"Oh, you don't need to be afraid of frightening me, Miss Manners," Nancy assured her, "I'm only waiting for a chance to investigate the disappearing story. I've been so sure _I_ could solve the mystery, that the girls will soon be calling me a boaster if I don't start out to do something. What do you think, really, Miss Manners?" she pressed further. "Well, I hate to say so, but I can't deny there is something curious about Mr. Sanders. I have often watched him around this house, when he and Mr. Townsend were such friends, and really," she paused as if the admission were most distasteful to her, "I must say, the way those two men ran around the house--" "Ran around! Those two old men!" cried Nancy, sitting up very straight in sudden interest. "Yes, actually. I mean out of doors, of course," Miss Manners explained. "But they would first fuss around the outside chimney--you know the mason work runs to the ground on my side of this house, I mean the side next to my bungalow," she emphasized, "and there is an old-fashioned opening there. I suppose they used to take ashes out that way when they used the old grate fires." "Oh, I know!" cried Nancy excitedly. "That's why Miss Townsend's dog made such a fuss over the fireplace in the store!" "Yes. They always had Tiny with them and the dog seemed as--crazy as the men," Miss Manners remarked. "Don't you suppose they were working at something?" Mrs. Brandon suggested, sensibly. "I did think so, of course; but Miss Townsend seemed to fear all sorts of things; yet she never would put her fears into sensible words," Miss Manners told them curiously. "But how could that be connected with the foolish story of Mr. Sander's disappearing trick?" Mrs. Brandon wanted to know. "You see, it was all so unusual--I mean Mr. Sanders coming in here a stranger, and not living any place that folks could find out. Then, when he came down to Mr. Townsend here, got him all excited over some secret, got him to draw his money from the bank, and finally worked poor Miss Townsend into a state of nervous breakdown, why, naturally the people around suspected almost everything--even to calling him a magician," Miss Manners said, with a timid little smile. "I couldn't give credence to any of it," replied Mrs. Brandon decidedly. "I have met Mr. Sanders and share your opinion; that he is a perfect gentleman." "Well, I've talked a long way from my own story haven't I?" Miss Manners sighed again, as she blinked against impelling thoughts. "You see, I have no friends at hand, and when I did so large an order of hand-made handkerchiefs--it took me months to do them--I depended upon that money for the summer. But the lady I made them for was called hurriedly abroad, on account of the sudden illness of her husband, and she never gave a thought to my precious twenty-five dollars," the little lady sighed ruefully. "She went away and owed you all that money!" Nancy exclaimed. "However could she have forgotten?"