A bold plan

" I DON'T see how we can ever find Felix Raybolt if he is alive, " George observed gloomily as the girls left Mapleton.

" Neither do I, " Nancy admitted, " but I'll think of something. The first thing I mean to do is to keep Joe Swenson's job for him, if I possibly can."

" How will you do it? " Bess asked.

" I'm going to drive back to Stanford and ask Baylor Weston to hold it for him until he is cleared."

" That's a dandy idea! " George approved enthusiastically. " It's getting late, though, and our parents will be worrying if we don't get home.''

" Let's telephone them that we won't be home for some time, " Nancy proposed.

She stopped at the next corner drugstore, and while Bess and George waited in the roadster she placed a long distance call to her father. After quickly explaining the situation to him she requested him to notify the Marvins and Faynes.

Assured that their prolonged absence would occasion no alarm, the girls drove back to Stanford. The factory was closed so Nancy drove directly to Baylor Weston's home. She located his impressive residence in the better section of the town.

The manufacturer did not consider their visit an intrusion but cordially invited them into the drawing room. He listened quietly to Nancy's story.

" I'll be glad to hold his position for him, " he replied when she had finished. " I have been observing Joe Swenson. He seems to be a man of unusual ability and promise."

The girls arose to depart, but Mrs. Weston, returning at that moment from a bridge party, insisted that they remain for dinner, an invitation which Baylor Weston heartily supported.

" We'll not think of your driving back to River Heights without first having a bite to eat, " he declared. " I assure you we dine most informally."

The girls were persuaded to remain. The " bite to eat" consisted of a six course dinner perfectly served by a butler, but Mr. and Mrs. Baylor were charmingly informal and knew how to make their guests feel at home. Nancy regaled the group by relating her experience at the jail.

" It wouldn't have been a laughing matter if we had spent the night in jail, " she remarked. " I fear there's no humor in the situation for the Swensons either, but at least it will be a relief for them to know that his position is safe."

Soon after dinner the girls said goodbye to the manufacturer and his wife and headed for River Heights. After taking her friends to their homes, Nancy continued to her own residence. She was surprised to see a familiar car standing at the curb.

" Ned must be here! " she thought. " I wonder if he has any news for me? "

She met the young man on the porch as he was leaving the house, after having been informed by Hannah that Nancy was not at home.

" Oh, here you are! " he exclaimed with evident pleasure. " I nearly missed you."

" Any news? " Nancy inquired hopefully.

Ned shook his head regretfully.

" I guess I'm not very good as a detective. I haven't been able to learn anything of value. I just drove over tonight thinking you might like to go to a movie with me."

" I've seen one today, " Nancy returned regretfully, " and I'm dead tired. I've had all sorts of harrowing adventures. If you don't mind, I'd rather stay here and talk. I have a lot to tell you."

The suggestion was not displeasing to Ned, for he had mentioned the show merely as an excuse to call upon Nancy again.

" You do look tired, " he said sympathetically. " I shouldn't have come tonight."

" I'm glad you did, " Nancy told him quickly. " There's something I particularly want you to do for me."

" At your service! "

Nancy then recounted all that had happened that afternoon at Stanford.

" Since you live at Mapleton it will be easy for you to see Swenson, " she concluded. " I wish you'd go to the jail and talk with him— try to cheer him up."

" You bet your life I'll go, " Ned assured her promptly. " I'd have been there before this if I'd known he was there. Anything more I can do? "

" Well, you might drive over to Sandy Creek and tell Mrs. Swenson the bad news. I'd go myself only it's such a long drive from here, and I have a lot of other work that I must attend to."

" I don't relish telling her, " Ned admitted, " but I will. I'll tell you what! I'll take both of them—Mrs. Swenson and Honey—to see Joe. That should cheer him up a little."

The two discussed the mystery of Felix Raybolt's strange disappearance, and Ned was of the opinion, too, that the man had not been burned to death. It was his conviction that Raybolt had gone into hiding because he was afraid of his various enemies.

" It's possible, too, that he may have been stunned at the time of the explosion, " Nancy ruminated. " If we could only find him I I'm convinced he isn't far away."

Ned cut his visit shorter than be had intended, for he saw that Nancy was very weary. When he left her it was with the promise that he would do all in his power to help her locate Felix Raybolt.

Nancy did not retire immediately, for she noticed that a light was burning in her father's study and she decided to ask his advice. He was buried deep in a law book, but he smiled with pleasure as his daughter perched herself on the arm of his chair.

" Well, Curly Locks, you look worried, " he observed. " I hope this new case of yours isn't pulling you down. You shouldn't let a little matter like a stranger's being thrown in jail affect your morale! "

Nancy laughed as she absentmindedly rumpled her father's hair.

" I'm worried about Joe Swenson, " she explained. " What do you think of his chances, Daddy? "

" If the account in tonight's paper is correct, I think he'll be convicted—unless Felix Raybolt shows up unexpectedly."

" That's what I wanted to talk to you about, Dad. What do you suppose became of him? "

" I haven't the faintest idea, Nancy. It's a safe guess he wasn't inside that house when it burned or they would have found some remains of a charred body."

" That's what I think. I'm sure he must be hiding somewhere around here."

Nancy continued to dwell upon the subject after she had gone to her own room. She opened the bureau drawer and looked at the little book which she knew belonged to Joe Swenson. There was no need to take it to the baker again to be translated, she told herself, for she had more evidence now than she needed. Her first clue—the clue in the diary—had led to a puzzling situation which could be cleared up only by locating Felix Raybolt.

" Perhaps I'll think of some way to find him, " she thought as she tumbled into bed.

Morning found her still without a plan of action and Carson Drew was unable to offer a helpful suggestion. Nancy presented a rather long face at breakfast, announcing that she had a slight headache.

" I suspect it's a Raybolt headache, " her father teased. " Cheer up! You'll think of some way to trap the fox."

Nancy and her chums had planned to visit Joe Swenson again that day. It was mid-afternoon before they were ready to start, as Bess had been scheduled for a two-hour music lesson which she could not afford to miss.

" Don't expect us again until you see us, " Nancy told her father. " I have a feeling something may turn up today and I want to be free to follow up any clue that may present itself."

" All right, " Carson Drew agreed willingly, " but don't do anything rash."

At the jail the girls were taken to Joe Swenson's cell. They were not the only visitors. Mrs. Swenson and Honey were there, too, the latter in the new outfit which Nancy and her chums had purchased for her. The child was too young to realize the meaning of her father's confinement in jail, but Mrs. Swenson showed evidences of having been crying. She looked pale and weary as though from loss of sleep, and her eyes were swollen and red.

Joe Swenson brightened somewhat when Nancy told him that Baylor Weston was keeping his position at the factory for him, but the girls knew that his optimism was forced. Misfortune had followed him for so long that he had lost faith in almost everything.

" You're the only one who can help us, " Mrs. Swenson said tearfully to Nancy. ''We haven't money enough to hire a lawyer, and we have no friends."

" If the case actually comes to trial, I know my father will defend Mr. Swenson free of charge, " Nancy assured her. " However, I'm hopeful that we'll prove your husband's innocence before that time."

The girls remained a few minutes longer and then departed, for they knew that the married couple wished to be left alone. Nancy stopped in the outside office to speak to Lem Daffil. She gathered from his conversation that since the capture of Joe Swenson had been effected, he considered the case closed. He was making no effort to trace other clues.

" We can't hope to get any satisfaction from the officers, " Nancy said to her chums as they returned to the parked automobile. " They're so smug and sure of themselves! It would tickle me to be able to show them up! "

" What shall we do now—go back home? " George questioned gloomily.

" I promised myself I wouldn't return without making some effort to find Felix Raybolt, " Nancy said slowly.

" I don't see what we can do, " Bess observed morosely.

Nancy made no response, but sat staring straight ahead of her. She remained lost in thought for so long that her chums were on the verge of suggesting that they start for home. Before they could speak, Nancy turned toward them, her face alight with excitement.

" I've just thought of it! " she cried. " If Felix Raybolt is hiding, I believe I know how we can trap him! "