The Ghost Town Mystery Read online

  “That’s because he was a real fisherman,” Benny said, taking up the story. “Henry and I saw pictures in a magazine showing the way fishermen dress. Mr. Lacey’s stuff is too new. Like he’s never used it.”

  “Not only that, but the trout are trapped upstream with a net that goes all the way across Tincup Creek,” Henry added. “We found the underwater net. No wonder it’s so hard to catch any fish.”

  “So what does that prove?” Victor challenged.

  Now Violet spoke up. “Nothing, by itself. But there are more pieces to the puzzle.”

  “Why would I drive off customers?” asked Adele Harrington. “Eagles Nest is how I earn my living.”

  “The motel isn’t what it used to be,” said Jessie. “But if you had a bigger place, like a fancy hotel, and a lot of land, more people would come up here.”

  Victor snorted. “People would need more than a bigger hotel to come here.”

  “What about warm springs?” Henry said. Victor paled visibly. “We found the springs this morning, the bubbling water in the cave and the creeks around it.”

  Now Old Gert turned to him in surprise. “The healing springs! I remember stories about the Ute Indians who came here to soak in the baths. But we thought it was only a legend. Not even the miners ever stumbled on the springs.”

  Grandfather smiled. “If there is a secret, leave it to my grandchildren to find it! I think I know where this is leading. The springs are on my land. And you want my property desperately. Why, Lacey?”

  Now Victor sighed in resignation. “I’m into land development. But my last deal was a huge flop. I needed a better project, one that would make tons of money for me and my investors.”

  “And pay off your debts,” Mrs. Harrington said acidly. “He made me all kinds of promises. I would be the manager of his fancy hotel. I’d have a whole staff to order around instead of cooking and cleaning rooms myself.”

  Victor ignored her bitter comments. “This was the perfect place to build a resort. Unspoiled, untouched. Course, we’d have to put in a real road and tear down this eyesore of a town — ”

  “Our town!” Benny exclaimed in protest.

  “The springs would draw people here,” Victor went on. “Many people who have pain believe in the healing powers of warm mineral baths. I’d planned to open the cave and put a fancy spa over the springs. Hot tubs, attendants to give massages. The guests would be totally pampered.”

  “What about the wildlife?” Gert asked. “Where were they supposed to go? And me?”

  Victor waved his hand dismissively. “There are other mountains.”

  Grandfather turned to Adele Harrington. “How did you join Lacey’s scheme?”

  “He stayed at Eagles Nest.” Mrs. Harrington shrugged. “I saw his blueprints one evening and we got to talking. I fell for his dream, hook, line, and sinker.”

  “You were going to sell him Eagles Nest, weren’t you?” Henry guessed. “And you both knew that Grandfather owned the land where Tincup and the springs are.”

  “Yes,” confessed Mrs. Harrington. “Victor wanted as much property as possible to make this a first-class resort. He was going to have a stable of horses, a ski lodge, hiking trails, the spa, and of course Tincup Creek, which is a gold-medal stream. It was his idea to dam up the trout so no one would catch any fish and leave.”

  “How did you know I’d come here with my grandchildren?” James Alden asked Victor. “I came out once to sign the papers when I bought the land from Jay Murphy.”

  Victor gave a nasty smile. “I was in the courthouse in Beaverton that day. I’d found the springs by accident and was looking in deed books to see who owned the property. Turns out a man named James Alden had just purchased the very land I needed. I overheard you talking to the clerk, saying you wanted to show the land to your grandchildren. That’s when Mrs. Harrington and I put our heads together. We knew you’d have to stay at Eagles Nest. When you got here, we’d be ready.”

  “Poor food and no electricity at a motel would hardly force me to sell my property,” Grandfather said.

  “True,” Victor agreed. “But if we made you uncomfortable, you might fall for the important part of our scheme.”

  “The ghost,” Jessie stated.

  “Yes, the ghost of Tincup.” Victor sounded almost proud. “The story is true, by the way. We just needed to bring the Lady in Gray to life, so to speak.”

  “You got Marianne to play the role,” said Violet. “She and her mother were the only two who fit the part. Gert was too big — ”

  “As if I’d ever go along with such foolishness!” Gert sputtered.

  “ — and Mrs. Harrington was busy running Eagles Nest,” Violet said. “So that left Marianne.”

  Realizing it was her turn to speak, Marianne sniffed and said, “I never liked the idea of pretending to be the ghost. Especially after I met you Aldens. You’re such nice people. But my mother always dreamed of owning a fine hotel and Victor offered her that chance. I couldn’t stand in her way.”

  “But you quit, didn’t you?” asked Benny. “We heard you arguing outside our window with your mother.”

  “Yes,” Marianne said. “I really hated wearing that ridiculous outfit to fool Mr. Alden so he’d sell his land. One night I told my mother I wouldn’t do it anymore.”

  Now Jessie broke in. “Corey almost took over for you. I saw him with part of the costume under his poncho the evening of the rainstorm.”

  Corey looked sheepish. “Victor Lacey came to me. He knew I’d do anything for Marianne, so I offered to dress up as Rose Payne. I’m in the Drama Club at school.”

  Victor looked angry. “I was in a real bind without our leading player. But Corey couldn’t have pulled it off. He’s too big. You people would know in an instant he wasn’t the ghost of a woman. But he was easily roped into my plans.”

  “You rigged the Jeep so it broke down when we went to Tincup that evening,” said Henry. “You said you knew how to fix cars but you didn’t do anything. We walked into Tincup to give Marianne time to get into her costume.”

  Corey nodded. “There’s another path you Aldens don’t know about. We decided, instead of the ghost ‘walking’ again, to have Marianne hide behind the dance hall door. One of you was bound to see her.”

  “I did.” Violet shuddered at the memory of that horrible face.

  “I’m sorry,” Marianne apologized. “But in the end I couldn’t be disloyal to my mother. She’s worked so hard all these years and there was a chance for her to make it.”

  Victor smacked his fist into his open palm. “If you Aldens hadn’t come along, I’d be on my way to becoming a very rich man. Mr. Alden was ready to sell me his property — ”

  Grandfather held up a hand. “Not so fast. I wasn’t sure what your game was. My grandchildren uncovered it.”

  “Does this mean you’re not selling our town?” asked Benny.

  Grandfather smiled at him. “Tincup is ours. And all the property around it.” He looked at Old Gert. “I’m aware that your land is next to mine.”

  She looked worried for the first time. “I’ve always lived there.”

  “And you will continue to live there,” Grandfather assured her. “I’m not touching the property. I do think the town of Tincup ought to be saved, though. It’s part of history. I plan to pave the road and have the buildings preserved. People would love to tour an old silver-mining town.”

  Marianne turned excitedly to her mother. “We’ll have real tourists, Mother. And they’ll need a place to stay!”

  “Well, it won’t be at Eagles Nest,” said Mrs. Harrington. “I’m selling. To Mr. Alden, if he wants it. I’m tired of running a motel in the middle of nowhere. It’s time for us to move on, Marianne. Make a new start.”

  “You can always go to Colorado State,” Corey said. “It’s a good school and the town is nice, too.”

  While they were talking, Henry noticed Victor Lacey slipping between two of the buildings.

  “Hey!”
he cried. “Mr. Lacey is trying to get away!”

  The children dashed down the alley. Corey and Old Gert, who could run surprisingly fast, reached the man first.

  “My dream is up in smoke,” Victor declared. “I’m leaving!”

  “But you’ve caused people a lot of trouble,” said Grandfather. “You can’t just walk away like nothing has happened. Gert, what do you think we should do?”

  Gert thought a few seconds. “You know what would be a fair punishment? Victor ought to camp in Tincup overnight. The bears might not smell him.”

  “Bears?” Victor said shakily. “You’re going to leave me alone here with bears around?”

  Corey went up to the Jeep and brought down a blanket, a bottle of water, and a bag of trail mix.

  Gert stood guard at the entrance to the town. “Don’t worry, Mr. Alden. I’ll make sure our ‘pampered guest’ doesn’t leave before daybreak.”

  As the others climbed the trail out of Tincup, Benny asked, “Are there bears?”

  “Only in the wilderness areas,” Grandfather answered. “They are shy and would rather not be around people.”

  Benny turned back. Victor Lacey wore the blanket over his shoulders and a glower on his face.

  “Sweet dreams!” Benny said.

  The next morning, Mrs. Harrington and Marianne prepared a real rancher’s-style breakfast with the eggs, bacon, biscuits, and butter they had been hoarding in the secret cupboard.

  The children ate until they were stuffed.

  As Grandfather was sipping a second cup of coffee, a knock sounded at the dining hall door.

  It was Gert, with Victor in tow. Victor Lacey straggled behind her, contrite and bedraggled. Jessie figured he hadn’t slept much.

  “Have some breakfast,” Adele Harrington offered them.

  “Don’t mind if I do,” said Gert, sitting down.

  But Victor shook his head. “No, thanks. I’ll just pack and be on my way.” He hurried out of the dining hall.

  Moments later, they heard his rental car engine start and roar down the road.

  “We’ll be leaving tomorrow ourselves,” said James Alden. “I’ll be in touch about buying Eagles Nest.”

  “Marianne and I will fix a nice supper tonight,” said Mrs. Harrington gratefully.

  Gert reached into her pocket. “I have something for you, Benny. It’s from the old Tincup Mine.”

  Benny stared in amazement at the worn silver coin she dropped into his hand. “A real coin! Gee, thanks.”

  “Keep it to remind you of this trip,” Gert told him. “And I’ll see you when you come back.”

  Violet knew they would be back, to see Tincup restored to its former glory.

  Meanwhile, she bet there were other adventures right around the corner.

  About the Author

  GERTRUDE CHANDLER WARNER discovered when she was teaching that many readers who like an exciting story could find no books that were both easy and fun to read. She decided to try to meet this need, and her first book, The Boxcar Children, quickly proved she had succeeded.

  Miss Warner drew on her own experiences to write the mystery. As a child she spent hours watching trains go by on the tracks opposite her family home. She often dreamed about what it would be like to set up housekeeping in a caboose or freight car — the situation the Alden children find themselves in.

  When Miss Warner received requests for more adventures involving Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden, she began additional stories. In each, she chose a special setting and introduced unusual or eccentric characters who liked the unpredictable.

  While the mystery element is central to each of Miss Warner’s books, she never thought of them as strictly juvenile mysteries. She liked to stress the Aldens’ independence and resourcefulness and their solid New England devotion to using up and making do. The Aldens go about most of their adventures with as little adult supervision as possible — something else that delights young readers.

  Miss Warner lived in Putnam, Connecticut, until her death in 1979. During her lifetime, she received hundreds of letters from girls and boys telling her how much they liked her books.

  The Boxcar Children® Mysteries

  THE BOXCAR CHILDREN

  SURPRISE ISLAND

  THE YELLOW HOUSE MYSTERY

  MYSTERY RANCH

  MIKE’S MYSTERY

  BLUE BAY MYSTERY

  THE WOODSHED MYSTERY

  THE LIGHTHOUSE MYSTERY

  MOUNTAIN TOP MYSTERY

  SCHOOLHOUSE MYSTERY

  CABOOSE MYSTERY

  HOUSEBOAT MYSTERY

  SNOWBOUND MYSTERY

  TREE HOUSE MYSTERY

  BICYCLE MYSTERY

  MYSTERY IN THE SAND

  MYSTERY BEHIND THE WALL

  BUS STATION MYSTERY

  BENNY UNCOVERS A MYSTERY

  THE HAUNTED CABIN MYSTERY

  THE DESERTED LIBRARY MYSTERY

  THE ANIMAL SHELTER MYSTERY

  THE OLD MOTEL MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN PAINTING

  THE AMUSEMENT PARK MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE MIXED-UP ZOO

  THE CAMP-OUT MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY GIRL

  THE MYSTERY CRUISE

  THE DISAPPEARING FRIEND MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE SINGING GHOST

  MYSTERY IN THE SNOW

  THE PIZZA MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY HORSE

  THE MYSTERY AT THE DOG SHOW

  THE CASTLE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST VILLAGE

  THE MYSTERY ON THE ICE

  THE MYSTERY OF THE PURPLE POOL

  THE GHOST SHIP MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY IN WASHINGTON, DC

  THE CANOE TRIP MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN BEACH

  THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING CAT

  THE MYSTERY AT SNOWFLAKE INN

  THE MYSTERY ON STAGE

  THE DINOSAUR MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN MUSIC

  THE MYSTERY AT THE BALL PARK

  THE CHOCOLATE SUNDAE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE HOT AIR BALLOON

  THE MYSTERY BOOKSTORE

  THE PILGRIM VILLAGE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN BOXCAR

  THE MYSTERY IN THE CAVE

  THE MYSTERY ON THE TRAIN

  THE MYSTERY AT THE FAIR

  THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST MINE

  THE GUIDE DOG MYSTERY

  THE HURRICANE MYSTERY

  THE PET SHOP MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE SECRET MESSAGE

  THE FIREHOUSE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY IN SAN FRANCISCO

  THE NIAGARA FALLS MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY AT THE ALAMO

  THE OUTER SPACE MYSTERY

  THE SOCCER MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY IN THE OLD ATTIC

  THE GROWLING BEAR MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE LAKE MONSTER

  THE MYSTERY AT PEACOCK HALL

  THE WINDY CITY MYSTERY

  THE BLACK PEARL MYSTERY

  THE CEREAL BOX MYSTERY

  THE PANTHER MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE QUEEN’S JEWELS

  THE STOLEN SWORD MYSTERY

  THE BASKETBALL MYSTERY

  THE MOVIE STAR MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE PIRATE’S MAP

  THE GHOST TOWN MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE BLACK RAVEN

  THE MYSTERY IN THE MALL

  THE MYSTERY IN NEW YORK

  THE GYMNASTICS MYSTERY

  THE POISON FROG MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE EMPTY SAFE

  THE HOME RUN MYSTERY

  THE GREAT BICYCLE RACE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE WILD PONIES

  THE MYSTERY IN THE COMPUTER GAME

  THE MYSTERY AT THE CROOKED HOUSE

  THE HOCKEY MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE MIDNIGHT DOG

  THE MYSTERY OF THE SCREECH OWL

  THE SUMMER CAMP MYSTERY

 
THE COPYCAT MYSTERY

  THE HAUNTED CLOCK TOWER MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE TIGER’S EYE

  THE DISAPPEARING STAIRCASE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY ON BLIZZARD MOUNTAIN

  THE MYSTERY OF THE SPIDER’S CLUE

  THE CANDY FACTORY MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE MUMMY’S CURSE

  THE MYSTERY OF THE STAR RUBY

  THE STUFFED BEAR MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF ALLIGATOR SWAMP

  THE MYSTERY AT SKELETON POINT

  THE TATTLETALE MYSTERY

  THE COMIC BOOK MYSTERY

  THE GREAT SHARK MYSTERY

  THE ICE CREAM MYSTERY

  THE MIDNIGHT MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY IN THE FORTUNE COOKIE

  THE BLACK WIDOW SPIDER MYSTERY

  THE RADIO MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE RUNAWAY GHOST

  THE FINDERS KEEPERS MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE HAUNTED BOXCAR

  THE CLUE IN THE CORN MAZE

  THE GHOST OF THE CHATTERING BONES

  THE SWORD OF THE SILVER KNIGHT

  THE GAME STORE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE ORPHAN TRAIN

  THE VANISHING PASSENGER

  THE GIANT YO-YO MYSTERY

  THE CREATURE IN OGOPOGO LAKE

  THE ROCK ’N’ ROLL MYSTERY

  THE SECRET OF THE MASK

  THE SEATTLE PUZZLE

  THE GHOST IN THE FIRST ROW

  THE BOX THAT WATCH FOUND

  A HORSE NAMED DRAGON

  THE GREAT DETECTIVE RACE

  THE GHOST AT THE DRIVE-IN MOVIE

  THE MYSTERY OF THE TRAVELING TOMATOES

  THE SPY GAME

  THE DOG-GONE MYSTERY

  THE VAMPIRE MYSTERY

  SUPERSTAR WATCH

  THE SPY IN THE BLEACHERS

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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.