As Nancy Drew crouched in the dark closet, she heard the door slam and knew that someone had entered Laura Pendleton’s room.

At first, in an agony of suspense, the girl remained motionless in her hiding place, but presently as the closet door was not opened, her curiosity gained the upper hand. Cautiously, she peeped out through the keyhole.

It was Jacob Aborn who had entered. She saw that he had placed an oil lamp on the desk and was busy at Laura’s dressing table. Apparently, he had not heard Nancy, for he did not glance toward the closet.

Ruthlessly, the man jerked out drawers from the dressing table and emptied the contents upon the bed. As he surveyed the assortment of bottles and boxes, he gave a disgusted grunt. What was it he was looking for, Nancy wondered.

She was not left in doubt long, for Jacob Aborn muttered to himself:

“Drat that girl! She got away with all of them jewels! Wait until I get hold of her again!”

His fists clinched, and a vicious, cruel expression settled over his face.

As Nancy Drew gazed upon Jacob Aborn, there was no longer any doubt in her mind as to the character of the man. He was a common thief! It was now clear to her that his sole interest in Laura was to get possession of her property. Only her opportune escape from the house had prevented him from stealing her mother’s jewels.

Nancy was frightened by her discovery, for now she realized that she was dealing with a hardened criminal. She dared not think of what might become of her, should he learn that she was spying upon him.

“How did he ever get to be Laura’s guardian?” she asked herself in bewilderment. “I can’t believe that Mrs. Pendleton knew his true character, or she wouldn’t have entrusted her daughter to him.”

Her thoughts along that line came to an abrupt end as the man moved toward the closet. Fearfully, Nancy ducked down behind Laura’s dresses again and prayed that she would not be discovered.

The closet door was jerked violently open and Jacob Aborn looked in. Nancy held her breath, each minute expecting to be dragged from her hiding place.

The man gave the closet only a casual glance and then turned away.

“Bah!” he muttered savagely. “Nothing but clothing! A lot of good that will do me! It’s money I want!”

The man was about to close the closet door when he came to a sudden pause.

“Might be a good thing to look over some of these clothes,” he murmured. “She may have left something hidden there. Can’t tell what girls are up to these days.”

Nancy’s heart sank within her because she felt that if the man took down any of the dresses behind which she was hidden she would surely be discovered. She hardly dared breathe as she wondered what would happen next. The man took down the first dress within reach and stepped out to examine it in the light. He found nothing in the garment and threw it rudely over a chair. Then he came back to the closet.

As he reached in, Nancy felt that discovery was close at hand. She wondered whether she could dash past the man, down the stairs, and get out of the building before he could grab her.

Before he could get hold of the next garment an interruption occurred. There was a loud noise downstairs which made both the man and Nancy start in surprise.

“What in thunder was that?” muttered Jacob Aborn.

He was evidently much disturbed, and, turning abruptly, he ran out into the hall. Then Nancy heard him going down the stairs.

The girl thought of the window and the rose trellis. Could she make her escape that way during Aborn’s absence? Before she could make up her mind she heard the man returning.

“Confound those screens on hinges,” she heard him mutter. “That’s the second time they’ve scared me. Bah, I must be getting nervous!”

The trip downstairs had evidently put Jacob Aborn in a worse humor than ever. He walked to the closet and surveyed the remaining dresses in disgust.

“Guess I won’t bother with them,” the girl heard him remark.

Slamming the door, he turned and walked over to the desk. As Nancy again peered out through the keyhole she felt a trifle weak from the fright she had experienced.

“That was a narrow escape,” she told herself. “I thought the jig was up.”

Unaware that he was being watched, Jacob Aborn began pawing over the papers which were in the desk. Picking up a package of letters, he scanned them hastily and contemptuously tossed them upon the floor.

It was with difficulty that Nancy controlled her anger as she saw the man read Laura’s private correspondence. She longed to fly out at him and accuse him face to face. However, she was far too wise to allow herself to be governed by a mad impulse. She must bide her time.

After a few minutes, her limbs became cramped, and she shifted her position. To her horror, a board creaked underfoot. Nancy felt that all was lost as she again ducked behind the dresses.

Jacob Aborn heard the noise and wheeled about. He walked toward the closet. Halfway across the room he paused and laughed shortly.

“Couldn’t have been anything,” he muttered. “Just looked in that closet not more than a minute ago.”

Without troubling himself to pick up the articles he had scattered over the floor, the man took the lamp and left the room. In relief, Nancy Drew stepped from her hiding place.

“I suppose I’d better skip while I can,” she advised herself.

She tiptoed across the room to the window, but did not open it. Instead she stood lost in deep thought. Although Nancy realized full well the danger of remaining longer in the house, she had the instincts of a detective. So long as there was a chance that she might learn more by waiting, she hesitated to leave.

She could hear Jacob Aborn descending the stairs to the first floor.

“I’ll not leave yet,” she decided firmly.

Softly opening the door, she crept down the carpeted hall. After listening a minute, she quietly slipped down the stairway, taking care not to step in the middle of the boards lest they squeak and betray her presence.

Reaching the living room, she paused to listen. She could hear Jacob Aborn moving about in the kitchen. Overcome by curiosity, she tiptoed to the door.

“If only some errand would take him outside,” she thought hopefully.

Her wish was gratified, for presently the man picked up a water bucket and left the house. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Nancy darted into the kitchen and hid in the broom closet. She marveled at her own bravery, for she knew that she was taking a great risk. Nevertheless, she was determined to discover what Jacob Aborn was about.

In a few minutes the man returned with the bucket of water. To Nancy’s disappointment he picked up a basket of groceries on the table and began to prepare his supper.

The air in the closet became unpleasantly warm and close, and she began to regret that she had sought the hiding place. However, her interest quickened as she saw Laura’s guardian wrap up a number of sandwiches, an orange, and an apple in a newspaper.

“There, that’s ready for tomorrow,” she heard him mutter.

Placing the bundle on the kitchen table, the man sat down and began to eat his supper.

In fascination, Nancy stared at the bundle on the table. What could it mean? She recalled that Laura had told her she had frequently seen her guardian leave the house with a small package. Did Jacob Aborn always carry food in the bundle? If so, what became of it?

Nancy Drew was puzzled, and the more she tried to think of an explanation, the more bewildered she became. Certainly, she had stumbled upon a mystery.

“That man was carrying a bundle today when I saw him walking through the forest,” she reasoned. “Then when he caught me looking through the window of the deserted bungalow, the bundle was gone. I believe it will be worth my while to have another look at that bungalow!”

Now that she had stumbled upon what she considered a valuable clue, Nancy Drew was eager to get away from the house. But so long as Jacob Aborn remained in the kitchen, she was held a prisoner.

Impatiently, she watched him eat his supper, and it seemed to her that he would never get through. Even after he had finished, he leaned back in his chair and studied the floor meditatively. The expression upon his face was not pleasant to behold.

“I’ll venture he’s cooking up some dirty scheme,” Nancy told herself.

At last the man pushed back his chair and picked up the oil lamp.

“May as well get busy,” he grunted. “I’ve got a big night before me.”

Leaving the bundle upon the table, he turned and left the kitchen. A few minutes later, Nancy heard him trudging heavily up the staircase.

“Now what shall I do?” she asked herself in perplexity, as she came out of the closet.

Escape was a simple matter, for the kitchen door had been left unlocked. However, Nancy was not altogether certain that she wished to leave the house so soon. Jacob Aborn’s last statement held her interest.

What did he mean by, “a big night before him”? Was he planning more mischief? Nancy Drew determined to wait and find out.