Keene, Carolyn – Nancy Drew 006 – The Secret of Red Gate Farm

Contents

CHAPTER

I A Strange Fragrance

II Mysterious Numbers

III Work On A Code

IV A Switch In Jobs

V Money, Money!

VI A Worrisome Journey

VII Nature Cult

VIII Hillside Ghosts

IX Black Snake Colony Member

X Plan Of Attack

XI A Midnight Message

XII Secret Dervice Agents

XIII A Hesitant Hitchhiker

XIV Disturbing Gossip

XV Masqueraders

XVI Startling Commands

XVII Tense Moments

XVIII Prisoners

XIX Destroyed Evidence

XX A final Hunch

CHAPTER I

A Strange Fragrance

“That Oriental-looking clerk in the perfume

shop certainly acted mysterious,” Bess Marvin de-

clared, as she and her two friends ended their

shopping trip and hurried down the street to the

railroad station.

“Yes,” Nancy Drew answered thoughtfully. “I

wonder why she didn’t want you to buy that bot-

tle of Blue Jade?”

“The price would have discouraged me,” spoke

up Bess’s cousin, dark-haired George Fayne. Her

boyish name fitted her slim build and straight-

forward, breezy manner. “Twenty dollars an

ounce!”

Blond, pretty Bess, who had a love for femi-

nine luxuries, laughed. “I was extravagant, but I

just couldn’t resist such yummy perfume. After

all. Dad gave me money to buy something frivo-

lous, so I did!”

Nancy by this time was some distance ahead.

“Hurry, girls, or we’ll miss the next train to

River Heights!” In her active life the attractive,

titian-haired young sleuth had learned that being

on time was important.

The three eighteen-year-old girls continued

their frantic pace until the railroad station finally

came into view.

Once at the station, they set down their pack-

ages to rest their arms. “Whew!” Bess sighed,

looking at her watch. “I didn’t think we’d make

it, but we have two minutes to spare. And this

would be one of July’s hottest days!”

Nancy was pensive, still contemplating their

encounter with the mysterious woman in the

Oriental perfume shop. She had realized the

Blue Jade was much too expensive, and the un-

willingness of the young woman to part with it

had stimulated her interest. Instinct had told

Nancy that there must be some special reason

why the saleswoman had been so reluctant to sell

the Blue Jade.

Then another idea struck her. “You know,”

she said aloud, “it’s possible that saleswoman de-

liberately raised the price of the perfume.”

George frowned. “But why? You’d think

she’d be thrilled to make such a good sale.”

“Yes,” Nancy agreed. “That’s what perplexes

me. There’s something very strange about it and

I’d certainly like to know what it is!”

“Oh, Nancy,” teased George, “there you go

again, dreaming up another mystery!”

Nancy’s blue eyes sparkled as she thought of

the prospect. The young sleuth had already

solved several mysteries, some of them for her fa-

ther, Carson Drew, a famous criminal lawyer.

Among the cases on which Nancy had worked

were The Secret in the Old Clock and The Secret

of Shadow Ranch.

The girls heard the train approaching the sta-

tion. As it came to a halt they quickly gathered up

their packages and hurried aboard.

“What a day!” Bess exclaimed as she pushed

on through the cars. The train was crowded, and

the girls walked through several cars before they

found any vacant seats.

George and Bess began discussing their many

purchases. Bess gloated in particular over the bot-

tle of exotic perfume. Even though the package

was wrapped, it gave off a slight fragrance which

was very pleasant.

George took a quick inventory of their pur-

chases, then laughed. “Bess, it’s a good thing we

got you to leave that last department store or you

wouldn’t have had enough money left to buy your

ticket home,” she stated bluntly. “You should

practice self-control, the way I do.”

“Self-control!” Bess retorted. “I suppose you

call a new hat, two dresses, three pairs of stock-

ings, and a handbag self-control!”

George mustered a smile and decided to drop

the subject.

Nancy leaned her head back against the cush-

ion, and as she relaxed, studied the faces of the

nearby passengers. She thought that the thin,

sweet-looking girl who occupied the seat just op-