The Emeral-Eyed Cat Mystery by Carolyn Keene

Author:Carolyn Keene [Keene, Carolyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

12. Rescue Attempt

Nancy made her way back to where the white burro waited. She slipped off the halter, then hugged the little creature. “Think you can find your way home, girl?” she asked. “Go rejoin your friends and convince everyone that you had nothing to do with my escape.”

The burro nuzzled her for a moment, then turned and trotted into the brush, as though she’d actually understood Nancy’s command. The girl stared after the animal for a time, then turned her attention to the village on the mesa above her.

She climbed up the road and began working her way carefully around the rear of the houses, heading for the one where she’d seen the guard.

A glance in the windows of each structure confirmed what she’d suspected. The houses were deserted. Mesa del Oro was a ghost town except for the one building!

When she reached it, Nancy slowed. There was little danger of her being seen from the porch as she moved along the back wall, so she peered in the rear window. What she saw made her gasp. Elena and Ricardo were seated in the room tied to their chairs, gagged. Elena’s tear- streaked face was turned her way, and Nancy could see the joy in her friend’s eyes as their gazes locked. The young detective waved and held a finger to her lips, even though she knew it was unnecessary.

Nancy sat down on her heels, pondering a plan. Since there was no one in the room with the two captives, she could lure the guard away from the door and slip inside while he was gone. Then she could free Elena and Ricardo, and the three of them would then be able to overpower the jailer.

But how to do it? Nancy retreated to a sheltering bush and studied the area carefully. The most tumble-down of the deserted buildings was on the far side of the well. Nancy felt that it would serve her purpose perfectly. Her decision made, she inched toward it gathering an

armload of dry wood, damp leaves and other debris.

“I hope they didn’t nail the door and windows shut,” she thought when she reached the old shack.

There was no window in the rear of the place, just a yawning opening Nancy could slip through with ease. Once inside, she examined the fireplace and set to work building a fire. It took several minutes to catch properly, then Nancy placed the smoke-producing debris over the crackling flames and retreated.

Her heart pounding, she worked her way back to the building next to the one holding Elena and Ricardo. From there she could see the guard clearly.

Minutes passed, and nothing happened. Nancy chewed her lip, debating another type of diversion but nothing short of burning down one of the buildings was likely to work, unless . . .

Suddenly the guard leaped to his feet, shouting angrily. He looked in both directions, then raced toward the smoking cabin. Nancy hurried into the shadows near the porch, and when the man plunged into the other structure, she raced to the door, praying that it wasn’t locked.

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