"Yes, that is so. But if Mrs. Allison suspects that her true character has been exposed, she may resort to violence. I am afraid for your sake, Nancy."
"I"ll be on my guard," Nancy promised. "Just show me where I am to hide."
Unwillingly the elderly man led her to an alcove just off the study, which served as a tiny solarium. It was filled with palms and potted plants, offering an excellent hiding place where Nancy could hear and see everything without being detected. She chose a nook behind a large pottery vase.
The girl had just secreted herself when the doorbell rang. Dr. Stackpole hurried to answer it.
He was utterly unprepared for the sight that greeted his eyes. Mrs. Allison was wearing a long flowing white costume and turban, and carried a jewel-bound book in her hand. She entered as if walking in a trance.
"This way," the professor stammered, moving toward the study.
He offered Mrs. Allison a chair, which she ignored. She stared at her host with a glazed expression.
"You are interested in mysticism?" she murmured, before the dazed professor could speak. "We are, I believe, of one spirit in this matter. I shall read that we may find communion together."
With one arm outstretched in a dramatic gesture, Anita Allison began to read from the jeweled volume. Nancy knew by the blank expression on Professor Stackpole"s face that the man was too stunned by the exhibition to comprehend a word. But by the time Mrs. Allison had finished the pa.s.sage he had recovered his usual poise.
"A beautiful quotation, Mrs. Allison," he said. "But our time is short and we must talk of India."
"Ah, yes." The woman sighed. "India-the land of adventure and mystery. What tales I could tell of its glamorous rulers!"
"Perhaps you could tell me of lama Togara," Dr. Stackpole suggested cautiously. "I fear the stories that filter to us in the West are but half-truths."
"The real story of how lama Togara became a great power has never been told," Mrs. Allison boasted. "You would not believe me were I to say that I aided in making him both maharaja and governor."
"Indeed I would," Professor Stackpole answered.
"The untimely death of a maharaja"s heir, a boy named Rishi, left the community affairs of the province in a hopeless muddle," Mrs. Allison explained sadly, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. "I was deeply grieved over his demise."
"I can imagine you were!" Nancy thought scornfully.
"Rishi"s mother died of a broken heart, and his father emigrated to a foreign country when a near revolution among his workers started. One thing led to another and the entire province was plunged into turmoil," Mrs. Allison continued. "I knew that someone strong would have to be found quickly if war were to be avoided. I decided to act-you understand that I was motivated entirely by my desire to aid the poor people."
"Oh, certainly," Professor Stackpole murmured, trying to hide his contempt for the woman.
"Through various political and psychic connections I was able to place lama Togara in power."
"And your reward?" Dr. Stackpole inquired.
For the first time Mrs. Allison regarded him with a slight trace of suspicion.
"Nothing," she answered shortly. "I did it because of my warm feeling for India."
Professor Stackpole encouraged her to reveal more. As it became apparent, however, that she was regarding his interest with distrust, he switched to another subject. He spoke of a certain type of carved Indian vase that had intrigued him.
"I have tried to buy such a vase at various art stores," he remarked, "but I can"t locate one that pleases me."
Mrs. Allison nodded understandingly. "I know exactly the sort of work you mean, and it is difficult to obtain. I have a friend, though, from India, who might be able to find the vase for you."
"You are very kind. I don"t suppose your friend could be a man named Rai?"
Again Mrs. Allison regarded the professor suspiciously. "Certainly not," she replied stiffly. "I have never heard of him."
By this time it was evident to Nancy that Mrs. Allison was entirely too wary to say anything that might involve her in the scheme to deprive Rishi of his rightful inheritance. More drastic methods would have to be employed to compel the woman to confess.
The girl detective slipped quietly through a window and walked around to the front door. She rapped. A maid promptly answered and led her into the library.
Immediately Nancy took a deep breath as she entered and apologized for intruding on the pair.
"We were just having a pleasant little chat about India," Dr. Stackpole said. "Mrs. Allison is considered an authority on the subject of mysticism."
"How interesting!" Nancy exclaimed. "I have always been deeply intrigued by that subject myself. In fact, some of my friends believe that I have psychic powers."
"Indeed," Mrs. Allison remarked.
"Yes," Nancy continued glibly, "I have always felt that I had the ability to look into the past. Under correct conditions, I have faith that I could demonstrate this strange power."
"Psychic powers are far more rare than you think," Mrs. Allison said unpleasantly.
"Nevertheless, I am certain I have them. If you wish, I will prove it."
The woman hesitated. Then, before she could speak, Professor Stackpole said quickly, "By all means, Miss Drew. Such a demonstration should prove interesting."
"Lower the blinds," Nancy requested.
When the room was shrouded in semidarkness she said to Mrs. Allison, "I must have your turban."
"This is nonsense," the woman complained as she unwillingly gave up the round, banded silk hat.
After placing herself in front of a dark velvet drapery, Nancy closed her eyes. She began to rock slowly back and forth, chanting in low, musical tones. At first her words were unintelligible. Then she began quoting pa.s.sages from the doc.u.ments she had taken from Peter Putnam.
Mrs. Allison leaned forward, gripping the arms of her chair. Her eyes dilated with fear. She tried to speak, but made only a choking noise in her throat.
Nancy knew it was time for the climax. She took a step toward the woman, and her hand swept outward in a gesture of accusation.
"You are the guilty person!" she proclaimed. "You deprived Rishi of his right to become a maharaja and brought him to this country. Confess! Confess!"
For an instant Mrs. Allison seemed too stunned to move. Then she dropped down to her knees before Nancy, sobbing wildly.
"Yes, yes! I did it. I employed Rai to kidnap the boy so that lama Togara might be put in power! I did it for India!"
"You kidnapped Rishi because your reward was a precious treasure," Nancy corrected sternly.
Before Mrs. Allison could reply, there was an unfortunate interruption. A telephone rang in the adjoining room.
Mrs. Allison straightened. The look of fear left her face and she became composed.
"I must answer," Professor Stackpole murmured as the ringing continued.
Nancy realized that the spell was broken and expediently emerged from her "trance." She had secured the confession she wanted. The professor would serve as a reliable witness against Mrs. Allison at the proper time.
"Well, did my psychic demonstration convince you?" Nancy smiled.
"It did. I-I don"t suppose you remember much of what you said?"
Nancy was not compelled to reply, for Professor Stackpole appeared in the doorway just then.
"The call is for you, Nancy. Your father wishes to speak to you."
Nancy hurried to the telephone. "What is it, Dad?" she asked.
"I really shouldn"t have bothered you," the lawyer apologized. "I merely phoned to learn if you"re safe. Since you left I"ve been worried. By the way, Ned was here looking for you."
"I"m all right, Dad. Everything is going great. Only I can"t take time to tell you about it now. I"ll call you back in a few minutes."
Nancy cradled the phone and returned to the library. She paused in the doorway to stare in horror. Professor Stackpole lay stretched out on the floor, unconscious. His head was bleeding from a deep wound. Mrs. Allison had disappeared!
CHAPTER XVII.
A Maharaja"s Son "MRS. Allison did this!" Nancy thought as she ran to the professor"s side. "That awful woman was afraid he would reveal to the police what he"d heard!"
Just then the front door bell rang. Instead of going to answer it Nancy called loudly for help.
"Coming!" a masculine voice shouted from the kitchen.
The next moment Ned Nickerson ran into the room, but stopped short as he saw the professor lying on the floor.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Dr. Stackpole is badly hurt," Nancy cried frantically. "I guess he was struck with this heavy bookend." She pointed to one that lay nearby. "We must give him first aid!"
She and Ned worked silently over the aged professor, and were relieved that his heartbeat seemed regular, although weak.
"He"ll be all right in a few minutes, I think," Ned said after a time. "But we need ice or a cold compress."
"I"ll see if I can find the maid," Nancy offered.
She went to the kitchen. Neither the cook nor the maid were there, but the refrigerator contained an ample supply of ice cubes. The caller at the front entrance had been forgotten, and he did not ring again.
Nancy was searching for a plastic bag in which to put the ice when she heard a slight noise at the kitchen door.
"Come in!" she called.
The door opened and there was a gasp of surprise. Nancy turned.
"Rishi!" she cried.
The boy laughed in relief and joy. "I ring front bell. n.o.body answer."
"Oh, I"m so glad to see you!" Nancy exclaimed, then asked, "Why are you here? Why didn"t you return to my house?"
"Rishi afraid Rai look there for him. Rai in this city now. He trail me like dog."
"Then you were wise to come here," Nancy acknowledged. "Rishi, a few minutes ago Dr. Stackpole was injured."
While she was explaining what had occurred, Ned appeared. He was wondering what had detained Nancy and was greatly startled to see the young boy. With the professor in urgent need of attention, however, there was no time to exchange introductions or to hear Rishi"s full story of who had captured him, how he had escaped from Rai, or where Rai might be found.
"Dr. Stackpole is conscious now," Ned told Nancy. "But I need the ice."
They returned with it, followed by Rishi. When they had ministered to the elderly tutor, they were able to lift him to a couch.
After a time the man"s strength returned and he gazed about the room, trying to locate objects and persons. Rishi stood gazing sorrowfully at his stricken tutor.
"Is it really you-Rishi?" the injured professor asked in a barely audible voice.
"Yes, yes," the boy said eagerly. "It is me, Rishi. I mean-it is I," he stammered, trying to use the correct grammar the man had taught him recently.
"I shall always be proud that I served as your tutor," Professor Stackpole said in a half whisper. "The lost son of a maharaja!" he murmured weakly.
Rishi stared at Nancy in bewilderment as if expecting her to offer an explanation for the man"s strange words.
"The lost maharaja," the professor murmured.
"It is true," she told him. "We have evidence that proves you were kidnapped from your own country by persons who had great political influence and made lama Togara both governor and a maharaja. Your mother died of a broken heart when she received word that a tiger had killed you. Your father left the country."
For a long moment Rishi did not speak. But tears of joy trickled down his brown cheeks as he eyed Nancy with a worshipful gaze.
"Rishi very happy boy now. Thank you, Nancy, for find out truth."
Professor Stackpole slowly rose from the couch. "If you will excuse me, I shall retire to my room. My head aches severely."
"Shouldn"t we call a physician?" Nancy inquired anxiously.
"No, no, I will be quite all right after I have slept." The man moved toward the door and then paused. "Rishi must remain with me until Rai and Mrs. Allison are apprehended. He will be safer with me."
"Yes," Nancy admitted. "I doubt that they would think of searching for him here."
"I will ask the maid to prepare a room for Rishi at once," Dr. Stackpole said. He bowed to both Nancy and Ned. "You must forgive me for deserting you in this manner. I am very tired and not myself."
After the tutor had gone to his room, Nancy and Ned told Rishi the details of Mrs. Allison"s plot against him. The boy in turn described Rai"s cruelty toward him during the boy"s captivity.
"He keep me in small room. When he go away even for one hour, he bind me to chair so I no run away again. Rishi not have enough to eat. Every night he beat me for go to Nancy. Say take me far away. Be in new animal show. Today I work and untie ropes and run away."