Mystery of the Glowing Eye - Carolyn Keene [32]
Miss Wilkin replied, “At times we make exceptions. Tonight is one of them.”
Nancy tried not to show that the woman’s chilly attitude annoyed her. She said, “We’d like to explore a little while.”
“All right, but watch the signs and don’t touch anything you’re not supposed to,” the prim woman ordered them.
Nancy at once led Professor Titus and Glenn to the narrow hallway behind the wall where she had seen the glowing eye. Glenn searched the wall for a switch that might activate any machinery. He found one and turned the switch but nothing happened. With sensitive fingers he moved along, trying again and again to locate another possible contact, but without success.
Professor Titus had gone around to the big room where the glowing eye had shone high on the wall. Nancy, meanwhile, had found a sliding panel in the wall near where Glenn was looking and saw a closet. There was nothing in it.
The young detective stepped inside. “Maybe there’s some kind of a switch in here,” she said to herself and began running one hand over the wall.
Suddenly her fingers felt strange and she tried to pull them away. But she was not able to do so. Her whole hand was drawn against the wall. She tugged harder but still could not move it. Before she could call out to Glenn, the panel closed.
Instinct told Nancy she was in serious trouble. At the top of her lungs she cried, “Help! Help!”
CHAPTER XV
Abrupt Resignation
WHILE Nancy, terror-stricken, continued to yell for help, Glenn and Professor Titus tried to find her. She was hidden from sight and they did not know where to look. The closet she was in stifled her voice.
The trapped girl felt herself becoming faint. A fleeting thought crossed her mind: if she slumped she might be able to pull her hand away from the wall. Without losing her balance, she leaned backward creating a great deal of pressure on her hand. It did not budge.
“Help!” she cried, but this time rather feebly.
By now Glenn had traced her voice and slid open the closet door.
“What’s the matter?” he asked.
“I—I can’t—get—my—hand—loose!” Nancy whispered.
At that moment Professor Titus arrived. While Nancy was trying to tell him what had happened, Glenn dashed off to find Miss Wilkin. She was seated at the reception desk in the hall.
“Quick!” Glenn exclaimed. “Turn off all the power! Miss Drew is pinned to the wall!”
The prim custodian looked at him blankly and did not move. “Is this some kind of a joke?” she asked.
“No, no!” Glenn assured her. “Nancy is in real trouble. Please turn off all the power in this building!”
Miss Wilkin jumped into action. She grabbed the keys from the desk drawer and rushed down the main hall and around the corner. Glenn raced after her.
The woman reached a large panelboard on the wall and unlocked the covering to it. Quickly she pulled down several levers. At once the place was in darkness.
Glenn did not wait for her to return to the lobby. There was still enough daylight sifting through the windows so that he could easily make his way back to Nancy. The young pilot sighed in relief as he found her seated on the floor, released from the magnetized wall. Professor Titus was kneeling beside her and massaging her hands vigorously.
“Are you all right?” Glenn asked solicitously.
Nancy gave a wan smile. “I will be as soon as the circulation is restored to my hand and arm. They’re numb.”
Professor Titus kept massaging them for another three minutes, then asked Glenn to take over. The young man seated himself on the floor and began to rub Nancy’s hand and arm vigorously.
“That feels great!” she said. “Thank you both so much. I don’t know what would have happened to me if you hadn’t come to my rescue.”
Glenn grinned. “You’d have thought of something,” he replied. “Just the same I’m glad you gave me a chance to help you.”
By this time Miss Wilkin had come back to the visitors. Nancy explained what had happened to her and asked for an explanation.
The woman turned pale. “I have no idea. This place is getting very spooky and I don’t like it.”
Miss Wilkin seemed to