The Mary Lou Series
by
EDITH LAVELL
[The Mystery at Dark Cedars]
[The Mystery of the Fires]
The Mystery of the Secret Band
Copyright, MCMXXXV
The Saalfield Publishing Company
Printed in the United States of America
Contents
CHAPTER PAGE [I. A Real Detective] 11 [II. The Job] 26 [III. The Book Club] 38 [IV. A Midnight Visitor] 54 [V. Another Robbery] 68 [VI. Saturday Afternoon] 78 [VII. The Abandoned House] 92 [VIII. Knocked Out] 110 [IX. Lunch at the Bellevue] 120 [X. In the Dead of Night] 132 [XI. Bail] 150 [XII. Detective Gay Arrives] 164 [XIII. A Prisoner in the Dark] 178 [XIV. The Secret Band] 194 [XV. Christmas Morning] 210 [XVI. Two Captures] 220 [XVII. A Sad Story] 231 [XVIII. Conclusion] 246
CHAPTER I
A Real Detective
Mary Louise stamped the snow from her feet and removed her goloshes on the porch. Whistling the Christmas carol her class had just sung at school, she opened the door of her house and stepped inside.
Her mother was sitting in an armchair in the living room, sewing. She looked up with a smile at her daughter.
“How did your entertainment go?” she inquired.
“Swell!” replied Mary Louise enthusiastically. “The seniors were great. You should have seen Max!”