Lost in the Crowd

" Joe Swenson! " Bess and George cried together. " Where? "

" He's crossing the street, " Nancy pointed out. " The man with the blue shirt. Don't take your eyes off him for a second! We must keep him in sight I"

The line of cars had started to move again and Nancy turned her attention to driving, knowing that her chums would watch Joe Swenson. They kept only a short way behind him for nearly a block, then George called out that he had turned a corner.

Nancy was held back by a stop-light, and when she finally turned into the side street the man was a considerable distance ahead.

" He's walking fast, " Bess observed. " We'll lose him if we aren't careful."

The street was crooked and narrow. Children were playing ball in the roadway and Nancy was forced to drive cautiously.

Joe Swenson turned into another street, narrower than the first and far more dingy. Nancy rapidly drew nearer to him, only to lose himagain as he cut through an alley.

" Does he know we're following him? " Bess demanded.

" I don't think so, " Nancy answered. " We'll catch him at the next street. I can see where the alley ends."

Rubbish, tin cans and old nails littered the alley, and she did not care to invite a puncture when it could be avoided. Turning the roadster she retraced her route, rounded the block, and reached the opposite end of the alley in time to see Joe Swenson heading toward one of the main streets of Stanford.

" We have him now, " Nancy said confidently.

Scarcely had she spoken when the girls noticed that the block directly ahead had been roped off. The sidewalks were lined with pedestrians, and policemen were turning automobiles into side streets.

" What’s this? " Nancy cried.

" It must be the street show, " George declared. " And there goes Joe Swenson, heading that way! "

" We'll lose him sure, " Nancy groaned.

True to her prediction, the man melted into the crowd. A policeman motioned for Nancy to turn to the right and she was forced to obey. At the first opportunity she parked the car and the girls ran back.

In vain they searched through the throngs which lined the streets. Joe Swenson had disappeared.

" If that isn't what I call beastly luck! " Bess fretted.

The girls might have waited longer in the hope of again catching sight of the man, had it not begun to sprinkle.

" Goodness! See those heavy clouds! " Nancy exclaimed, looking up. " We must dash for home before the side roads get slippery. I didn't bring chains."

Regretfully they returned to the car.

" Anyway, we know Joe Swenson must work at Baylor Weston's factory, " Bess said as they started off.

" We'll come back tomorrow, " Nancy promised, " and get in touch with him at the factory. Mr. Weston will help us, I'm sure."

The rain obligingly held off until the girls had reached a paved road. Then it came down in torrents. Nancy stopped the car under a tree until the worst of it was over.

" The moisture in the air is taking all the wave out of my hair, " Bess complained. " I'll be a sight for the country club dance tonight."

Nancy laughed and ran a hand through her own hair. The damp air had only encouraged the natural curl.

" Hope this shower doesn't last long, " she murmured, " or it will rush us to get home in time for the party."

The rain soon stopped and they again took to the road, arriving at River Heights in ample time to dress for the country club dinner dance.

Nancy looked over the pretty frocks hanging in her closet, and selected a flame colored chiffon. After picking out black slippers, she sat down, thinking absently of the mystery.

She was interrupted by Hannah Gruen, who spoke in her ear. " Better hurry up. It's getting late. I'll help you."

Carson Drew was not at home, and Nancy had to rush off to the club without having a chance to tell him of all she had learned. In the evening's gaiety she temporarily forgot the Swensons and their troubles. Nancy had always been popular and on this particular night she did not lack dancing partners. Bess fared well also, but George was too blunt and boyish to captivate the young men. However, she did not mind sitting out a few dances, declaring that she preferred it to having her new silver pumps ruined by awkward youths.

Nancy enjoyed herself, yet she could not help wishing that Ned were present. As she left the party, she called out to Bess and George.

" I'll stop for you early tomorrow morning, " she told them. " We want to reach the factory early."

Later that night as she was preparing for bed, Nancy noticed that the sky was overcast. By morning a steady drizzle, which threatened to continue all day, had set in.

Nancy was forced to postpone the trip to Stanford.

" We'll surely go tomorrow, " she promised herself.

The following day a heavy rain made the side roads impassable without chains, and while Nancy would have undertaken the trip her father advised against it.

" Joe Swenson will be there when you want him, " he told her. " Better wait until the roads are safe."

Nancy fretted at the delay. She was not as certain as was her father that Joe Swenson would be found at the factory. He might become alarmed at the investigation which the police were making, and move on to a safer locality.

She spent a great deal of time pouring over the Mapleton and Stanford papers, reading and rereading the details of the Raybolt case. Mrs. Raybolt, the stories recounted, remained in a state bordering on collapse. She was firmly convinced that her husband had lost his life in the fire.

The heavy rains, Nancy learned, had handicapped the search for the body. She shuddered as she read that paragraph and tossed the paper aside, only to pick it up an instant later and read on:

" A new clue, which the police arc withholding from the public, is expected to bring about the arrest of the criminal within a week or ten days."

" Now what can that mean? " Nancy wondered. " Is it possible that the police suspect Joe Swenson? If they arrest him, it will ruin all my plans."

She arose and walked restlessly to the window. It was still raining. The clouds were thick and gray.

" Oh, if this rain doesn't stop soon I'll do something desperate! " she cried aloud. " I'm so provoked I could chew nails! "

The truth was that Nancy was worried. The newspaper paragraph had warned her that the police were on the verge of making an arrest. She knew from past experience that the authorities sometimes blundered, and this time the blunder was apt to be embarrassing for her.

" As likely as not they'll arrest the wrong man, " she told herself, " and then I’ll have to tell the entire story! Oh, dear! Why did I ever interest myself in the case, anyway? If it weren't for Honey and her mother, I'd stop trying to solve this mystery at once! "