Password to Larkspur Lane Read Online Free Page A

take?”
    “My purse,” said Nancy.
    “I’ll get my supervisor,” said the salesgirl.
    Nancy glanced around the third floor, where many customers were examining racks of dresses. Where could the woman be hiding?
    “Dressing rooms,” Nancy decided. She saw that the Fall Clothes Department had fewer customers than the others. “I’ll start there.”
    She hastened across the floor and peered through an archway into a narrow aisle. There was a row of curtained cubicles along one wall.
    Quietly Nancy peeked into the first room. Empty! In the next a stout woman was struggling into a tight dress. She did not see Nancy. Quickly the young detective moved along the row of dressing rooms. In the fifth room she found the thief!
    The woman was leaning against the wall, panting. Nancy’s open handbag lay on a shelf beside her and in one hand the woman clutched the gold-chain bracelet.
    “I’ll take that!” Nancy said, stepping into the cubicle.
    The woman froze in amazement for a moment, then swiftly seized the handbag and hurled it at Nancy. As the girl ducked, the contents scattered and the woman tried to dash past. Nancy seized her wrist and caught hold of the bracelet.
    “Help! Thief!” she shouted.
    Instantly the woman let go of the gold chain, broke free, and raced into the corridor, with Nancy at her heels. The thief darted through the arch, but as Nancy reached it, two saleswomen arrived, blocking the way.
    “What happened?” one asked.
    “That woman in pink!” Nancy exclaimed. “I must stop her!” She darted around the salesladies and ran toward the elevators.
    Too late! She saw the thief board a car just before the door closed.
    How to stop her? Suddenly Nancy spotted a store telephone behind a nearby counter. She hurried to it and picked up the receiver.
    “Operator, this is an emergency! Ring the phone nearest the entrance on Main Street, please!”
    In a second a voice said, “Silverware!”
    “Listen carefully,” Nancy said tersely. “A large woman in a pink print dress will probably come rushing toward you any minute now, heading for the door. Stop her! She’s a thief!”
    “Just a moment,” said the clerk. There was a pause, then the speaker said, “The woman you described passed my counter as we were talking. I ran after her, but she hopped into a taxi and it sped off. Shall I notify the store detective?”
    “No, thanks,” said Nancy. “It’s too late.”
    Disappointed, she hung up, as a voice behind her said, “What’s going on?”
    Nancy turned around. It was Mr. Mahoney, the store manager. He was surrounded by salesladies. One gave Nancy her handbag with all the contents restored.
    “Oh, hello, Nancy,” said Mr. Mahoney. “What’s this about a thief in the store?”
    Nancy took him aside and explained briefly. “I don’t think the woman is an ordinary purse snatcher. She’s probably mixed up in a case I’m working on.”
    “Well, I hope you catch her,” Mr. Mahoney said. He waved good-by and walked off.
    Nancy examined her handbag. The strap had been cut. “I doubt if that woman knew I had the bracelet with me before she saw it through the jeweler’s window.” The young detective suspected that Adam Thorne had engaged the thief to trail her.
    “I believe she recognized the bracelet,” Nancy told herself, “and she’ll tell Thorne about it. I hope the old lady who owns it doesn’t get into trouble for slipping it to Dr. Spire.”
    Deep in thought as she walked down the street, Nancy did not see a petite, dark-haired young woman hurrying toward her.
    “Nancy! What luck to run into you!”
    “Helen Corning! Oh, I’m sorry,” Nancy said with a grin. “I can’t get used to your being Mrs. Archer. How’s everything?”
    “Oh, just great, except for one thing. Nancy, I was going to call you this very afternoon. How about solving a mystery for me?”
    Seeing her friend’s look of interest, she chuckled. “I thought that would catch you. Could you come to my