AN EERIE TWIN-TOWERED CASTLE of white stone on an ice-bound island on a frozen winter lake, a nearby English manor house haunted by a flute playing ghost who roams the halls at night accompanied by a wolf, and a mysterious kidnapped girl from the p...
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The Dana girls find a wonderful clue!
Threading through the traffic, the Dana girls hastened to the other side of the street and crossed the sidewalk to the pawn shop window.
"Be careful you are not seen," Louise said, standing back as Jean edged close to the glass to see inside.
It was dark in the shop and the interior was crammed full with items on counters and shelves, giving it a messy and unkempt appearance. Stealthily, Jean pressed as close to the window as she dared. She could see Lettie at the main counter showing an item in her gloved hand to the shop proprietor.
"She must be trying to pawn or sell something," Jean whispered. "It looks like a piece of jewelry."
The article in Lettie's hand caught the rays of a dim overhead bulb as she turned it for the man to see. It glittered briefly for a moment and Jean could make out a familiar shape.
"It's a snowman! A snowman pin. I wonder if it belongs to Lettie? Or perhaps ......"
"..... perhaps she found it in the leather case?" Louise finished her sister's thought.
"Yes!" Jean hissed. "It might belong to that pale girl in the red hooded jacket."
"Who just might be the missing Lorraine Symington," Louise added with a note of triumph in her voice.
Jean caught hold of her sister's arm. "If that pin did come from the leather case, we must get it somehow."
She watched as the pawnbroker took the pin in hand and inspected it, then gave Lettie a shrewd glance. It appeared that the two were discussing the worth and value of the pin and the Briggs girl, as usual, was highly animated. At length, the man took out a roll of bills from the cash register and began counting them out.
"He's going to lend her money on it," Jean whispered. "Or maybe he's buying it outright?"
The man handed several of the bills to Lettie. With a smug smile, the girl slipped them into her pocketbook and turned to leave.
"Hurry," Jean cried. "We must hide. Lettie is coming out!"
"Here, this way." Louise pulled her backward. "Let's go into this tea room next door."
The girls whirled around and entered the establishment next door just as Lettie walked out of the pawn shop. She walked right past the window of the quaint little tea room wearing a very self-satisfied expression on her face, her head held high and her nose in the air.
Jean couldn't hide her annoyance. "Just look at her! Lettie's father is a very wealthy man. She does not need to pawn or sell items for cash."
"She probably just wanted to get the pin off her hands because it was in the leather case and she doesn't want us to know about it," Louise mused. "We must go next door and try to buy it. It might be an important clue."
