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