The Secret of the Old Clock Read Online Free PDF Page B

the farm next to us—that was when Mother and Father were alive. All of Allison's and my misfortunes seemed to come at once."
    "He was the dearest man you ever saw," Allison added. "Some people thought him queer, but you never minded his peculiar ways after you knew him. Uncle Josiah was very good to us. He always told me that he'd back me in a singing career."
    "Yes," Grace added. "Uncle Josiah used to say Allison sang as sweetly as a bird and he wanted to pay for lessons with a famous teacher. But after he went to live with the Tophams, he never said any more about it."
    "He never liked it with the Tophams, though," Allison declared. "They weren't kind to him, and he used to slip away to visit us."
    "Uncle Josiah often said that we seemed like his own children," Grace spoke up. "He brought us many nice gifts, but we loved him for himself and not his money. I remember, though, the very last day we saw him alive, he told us 'I have planned a big surprise to make you girls happy. But I can't tell you now what it is. You'll see it in my will.' Those were his very words."
    "And then the Tophams got everything," Allison said. "He must have changed his mind for some reason."
    "It's hard to believe he would forget his promise to us," Grace said sadly.
    "Oh, wouldn't it be wonderful if a later will could be found!" Allison exclaimed.
    "Yes," Nancy replied slowly. "I've heard that Mr. Crowley told other people he was leaving money to them. The Turner sisters, for instance. Do you know them?"
    "Slightly," Grace answered.
    "My dad," Nancy went on, "is a lawyer and he and I are very much interested in this case. He even mentioned you girls, and to tell the truth I was on my way here to talk to you."
    Allison impulsively grasped Nancy's arm. "You say your father is a lawyer? Grace and I are positive Uncle Josiah made a later will. Oh, if we could only engage your father to help us prove this!" Then a sad look came over her face. "But I'm forgetting—we wouldn't have any money to pay him if we should lose the case."
    "Don't let that worry you," said Nancy kindly. "This is your birthday and you must be happy, Allison. My special wish for you is that before you're one year older, you'll inherit some of the Crowley money, so that you can take those singing lessons!"
CHAPTER VI
An Exciting Appointment
    THE HOOVER girls walked out to the barn with Nancy. "Do come to see us again," Grace called, as the young detective climbed into her car.
    "Yes, please do," Allison added.
    Nancy promised that she would. "As soon as I have some news," she said.
    Although the weather had cleared, the River Road remained muddy and slippery. Nancy found it necessary to drive with extreme care for the next two miles until she reached the main highway.
    "No wonder this River Road isn't used much," she thought. "And how do Grace and Allison get to town?" Nancy wondered. She had not seen a car at the Hoover home and knew that no bus passed their door.
    "I certainly wish," she thought, "that I or somebody else could locate a later will of Josiah Crowley's by which the Hoovers and the Turners would receive some much-needed money. I must tell Dad about this latest development."
    She decided to see if her father was in his office and drove directly there. Nancy parked the car in a nearby lot. She surveyed the convertible ruefully as she climbed out.
    "Poor thing! It certainly needs a bath!"
    Nancy found Mr. Drew in. As she entered his private office, he arose from the desk chair to kiss her. "I'm glad you're here—and safe," the lawyer said. "I was worried about you when that violent storm came up. When Hannah phoned me that you weren't back, I began to regret I'd sent you on the errand."
    His daughter grinned. "I'm back, all in one piece. I delivered the papers to Judge Hart and learned that he and his wife saw Mr. Crowley in Masonville a couple of times. Also, I talked to the Hoover girls."
    She described her meeting with Allison and Grace Hoover and ended by asking her