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on the floor. One —two—three—she counted, then saw a fourth bud lying near the wall to the right of Emily’s chair. Aside from the centerpiece, there were no other flowers in the room.
    “How did lilac buds get in here?” Nancy mused. There was no sign of footprints near them.
    Saying nothing, Nancy picked one up. It was fresh. She looked at the wall thoughtfully and closely.
    Everyone watched in amazement as the titian-blond girl began to tap the wall, then listen intently.
    Nancy motioned them not to say a word. She continued tapping, until she tried one spot which sounded different. It had a hollow ring. Nancy pressed against the wooden wall. Suddenly a panel slid aside noiselessly.

CHAPTER VI
    Uncanny Recoveries
    JOHN and the others gaped in astonishment as the panel in the wall slid open. “Nancy, you’re terrific!” John exclaimed, handing her his flashlight.
    Everyone crowded behind Nancy, as she beamed the light into a wood-walled closet. It had a musty odor.
    “I don’t remember seeing this in the floor plans of the inn,” Emily said, puzzled, as Nancy stooped and shone the flash on something on the floor. It was a crushed, but still fresh lilac flower!
    “It was those other blossoms which made me think there might be a concealed entrance into this room.”
    “Nancy, you’re a genius,” said Mrs. Willoughby. “I never dreamed this spot was here. The thief must have been hiding in the closet.”
    “But where did he go?” John asked.
    Nancy was feeling the rear wall of the closet. Her fingers touched a small metal latch. She turned it. A second panel slid open soundlessly. Beyond was the coat closet off the lobby of the inn!
    “This must be how the jewel thief got in and out of this dining room,” Nancy announced. She walked on into the lobby, followed by the others.
    “Look!” Helen exclaimed, and pointed to a lilac bud near the front door.
    Nancy examined the bud which proved to be fresh and moist. “The thief probably wore a sprig of lilacs. That makes me think the person was a woman.”
    Mr. Daly agreed with Nancy. He admitted that he had not known of the hidden closet, and was perplexed as to who could have learned of it.
    “These panel openings must have fallen into disuse before I purchased the inn,” he remarked.
    “One thing’s certain,” said Nancy. “The thief not only has an intimate knowledge of the original floor plan of Lilac Inn but also knew two other things: that Emily was to receive her diamonds tonight, and where Mrs. Willoughby was to present them.”
    “Too bad I didn’t get back sooner tonight,” said John, frowning. “I might have met the thief. Incidentally, she must have had an accomplice to work the lighting system.”
    “But how could they communicate at just the right moment if one of them was in the cellar?” Helen asked.
    “I can answer that,” said Mr. Daly. “The panel board for the light control is directly under that private dining room. The floor is worn so thin that conversation upstairs can be heard down there.”
    Nancy nodded. “After the person in the cellar was sure the thief was hidden again, he or she turned on the lights to make the whole thing look like a temporary outside power failure.”
    “What shall we do now?” Maud asked nervously.
    “Call the police immediately,” Nancy advised.
    “No!” Emily cried out.
    Everyone looked at her in surprise. Emily flushed, but remained adamant.
    “If people hear we’ve had a robbery,” she argued, “it may discourage them from coming to Lilac Inn. Calling in the police will mean newspaper publicity. Dick and I have worked too hard to risk it.”
    “It will be a shame if you don’t recover the diamonds,” Helen spoke up. “But if you report the theft, at least you can collect the insurance, Emily, and use that money for the inn as you planned.”
    At this remark Mrs. Willoughby’s face again turned ash-white and the others thought she was about to faint again. “Insurance.