"Suppose he says yes," George suggested.
"Then I"ll ask him where he mails his letters and try a little detective work to see what happens."
The first shift of noonday lunchers was trickling from Mr. Weston"s factory as Nancy parked nearby. Soon the recreation area was filled with men. Some seated themselves on the ground to eat. Others began to play ball.
"It won"t be easy to find Joe Swenson in such a large group," Nancy declared in disappointment. "If we had arrived fifteen minutes earlier, we could have spotted him as he came out of the building."
Nevertheless, the girls eagerly scanned the faces of the workmen. A number of them had gathered near a drinking fountain, but Joe Swenson was not among this group. Not discouraged, the girls began to walk about, inquiring for a man named Dahl. The men they questioned had never heard of him.
"I"m sure he works here," Nancy declared to her friends.
Workmen pa.s.sing to and fro stared curiously at the girls, obviously wondering what had brought them to the electronics plant.
Nancy was becoming a bit disheartened, when she chanced to observe a light-haired man leaning dejectedly against the high fence which surrounded the grounds. Apparently the man had picked an isolated, tree-shaded spot, away from the other workers. He had his back to the girls, but from a distance Nancy thought his tall, spare build was exactly like that of the stranger she had seen running away from the fire. Could he be Honey"s father?
She watched expectantly, and presently the man turned around. He was the same person she had seen on the previous day"s visit to the factory. Nancy could not mistake the face-he was Joe Swenson.
"You girls stay here a moment, will you?" Nancy requested. "I think I"ve found our man. I must speak to him alone. Be on your guard, and if he tries to escape, block the exit to the grounds. I don"t think he"ll make a disturbance, but if he"s guilty, he may attempt a getaway!"
Nancy"s heart beat faster than usual as she approached the man who was leaning against the fence. His downcast manner, the girl thought, could mean a guilty conscience.
"I beg your pardon," Nancy said courageously, "but aren"t you Mr. Joe Swenson-alias Dahl?"
The man wheeled around, but held his ground. After the first start of surprise, Nancy thought he did not look unusually disturbed at the sudden encounter.
"Yes," he replied, "Dahl"s my name. Anything I can do for you?"
For a moment Nancy was at a loss for words. She had half expected that Joe Swenson would be defiant and sullen-not a sad-eyed, kindly man. He looked to her as though he could not have harmed anyone in his life.
"It"s all a mistake," Nancy told herself joyfully. "Mr. Swenson is innocent. He didn"t start the Raybolt fire."
The next moment she had regained her composure and was again the impartial, businesslike detective. She showed him her driver"s license for identification.
"I have news of your wife," Nancy said to him quietly.
"Helen?" the man demanded eagerly, his face lighting up. "She"s not ill, I hope!"
"Oh, no," Nancy a.s.sured him, "but she"s dreadfully worried about you and is trying to locate you."
"I don"t understand," Joe Swenson said, frowning. "I sent my address but didn"t want to go home until-er-a certain matter was cleared up."
"Then you have written to your wife?" Nancy questioned.
"Yes, twice. I sent her two good-sized money orders."
For a second Nancy wondered if he was telling the truth. Looking him straight in the eye, she said, "Mrs. Swenson never received them."
"What!" her husband exclaimed in such genuine astonishment that Nancy had no further doubts.
"They need money badly," Nancy said, and summoned her friends to come forward. She introduced Bess and George, then repeated what Joe Swenson had told her.
"Your letters have been stolen!" George said vehemently.
"But how?Where?" the inventor cried out. "I mailed them in the post office myself!"
No one could answer this puzzle. Suddenly he pulled an unsealed envelope from his pocket.
"Here is another letter to my wife with twenty-five dollars in it. I was going to send a money order today. Would you be so kind as to deliver this in person?"
"I"ll be glad to," Nancy answered, smiling, and tucked the envelope in her pocket.
She then changed the subject to obtain more information on another topic. "Would you mind telling us, Mr. Swenson, why you"re using the name Dahl here?"
"Certainly. I"m an inventor, and I"ve had hard luck. The name Joe Swenson seems to have brought trouble. My mother"s people were always successful. On the spur of the moment I decided to use that name here. A man I know vouched for me, since I didn"t have any references to give."
"I see," said Nancy. She smiled disarmingly. "Your wife told me of some unfair dealings you"ve had with a man who buys patents."
"Indeed they were unfair. He cheated me. Felix Raybolt is a thief!"
The three girls were unprepared for such an outburst from this seemingly mild-mannered man. Apparently he guessed what was going through their minds.
"I shouldn"t burden you with my problems," he said apologetically. "Things aren"t any easier, even though I have a job. Did you know the Raybolt house burned?"
"Yes."
"To be truthful I am afraid I may be blamed if anyone finds out I was there."
"You were there?" Bess asked, a look of feigned innocence in her big blue eyes.
"I had an appointment with Mr. Raybolt early that evening," Joe Swenson explained. "The house was dark. I had just rung the bell when there was a terrific explosion inside the house, and it burst into flames. I called and called to Mr. Raybolt-but there was no answer."
"Did you try to break in to help?" George asked bluntly.
"Yes, but I couldn"t budge the front door. I ran around to the back. Because of the flames, I knew I couldn"t do any good. Then I heard a car approaching the house. It occurred to me I might be blamed, so I ran away."
"Did you see anyone on the grounds?" Nancy asked.
"No."
"Do you think Mr. Raybolt lost his life in the fire?" Nancy asked.
"I really don"t know. I didn"t see or hear him inside, and the police haven"t located any evidence," the inventor replied.
Nancy had been endeavoring to formulate an honest opinion of the man"s story. Her hand went to her purse but she did not bring forth the diary. From their casual conversation so far, she could not be absolutely certain that Joe Swenson was innocent. She must question him further.
"They"ve been searching the grounds for clues," Nancy said nonchalantly. "A number of articles have been picked up in the vicinity."
Swenson looked sharply at Nancy, as though it had dawned on him that he indeed might be under suspicion. However, his next words were spoken casually.