"Why, it's a regular mystery!" Grace cried eagerly, and Bess turned away from the mirror where she was fixing her hair and looked at her. "A real mystery!"
"You speak as if you liked it," she said impatiently. "It is lots of fun, I must say, to have Nan so worked up and nervous all the time that you can't say boo to her without making her jump. If those old men don't get arrested or something pretty soon," she added, turning back to the mirror, "I'll have to do something desperate, that's all."
"Please don't," said Nan, with a laugh. "Enough is happening, goodness knows, without you starting something, too. Oh, come on, girls," she added, jumping up and flinging off her hat and coat. "I'll find out something definite about Mrs. Bragley's property before long, I hope, and then I'll be able to get rid of these horrid old papers. In the meantime, here we are in Jacksonville, and to-morrow we start for Palm Beach and everything is wonderful and lovely. Who's that?" A tap had sounded on the door and the girls started. "You open it, Bess. I have my hands full."
"Goodness! did you see me jump then?" Bess demanded grumpily. "I'll be as bad as Nan before you know it."
The visitor proved to be no one more formidable than Grace's mother, and as the girls were very fond of her, they greeted her with literally open arms.
Of course Grace had to recount to her all over again the story Nan had told her and Rhoda, and before she finished Mrs. Mason was looking rather grave.
"It certainly does look as though those papers of yours were important, Nan," she said. "That is evidently what the rascals are after. I'll tell Mr. Mason, if you say so——"
"Oh, yes," Nan put in eagerly.
"And between us we ought to solve the mystery—if there is one."
"If there is one!" Grace exclaimed indignantly. "Well, I never!"