The Mandie Collection (11 page)

“Hello, Mrs. Manning,” Mandie greeted her as the three of them walked toward the front door.

“Nice to see you young ladies,” Mrs. Manning said. Ella opened the front door, and they entered the hallway.

Mrs. Taft was coming down the corridor and stopped when she saw them. “Good morning, Mrs. Manning. Have you heard the news?” she asked.

Mrs. Manning frowned and asked, “What news, Mrs. Taft?”

“About the burglaries,” Mrs. Taft told her as the two girls hung up their wraps.

“Oh dear, burglaries? Where?” Mrs. Manning asked as she and Mrs. Taft walked toward the parlor door.

The girls followed, Mandie carrying the package from Mr. Heyward's store.

“Right here in Asheville,” Mrs. Taft explained as they sat down in the parlor. “Seems quite a lot of them have occurred without the authorities even knowing about it. And I have to tell you, my silver set that you wanted to borrow has been stolen.”

“Stolen?” Mrs. Manning repeated, shocked. “How did that happen?”

Mrs. Taft explained about Uncle Ned's visit and the events of the day. Mandie and Celia waited quietly with the tablets.

“Nothing like that has ever occurred in this town before,” Mrs. Manning said.

“Are you missing anything? Seems the thieves can get inside a house and back out without leaving any trace of how they accomplished this,” Mrs. Taft said.

“I have not heard about this, and therefore I have not looked to see if anything is missing. But I certainly shall when I return home,” Mrs. Manning said. “I'm so sorry about your silver set. That
particular set was near and dear to your heart, wasn't it? I believe it was the one your mother gave you for your wedding present, if I remember correctly?”

“Yes, indeed, it was,” Mrs. Taft said sadly. “It can't be replaced. If they had to take something, I wish they had taken something else. I do hope I will recover the set.”

As Mandie listened to all this, she became more determined to find the burglars. She was going to get her grandmother's set back for her.

“I must be going,” said Mrs. Manning. “I'll stop by Mrs. Chittendon's and ask if I might borrow her silver set for the church dinner. She has a large one like yours.” She rose from her chair. “I sincerely hope you locate the set and that these men are brought to justice. In the meantime, I appreciate your warning me about these burglaries, and I will check my own belongings as soon as I get back to my house.”

As soon as Mrs. Manning left, Mandie handed the package from Heyward's Store to her grandmother and said, “Are you ready to begin now, Grandmother?”

“Yes, of course, dear, and thank you for going for the tablets for me,” Mrs. Taft said, accepting the package and removing the wrapping paper. “Now, if you and Celia want to help, let's put one of these tablets in each desk downstairs here so next time I can find one.”

That was a bigger job than it sounded like. Mrs. Taft's house was very large, second in size only to Mr. Vanderbilt's mansion. The girls hurried around the many downstairs rooms, searching for desks and leaving a tablet in each drawer.

“Celia, I didn't realize that silver set was so important to my grandmother,” Mandie remarked as they left the library room.

“I'd say it's one of her real treasures,” Celia agreed.

“Yes, and I'm going to see that she gets it back. No crook is going to walk off with something that is so dear to my grandmother,” Mandie declared.

Celia stopped to look at her. “Mandie, there is nothing we can do to find the silver set,” she said. “Remember, these burglars may be dangerous, and we'd better not become involved in this.”

Mandie's thoughts went back to Heyward's Store, where they had
seen April Snow. That was something else she'd like to know. What was April Snow doing out and about by herself? The school didn't allow that. That girl had said she would make trouble for Mandie. What could she be plotting?

“Celia, I am going to find out what April Snow was doing in town by herself at Heyward's Store,” Mandie remarked as they went down the hallway.

“But why, Mandie? She wasn't bothering us for a change,” Celia said.

“No, but she is not supposed to go wandering around by herself. Miss Prudence wouldn't put up with that at all,” Mandie replied. “Besides, she looked suspicious to me when she rushed out without saying a thing.”

Celia stared at Mandie, her eyes wide.

“Don't look too surprised. Remember, April has been involved in certain kinds of things ever since we've known her,” Mandie said. “I'll just check it all out, that's what I'll do.”

CHAPTER NINE

MAKING PLANS

The inventory took the whole day to complete. Mandie had not realized before how many valuable possessions her grandmother owned. Important papers and small items like jewelry were all stored away in safes. Mandie found that her grandmother had not just one but several safes in secret places throughout the house. Priceless vases and jade and crystal objects sat on shelves and tables in plain view for anyone to see. The paintings on the walls were originals and expensive.

“Grandmother, it must have taken you an awfully long time to collect all these things on your inventory,” Mandie remarked. She and Celia were counting silverware in a plush case kept in the drawer of the buffet.

Mrs. Taft, making notations on her list, looked up at Mandie. “Oh dear, no, Amanda. It would take more than a lifetime to accumulate all that is in this house. You see, most of what I have was inherited from several lines of my family and also your grandfather's family.”

Mandie paused with her hands full of silver spoons. “Well, then, Grandmother,” she said, “why do you keep all this stuff? It sure is a lot of trouble to track down everything on your inventory list.”

Mrs. Taft smiled at her granddaughter and explained, “You don't just give away the family's treasures that have all been dear to someone's heart. Why, it would be like giving away your memories.” She bent over to write again.

“I sure am glad I don't own so much stuff like this,” Mandie declared, continuing counting the spoons. And then she had a sudden thought and looked up to ask, “Grandmother, all this is from my mother's side of my family. Do you think Uncle John has these kinds of things that came down through his and my father's family?”

“Oh yes, of course he does. Why don't you ask him about it one day?” Mrs. Taft answered as she checked off items on her list.

“Oh no, Grandmother, I won't ask him. He might want me to help him with his inventory.” Mandie laughed.

Mrs. Taft looked at her and laughed, too, then said, “Oh, he will definitely want you to help one of these days. After all, you will inherit everything from his family and also from your mother's family since you are the only heir. That is, unless your mother has another baby.”

Mandie remembered her little baby brother who had died and her mother's health problems that had almost taken her from them, too. “Grandmother, I hope my mother never has another baby,” Mandie said, her tone low and rather sad.

“I know you are thinking about what happened,” Mrs. Taft said softly. “But, Amanda, women have babies every day, and it's not always like that.”

Ella came to the dining room doorway and announced, “Miz Taft, supper is about to be ready. Where abouts you planning on eating it?” She looked around the room at the stacks of things that had been pulled out of drawers and cabinets and piled on the table for counting.

“Ella, let's use the breakfast room. It's just the girls and me, and Annie will eat with Mollie and Hilda in their sitting room again,” Mrs. Taft instructed.

After Ella left, Mandie said, “Grandmother, we are finished with the silverware.”

“Then that's the end of the inventory,” Mrs. Taft replied. “Let's
just stop and get washed up for supper now. We can put everything back in its place later. And I'm glad to say, the inventory accounted for everything. Nothing is missing except the silver set.”

“But the silver set is very important to you, isn't it, Grandmother?” Mandie queried as she and Celia followed Mrs. Taft out of the dining room.

Mrs. Taft glanced back at her and said, “Yes, dear, very important. Let's just hope it turns up somewhere. Now, you two hurry up and get back down for supper.”

“Yes, ma'am,” both girls answered as they hurried toward the stairway.

Up in the room they were sharing, the girls continued their discussion of the thefts.

“Celia, I believe the thieves are connected with that alley somehow,” Mandie said, quickly brushing her hair.

“They might be,” Celia agreed. “I probably ought to change clothes.” She inspected her dusty skirt.

“We don't have time, Celia. Besides, we don't look that dirty,” Mandie told her over her shoulder.

“That's because our clothes are dark,” Celia said, shaking her skirt.

Mandie shrugged. “Like I said, we look fine. Anyway, I sure hope Uncle Ned can find out who the thieves are.” She put her hairbrush on the bureau. “I'd like to help catch them and get Grandmother's silver set back.”

“Mandie, we have to leave all that to the law people,” Celia argued again. “It's too dangerous for us to become involved.”

Mandie smiled at her and said, “I didn't mean I'd like to capture the crooks. I'd like to help find out who they are so the sheriff could arrest them. I have a feeling they are hiding out in that alley.”

“Just because Tommy and Robert said there are crooks in there,” Celia reminded her, her tone doubtful.

“Not exactly,” Mandie replied. “It's such an old, dilapidated place, it could be a refuge for such people.” Walking over to the door, she added, “Come on. Grandmother is going to wonder what took us so long.”

When they got downstairs to the parlor, Mrs. Taft was not
there. Snowball was curled up on the hearth in front of the fire. He opened one eye to look up at his mistress and then went back to sleep.

“Maybe she has already gone to the breakfast room. Let's see,” Mandie said.

As they walked down the long hallway, they saw Mrs. Taft standing at the back door, talking to Uncle Ned.

“Do come on in, Uncle Ned. You're just in time for supper. Did you put your horse up for the night?” Mrs. Taft was saying as the two girls approached.

“Ben did,” Uncle Ned answered. “Yes, thank you for the invitation to supper.” He moved into the hallway.

“Uncle Ned,” Mandie greeted him. “I'm so glad you came back. Did you find out anything about the thieves?”

“Amanda, we will talk at the table,” said Mrs. Taft, turning toward the breakfast room. “Let Uncle Ned get his breath first.” She pushed open the door.

As they entered the room, Ella was adding another plate for the elderly Indian. Mrs. Taft motioned to everyone to sit down at the table.

After they all were seated, Mandie eagerly waited for the old man's news. However, she knew better than to start asking questions with her grandmother presiding over the meal. So she kept looking at Uncle Ned until finally he smiled and began his story of his activities that day.

While Ella poured the coffee, Uncle Ned said, “Not much found out today. Lots of burglaries all over town, but no one saw the thieves.” He stopped to sip his coffee.

Mandie was bursting with questions but waited for him to continue.

“Does anyone have any clue yet as to what these people are doing with the things they are stealing?” Mrs. Taft asked. “Has anyone heard of any of the merchandise being offered for sale? They must be stealing it with plans to sell it in order to get the money out of it.” Mrs. Taft passed the platter of ham to Uncle Ned.

The old man took a large piece of the meat, placed it on his plate, then passed the platter on to Mandie.

“No one heard a thing,” he said. “Lawmen think maybe thieves take stuff to another town and sell it.”

“Oh, I hope not. I'll never be able to recover my silver set if that's the case,” Mrs. Taft told him, looking alarmed.

Mandie took a piece of ham and handed the dish to Celia. Mrs. Taft got the other dishes passing around the table, and the conversation lagged until everyone had finished filling their plates.

“We finished the inventory, and I'm glad to say, nothing else is missing,” Mrs. Taft told him.

“Seems the thieves only took one thing from each house they entered,” Uncle Ned said. “Most things silver. List put on front of courthouse, on depot door, and other places for people to see. Shows what missing and who belongs to.”

“Has anyone offered a reward yet for their missing possessions?” Mrs. Taft asked.

“Yes, reward list with missing list,” Uncle Ned told her.

“Then I'd better see about adding a reward for the return of my silver set,” Mrs. Taft said.

“Grandmother, could we go read these lists?” Mandie finally spoke.

“Maybe tomorrow, too late today,” her grandmother replied.

Tomorrow would be Sunday, and Mandie could imagine everyone leaving church and going down to the depot to read the lists. Also, she and Celia would have to return to their school before curfew tomorrow night. Things were going too slowly. When was she going to get an opportunity to return to the alley? Celia probably wouldn't go with her for fear of getting into trouble. But that was all right, she'd just go by herself. She wasn't afraid—not very much, anyhow.

“Mandie, do you want another biscuit?” Celia asked, holding out the bread basket to her.

“Oh yes,” Mandie said, quickly taking one and passing the bread on to Uncle Ned. “Uncle Ned, who has been helping you investigate the burglaries?”

“Cherokee kinpeople,” he replied with a smile. “Come to town to help.”

“But where are they? They haven't been here, have they?” Mandie asked.