to get along the best I can.”
    The woman took a deep breath before going on. “Joe’s got a sister. She don’t look like him and she don’t act like him neither. One thing I must say, he ain’t stingy. But that sister of his—all the money in the world and her not turnin’ a finger, but the money just pourin’ in because her husband invented some sort of stuff that takes stains out of cloth. Well, she condescends to send me ten dollars a week if you please. And where was last week’s I ask you?” She stared hard at Nancy.
    “I haven’t the least idea,” Nancy replied. “What makes you think I should know something about it?”
    “Because my letter was in that bunch that was stolen from your house and you’re to blamel” Mrs. Skeets almost screamed.
    Nancy was amazed. She told the woman that she certainly was not to blame for the mail theft. “I never saw any of the letters that were taken. Perhaps yours wasn’t among them.”
    “The day it was supposed to come was Saturday and one thing I will say about Joe’s sister, she’s always on time. No, that letter with the money in it was stolen!”
    “I’m terribly sorry,” said Nancy, “but as I said before I’m not to blame. Since there is nothing more to discuss I’ll bid you good-by.” She held the door open.
    “Now see here, young lady, you aren’t goin’ to get rid of me that fast. You give me the ten dollars and I’ll go.”
    Nancy’s reply was firm. “I am not giving you ten dollars.”
    Mrs. Skeets tossed her head. “Uppity, eh?” she said. Then, seeing Bess, George, and Hannah Gruen who had come to the hall to see what the trouble was, she said sneeringly, “Reinforcements, eh? Well, that won’t do you no good.

    “You’re to blame!” Mrs. Skeets screamed
    You’re just like all the other Nancy Drews.”
    “What do you mean?” Nancy demanded. “Have you known many?”
    “Have I known many of them? Thank goodness, no!” Mrs. Skeets said, flinging her hands into the air. “Just you and the other one, and you’re both cut out of the same cloth. Cheat people out of ten dollars and then pretend they’re fine ladies and don’t know nothin’ about it.”
    Nancy asked Mrs. Skeets about the other Nancy Drew, but the woman refused to tell her anything.
    “I’ll make a bargain with you,” she said. “You give me ten dollars and I’ll tell you.”
    Nancy was wary that this might be a ruse of some kind and decided to try a few tactics of her own.
    “If I change my mind, I’ll come to see you tomorrow,” she told Mrs. Skeets.
    “Suits me.” The woman grinned. “I’ll bet you’ll be around to see me. My house is 22 Cottage Street. It’s not far from here, but it’s not a grand neighborhood like yours. We’re just plain folks over there.”
    With this cutting remark, she turned and went outside.
    “Boy is she ever a weirdo!” George exclaimed.
    Further discussion was interrupted by the telephone. Hannah Gruen picked it up, and in a moment said, “It’s your father, Nancy, and he says it’s important.”
    “I finally got an overseas call through to Mr. Bates-Jones,” Mr. Drew said. “Nancy, the inheritance is sizable. He wants you to solve the mystery of the missing Nancy Drew!”
    The girl chuckled. “Wonderful! Nothing I’d like better. And, Dad, I have a clue.”
    “What is it?”
    She related the visit of the strange Mrs. Skeets, including the bargain to exchange information for the ten dollars. “Do you think I should do it?”
    “Yes, I do.”
    “Then I’ll go there tomorrow morning.”
    The following day, while Nancy was tidying up her room