CHAPTER XV. Stolen!

CHAPTER XV

Stolen!

By Friday Nancy’s enthusiasm for the weekend at Emerson rose to a high pitch. She eagerly looked forward to meeting the student from India.

When Nancy arrived in her car at the fraternity house, twenty girls were already there. After meeting Mrs. Howard, a pleasant, motherly woman who was the housekeeper, she was introduced to her roommate. Helen Heyman was a shy, timid girl. She confessed that she had never attended such a party.

“I’m so scared I’ll do something wrong. ”

“Don’t worry. You’ll love it, ” Nancy assured her.

The following day the girls were rushed from one activity to another. Nancy met so many new students that she could not remember the names of half of them.

Ned’s fraternity brothers had not forgotten her, and that evening at the formal party held in the chapter house they annoyed Ned by constantly cutting in on his dances.

“I think you’ve danced with everyone here except Anil, ” Ned complained good-naturedly to Nancy. “That’s the punishment a fellow gets for bringing a popular girl. ”

“Who is Anil? ” Nancy inquired.

With a nod of his head, Ned indicated a handsome youth in evening dress who was standing at the opposite side of the room.

“He’s the one I want you to meet. I’ll bring him over. ”

Ned soon regretted that he had ever made such a suggestion. After Anil had been introduced he proceeded to monopolize Nancy’s attention. He captured her interest by immediately mentioning the ivory charm she wore.

“It is a remarkable keepsake, ” he declared. “I have seen none to compare with it—even in the collections of the old maharajas of my country. ”

As the conversation continued, Ned tried in vain to divert Nancy’s attention to himself. She listened with absorbed interest as Anil told her about Indian customs that were so different from those in the United States. The attractive student in turn gazed at Nancy as if he thought she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. It became increasingly clear to Ned that Anil was suffering from a severe attack of love at first sight.

At length Ned could endure it no longer. “Nancy and I have this dance, ” he told the young man.

“Very sorry, ” Anil apologized, smiling. He bowed to Nancy and moved away.

“I thought you were going to talk about the mystery, ” Ned complained.

“It wasn’t necessary, ” Nancy replied. “I picked up some information from him that will help me. ”

Ned was not the only person present who had noticed the Indian student’s infatuation. Some of the girls had overheard part of Anil’s conversation and teasingly asked Nancy if her ivory charm was responsible for such attention.

Soon Nancy was dubbed “the girl with the ivory charm, ” and many asked to inspect the lucky piece. She was embarrassed by the notoriety, and was glad when the dance ended. Nancy said good night and went to her room, tumbled into bed, and did not awaken until the morning sunlight streamed in at the windows.

Her roommate had already left, and Nancy quickly started to dress. Suddenly she became aware that the ivory charm was no longer around her neck. Had she removed it the previous evening, before retiring? She could not remember doing so.

She searched the dresser, the bed, her suitcase, and finally in desperation told the other girls of her loss. Everyone joined in the hunt, but the charm could not be found anywhere in the house.

“Do you suppose that foreign student, Anil, could have stolen it? ” a girl suggested.

“Oh, no! ” Nancy exclaimed instantly.

“But he was interested in the charm. Everyone noticed it. And you said yourself that he spoke of its value. ”

Mrs. Howard, the housekeeper, did not feel so confident that Anil was innocent. Without telling Nancy, she telephoned him. After asking several pointed questions about the charm, she requested that he call at the chapter house as soon as possible.

A little after nine o’clock, Ned drove up hurriedly to the door and asked for Nancy.

“I’ve just heard from Anil about your losing the ivory charm, ” he said quickly. “But I’m sure Anil had nothing to do with the theft. The poor guy is almost beside himself with worry. ”

“I didn’t accuse Anil, ” Nancy said in amazement. “I know he didn’t take the charm. ”

“Mrs. Howard phoned him, ” Ned explained. “I suppose she meant well, but Anil thought he had been accused of the theft. He intends to run away before he’s arrested. ”

“We must stop him, Ned. ”

“You’re the only one who can explain to him, Nancy. That’s why I came for you. ”

“I’ll be ready in an instant. ”

She ran back into the house for her handbag. Bidding Mrs. Howard and the girls a quick good-by, she rejoined Ned. He drove swiftly to Anil’s apartment house, but was informed that the young man had departed.

“Which way did he go? ” Ned asked.

“Down Fulton Street toward the railroad station. ”

Nancy and Ned resumed their pursuit, and a few blocks farther on were gratified to glimpse Anil trudging along with his heavy suitcase. Ned halted the car at the curb.

“I did not steal the charm! ” Anil cried out, before either Ned or Nancy could say a word. “Let me go in peace, I beg you! ”

“We don’t want you to go, Anil, ” Nancy said. “It’s all a mistake. ”

“You have found the charm? ”

“No, but Mrs. Howard didn’t mean to accuse you of taking it. We all know you’re innocent. There is no need for you to run away. ”

Anil blinked back tears of relief. When he tried to express his thanks words failed him.

“You are very good, ” he murmured at last. “Very kind. I will do all I am able to help you recover the charm. Now that it is gone your good luck is supposed to end. ”

Nancy smiled. “I’ve always been considered a lucky person, even before receiving Rai’s charm. ”

“Rai? ” Anil asked.

“Yes. You know him? ”

“Only casually. I have met him a few times. Last evening he telephoned me. ”

Ned and Nancy exchanged significant glances. Here, they thought, was an unexpected clue.

“Was this after the dance? ” Nancy asked.

“Yes, he called my apartment. ”

“And by any chance did you mention my name? ”

Anil was surprised at the question. “Yes, I did, ” he admitted. “I told him of your wonderful personality. ”

“And my ivory charm? ” Nancy prompted.

“I did mention it, I believe. ”

“I think that explains everything, ” Nancy said quietly to Ned. “My bedroom at the fraternity house is on the first floor and I slept soundly. ”

“I did not mean to reveal anything of importance, ” Anil said in alarm. “What have I done? ”

“It isn’t your fault, ” Nancy assured him. “However, I’m afraid Rai took my charm. Tell me, where is he now? ”

“I have no idea. He telephoned from a hotel and mentioned that he was leaving the city in an hour. ”

“Don’t look so glum, Anil, ” Ned told him. “No one blames you. Jump in the car and we’ll take you home. ”

En route, Anil repeated over and over that he was upset at the outcome of the casual telephone call.

“Don’t take the matter too seriously, ” Nancy urged as they parted. “I have faith I’ll find the ivory charm, and after all it did belong to Rai. ”

During the ride back to the fraternity house, neither she nor Ned talked much. Both felt discouraged and blue.

“I guess the weekend was a failure, after all, ” Ned said as Nancy alighted at the Omega Chi Epsilon door.

“No, it wasn’t. I had a wonderful time. ”

“But you lost your ivory charm. ”

“It’s a clue to Rai’s whereabouts. My first move when I get home will be to trace him. ”

The next day elapsed, however, without any word of either Rai or the missing Rishi. Mr. Drew had devoted many hours to the case, but had been confronted with defeat at every turn.

“Rai must have a secret hideout, ” he told Nancy. “Otherwise, we’d surely locate him. ”

“At least we’re still in touch with Mrs. Allison, ” Nancy answered, “and I have the incriminating documents that will convict her. And this is the day of Dr. Stackpole’s appointment with her. ”

“You must be very careful about what you do or say, ” the lawyer cautioned. “You are getting into deep water. ”

“Not so deep that I can’t swim out. ” Nancy smiled confidently.

A few hours later, en route to Professor Stackpole’s residence, she did not feel so courageous. She knew that Rishi’s future as well as her own safety might depend upon the outcome of the meeting with Anita Allison.

Could the young detective prove to be a match for the clever woman?

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