Mystery at the Ski Jump by Carolyn Keene Page A

scuttled frantically here and there in search of a hiding place.
    John Horn held up one hand. “Quiet, everybody! You women stay put! And cut out that yammering! You’ll skeer my poor pet to death!”
    The trapper located Arabella crouched in a corner of the entrance hall. He spoke to his pet softly as he approached. Then, kneeling, he took the mink into his arms.
    Just then the doorbell rang. Nancy opened the door to a well-dressed man of middle age.
    “How do you do?” he said. “Is this a bad hour to call? I’ve rung several times.”
    “I’m sorry,” Nancy said. “We were chasing an escaped mink and we—”
    “A mink?” The stranger stared at Nancy.
    She blushed and pointed to the little animal nestled against John Horn’s chest. “It’s a tame mink,” she said.
    “I see,” said the newcomer, still bewildered. “I’m Mr. Nelson from the Bramson Film Company, and I’d like to speak with Miss Nancy Drew.”
    “I’m Nancy Drew. Please come in and sit down in the living room. I’ll be with you in a few minutes.”
    The man walked inside and Nancy turned to the trapper. “I’d love to keep Arabella,” she said, “but I think she’d be happier with you. Besides, we have a dog here. That might make trouble.”
    Horn nodded, tucking the mink back into his pocket. “My offer to help catch that crook is still good.”
    Nancy smiled. “I’ll call on you.”
    The cousins departed with Arabella and her master, who rode away in the back seat of Bess’s car. Evidently he had changed his mind about walking!
    Nancy entered the living room and sat down.
    “Miss Drew,” said Mr. Nelson, “I understand that you want to find Mitzi Adele. Just how close a friend of hers are you?”
    “Friend?” Nancy shook her head. “Not a friend.”
    After she had told what she knew of the woman, Mr. Nelson’s voice became more cordial. “I’m glad you told me this, Miss Drew,” he said. “Frankly, we thought you might have been mixed up in Mitzi’s dealings. A few years ago Mitzi stole several valuable costumes from the Bramson Film Company. We’ve been looking for her ever since.”
    “Do you know where she came from?” Nancy asked.
    “Her home was in northern New York State. Somewhere near the Canadian border. That’s all I know about her.” After a little more conversation, the caller left.
    Nancy went to the kitchen to tell Hannah what she had learned. “Now I must go to Montreal,” she said. “In fact, I’ll leave this evening if I can get a train reservation.”
    Nancy secured a compartment on the late express and sent a telegram telling her father the hour she expected to arrive. Hannah helped her pack, and went with her in a taxi to the railroad station.
    Next morning Nancy looked out the window eagerly as the train pulled into the Montreal station. She hurried down the steps into her father’s arms.
    “Nancy! I’m so glad to see you!” he cried, taking her skis.
    “I’m twice as glad to see you,” she replied.
    “How goes the great fur mystery?” Mr. Drew asked as they followed a porter to the taxi stand.
    “I’m stymied, Dad,” Nancy admitted.
    “Well, sometimes a change of work helps. Suppose you give me a hand. A young man, Chuck Wilson, is my client here. I’m puzzled about him and I’d like your opinion. If you can, get Chuck to tell you about his case himself.”
    Nancy smiled. “When do I go to work?”
    “You’ll meet Chuck in an hour. I told him we’d be at the ski jump of the Hotel Canadien, where I’m staying.”
    “I’ll have to go to the hotel first and put on ski clothes,” Nancy said.
    The hotel, a few miles out of the city, nestled at the foot of a majestic hill. Nancy was shown to her room, where she dressed in a trim blue ski outfit. Then she and her father went out to a nearby ski slope and ski jump. As they approached the foot of the jump, a man prepared to descend it.
    The skier waited for his signal. An instant later he came skimming downward, fast