Part 2 (1/2)
”Speaking of the mystery,” said George, ”did you learn anything about the haunted bridge?”
”Not yet,” Nancy answered, glancing at her wrist watch. ”But I'm to meet Chris at five.”
Nancy found him waiting for her at the caddy house. He made no comment as she led him to a bench at the rear of the hotel.
”Please tell me everything you know about that bridge,” she urged him. ”Why do you say it's haunted?”
”Because it is,” the boy insisted. ”All the caddies will tell you the same. Sometimes you can see the ghost walking over it.”
”At night?”
”Daytime, too. It waves its arms slowly back and forth. And sometimes the ghost screams as if it's in pain.”
”Have you actually seen and heard this yourself ?”
”Sure. That's why I know better than to go into that woods.”
”You mean you've never been up close to the ghost?” Nancy inquired, smiling.
The boy frowned and said, ”You couldn't hire any of the guys to go near the place.”
”Chris, are the bridge and surrounding property owned by the hotel?” Nancy asked.
Before Chris could reply, the caddy master appeared to inform the boy he was wanted immediately in the caddy house.
”I'll have to go now,” Chris told Nancy.
”Thank you for telling me about the ghost,” she said. ”And by the way, if I qualify, would you like to caddy for me in the tournament?”
”Sure. But I won't promise to look for any b.a.l.l.s in the woods.”
Nancy leisurely walked back to the hotel. As she went through the lobby a sudden thought occurred to her. After giving a brief explanation, she asked the desk clerk if she might look at the registration cards of recent guests.
”Certainly, Miss Drew. Glad to be of help at any time.”
Nancy flicked through the file until she came to the name Martin Bartescue and studied the man's handwriting.
”It's not a bit like his signature on my scorecard,” she reflected.
Nancy was so absorbed in looking at it that she failed to observe the man himself. He had come up directly behind her. Pausing, he regarded her intently for a moment, then dodged into a telephone booth. Nancy, unaware of his presence, went upstairs.
Bess and George were dressing for dinner. They were not too occupied, though, to bombard Nancy with questions concerning the haunted bridge.
”I didn't learn much more except that the ghost walks across the bridge, not only at night, but also in the daytime.”
Bess gave a nervous giggle. ”I'll never let my ball go into that woods, even if I have to take ten iron shots on the fairway.”
Nancy and George laughed. Then Nancy said, ”Here's a new mystery. Bartescue uses at least two different styles of handwriting.” She told about the registration cards.
”And probably several aliases,” George commented with a look of disgust. ”Anyway, hereafter I'm going to call him Barty.”