The Mystery of the Fire Dragon by Carolyn Keene

over the mail.
    “This is indeed from my Chi Che!” the elderly man exclaimed. “You will forgive me if I read it.”
    With trembling fingers Grandpa Soong opened the envelope and took out a sheet of stationery. From where Nancy had seated herself, she could see that the letter was written in Chinese characters. And in the lower right-hand comer was a fire dragon!
    A smile came over Grandpa Soong’s face. “Chi Che’s friends are taking her on a long trip. She says I am not to worry.”
    “Well, that is reassuring,” Nancy said with a smile. But inwardly she was more worried than ever. Surely Chi Che would not of her own volition have notified her grandfather of such plans by letter instead of telephoning him. Nancy was fearful that Chi Che had been abducted, and perhaps taken out of the country!
    “I wonder how long Chi Che will be gone,” Grandpa Soong mused. “Well, I must be patient. I will work hard on the foreword of my book and help to pass the time,” he said sadly.
    The elderly man asked if the police had any clues to the person who had stolen his manuscript. Nancy had to admit that they had turned up none yet, but were working hard on the case.
    “Grandpa Soong,” she said, “you may think me very rude, but I should like very much to have this letter from Chi Che. If I bring it back soon, may I borrow it?”
    The archaeologist did not even ask her why she wanted the note. “Take it, my dear. And there is no hurry about your bringing it back.”
    The next morning Nancy went directly to Columbia University and talked to the young woman assistant in the dean’s office who had been so helpful before. Nancy obtained samples of Chi Che’s handwriting, not only in English, but also in Chinese.
    “Any news of when Chi Che may return?” the assistant asked.
    “We do not know,” Nancy replied. “I suppose you are curious why I want the samples of Chi Che’s writing. The reason is that her grandfather received a letter from her which I suspect is a forgery. I’d like to determine if it is. But please say nothing about this to anyone.”
    Nancy left the young woman staring in amazement after her. She hurried directly to Captain Gray’s office and showed him both the envelope and the fire-dragon stationery with its message.
    “I suspect this may be a forgery,” she told the officer. “Could you possibly have a handwriting expert analyze it?”
    “Yes, at once,” Captain Gray agreed. “This may be an invaluable clue.”
    Nancy also confided her fear that Chi Che might have been taken from the country. The captain frowned, and said he would notify the FBI. He then suggested that Nancy return to headquarters in about two hours. The young detective thanked him and left, but she was back soon after lunch.
    “Nancy Drew, you have scored another bull’s-eye,” the officer told her. “The note in Chinese and the envelope in English received today by Mr. Soong are definitely the work of a forger.”
    “Can you tell me any more?” Nancy asked.
    “Yes, several things. Most important, perhaps, is that this note and envelope were written by a woman!”

CHAPTER IX
    Bess Is Missing
    “A WOMAN!” Nancy exclaimed. “I wonder who she is—probably the wife of one of the men involved in the case.”
    “No doubt,” said Captain Gray.
    “Will you show me some of the differences in the two handwritings, so that if I come across the fake one again, I might be able to spot the forger?”
    “Be glad to, Nancy.” Captain Gray laid the envelope of the letter which had just come to Mr. Soong and the sample of Chi Che’s handwriting in English, side by side.
    “One of the hardest things to imitate in handwriting is the crossing of t’s,” the officer explained. “The forger is trying to be so careful that he usually goes slower and the line is slightly more wavy than the original writer would make it. Look at these two through this magnifying glass.
    “The letter ‘y’ is another interesting one to look