Suddenly a girl’s voice asked, “Tom couldn’t possibly be referring to us, could he?”
Tom and Bud whirled in surprise as two girls came up the stairway into the observatory. The one who had spoken was pretty, blond Sandra Swift, Tom’s seventeen-year-old sister.
Sandy’s companion, Phyllis Newton, giggled. “Since when did Tom and Bud ever worry about contacting a couple of mere girl friends?” Phyl, an attractive teen-ager with sparkling brown eyes and long, dark hair, was the daughter of Ned Newton, Tom Sr.‘s old friend and associate.
“Hey! Look who’s herel” Bud exclaimed. He and Sandy often doubledated with Tom and Phyl.
“And look what arrived in the mail this morning!” Sandy said proudly.
She held out her right wrist, displaying a silver link bracelet, decorated with a single, large sky-blue turquoise.
“You’re getting extravagant, Sis.” Tom chuckled. “When did you order that?”
“Order it?” Sandy tilted an eyebrow. “I’ll have A MYSTERIOUS GIFT 17
you know this was a gift from an admirer!” Reaching into her bag, she plucked out a card. The sender had printed on it by hand the message: TO A BLUE-EYED LOVELY, THIS BLUE TURQUOISE BRACELET-WEAR
IT ALWAYS
FOR GOOD LUCK! FROM HER GREATEST ADMIRER
“Now, I wonder who that could be?” said Phyl.
“Of course I’m only guessing,” Sandy said, “but anyhow-” She took a quick step toward Bud and shyly kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you, Bud! It’s perfectly lovely!”
“B-b-but wait a second!” Bud stammered in confusion. He gulped and reddened. “Well-er- Sandy-you see-I didn’t send you that bracelet!”