The Mandie Collection (75 page)

“I'd like to see if they're the same people we saw in the church,” Mandie said.

“They were,” the sheriff confirmed. “They followed Kent Stagrene to his hiding place after he robbed the bank and were able to take the box away from him. They came on into town here with the box with the intention of staying at the hotel. When they went to register, the hotel clerk saw the box and recognized it as a bank box.”

“Why didn't the clerk have them arrested?” Mandie asked.

“Well, instead of notifying my office, the clerk thought he could get a reward for himself, and he asked the strangers if they wanted to put their money box in the safe. The people suddenly decided they didn't want to register and left. The clerk followed them. The man and woman split up. The clerk tried to keep up with the man but the man was too smart for him. And the woman completely disappeared.”

“You still haven't said how you know they were in the church,” Mandie insisted.

“When we caught them, they said they had lost the key in the church,” the sheriff explained.

“Now we know,” Celia said with a sigh.

“Where were they from, Sheriff Jones?” Mandie asked.

“No place in particular,” the sheriff said. “They are professional gamblers and they travel from place to place, wherever they can set up games. They just happened to be in the bank when Kent Stagrene robbed it.”

“Thanks for letting me know, Sheriff,” Mandie said. “And, Sheriff, would you please do me a favor? Would you give the bank Mr. Phineas Prattworthy's name as the one who captured the robber? I understand the reward offered was for capture of the robber. And Mr. Phineas needs the reward money real bad.”

“There are two rewards offered, one for the man and another one for the money,” the sheriff explained. “As officers of the law we can't collect rewards so we'll just turn in his name for both rewards. I'm sure he'll be hearing from the bank.”

“What about the hotel clerk?” Joe asked.

“He didn't capture the money,” the sheriff said. “My deputy happened to be right there when it happened and he took the money box from the people.”

“Thank you, Sheriff Jones. The rewards will mean so much to Mr. Phineas,” Mandie said, smiling at the law officer.

And in a few days the bank in Charlotte sent a special messenger to see Phineas Prattworthy, bringing a letter of thanks and an enormous reward.

“I still don't feel I deserve it,” the old man declared as they all sat in the parlor after the messenger left. “But I do owe the church for damages because of my bad conduct.”

“You'll have plenty for that and plenty left over to live on,” Mrs. Taft replied.

“Thank the Lord,” Mandie said softly.

Mrs. Taft offered Phineas a house and farm that she owned near Asheville. He could make a good living off of it with the help of a few hired hands, which he could now afford. He was thankful for her kindness.

The next Saturday Uncle Cal came by Mrs. Taft's house with the message that classes would resume on the following Monday.

“I'm glad to see you, Uncle Cal,” Mandie told the old Negro as she and Celia stood talking to him in the front hallway, “but I was hoping we'd have a little longer out of school.”

“But, Missy, all dem girls done got well now, and you gotta keep on wid dat book learnin' so you won't be ignorant,” he teased.

“Aren't you coming in?” Celia invited.

“No, Missy. I got lots of calls to make to git the girls all back to school,” he replied, thanking her. “But me and Phoebe, we see y'all come Monday.” And with that he left.

Mandie closed the door and turned toward the parlor. “Oh, shucks!” she said.

“But, Mandie, we knew everyone was better when Dr. Woodard told us he and Joe were going home yesterday,” Celia reminded her.

They both sat down near the fireplace in the parlor.

“I know,” Mandie said with a sigh. “Oh, well, the house seems so empty with everyone else gone that I suppose we might as well go back to school. And we do still have a mystery back there to solve. Remember our little problems with a certain mouse?” she asked.

Celia nodded. “Oh, yes,” she said. “We never did get that cleared up, did we?”

Mandie sat silently for a minute. “I just wish Hilda would get well.” She sighed again.

“At least when Dr. Woodard went home, he said she was no worse,” Celia reminded her. “And he has those nurses staying with her around the clock. Maybe she'll change for the better soon.”

Just then there was a knock on the door, and Mandie rushed to answer it.

When she opened the door, there stood Uncle Ned, smiling down at her. “Uncle Ned, come on in,” Mandie greeted the old Indian, ushering him into the parlor. “I didn't know you were coming back so soon.”

“I bring message from mother of Papoose,” he said, sitting by the fire to warm his hands. He smiled broadly.

Snowball, who was curled up on the rug nearby, opened one eye to look at him and then went back to sleep.

“Good news?” Mandie asked excitedly.

“Yes. Good News,” the Indian replied. “Mother of Papoose say she have big surprise for Papoose for Christmas.”

“Surprise for Christmas?” Mandie puzzled over the message. “Tell me what it is, Uncle Ned. Please?”

“Not know, Papoose,” Uncle Ned told her. “Mother of Papoose say she not tell me so I not tell Papoose.”

“You mean Mother sent you all the way over here to tell me she had a big surprise for me for Christmas, and she didn't even tell you what it is?” Mandie frowned.

“I not know surprise, Papoose,” the Indian repeated.

“Not even a little teeny bit?” Mandie teased.

Uncle Ned reached over to her and patted her blonde head. “Papoose, I not know surprise. Must wait for Christmas,” he said with a smile.

“Oh, no,” Mandie moaned. “I'll be wondering from now until Christmas holidays what this is all about.”

“So will I,” Celia added.

“It must be something awfully important for her to send you, Uncle Ned,” Mandie reasoned.

The old Indian grinned. “Papoose see,” he said. “Wait for Christmas.”

After Uncle Ned left that afternoon, Mandie paced up and down in the parlor talking through this newest mystery. Celia sat patiently by the fire, petting Snowball.

What surprise could her mother have for her that was important enough to send Uncle Ned with the message? Mandie wondered. And why didn't her mother just wait until Mandie came home for the holidays and tell her about the surprise then?

Mandie could hardly wait.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

LOIS GLADYS LEPPARD worked in Federal Intelligence for thirteen years in various countries around the world. She now makes her home in South Carolina.

The stories of her own mother's childhood as an orphan in western North Carolina are the basis for many of the incidents incorporated in this series.

Visit her Web site:
www.Mandie.com
.

MANDIE MYSTERIES

The Mandie Collection: Volume One
(Books 1–5)

The Mandie Collection: Volume Two
(Books 6–10)

The Mandie Collection: Volume Three
(Books 11–15)

The Mandie Collection: Volume Four
(Books 16 –20)

The Mandie Collection: Volume Five
(Books 21–23)

The Mandie Collection: Volume Six
(Books 24–26)

The Mandie Collection: Volume Seven
(Books 27–29)

The Mandie Collection: Volume Eight
(Books 30–32)

The Mandie Collection: Volume Nine
(Books 33–35)

The Mandie Collection: Volume Ten
(Books 36–38)

The Mandie Collection: Volume Eleven
(Books 39–40,
Mandie and Joe's

Christmas Surprise
,
Mande and Mollie and the Angel's Visit
)

Mandie: Her College Days

New Horizons