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note saying she planned to visit some college friends. “Did you know Mr. Soong is in the hospital?” George asked.
    “No,” Lily Alys replied. “I am so sorry to hear that. What is the trouble?”
    Since the story had appeared in the newspapers, George told what had happened to the elderly man.
    “That is dreadful!” Lily Alys said. “I am very fond of Mr. Soong. And I know Chi Che loves and respects him very much. I cannot understand why she would stay away and not communicate with him.”
    “That is what my friends and I cannot understand, either,” said George. “Would you be willing to come to the apartment where we’re staying and discuss the situation? Perhaps you can give us some clue to where Chi Che might be.”
    Lily Alys said she would be happy to come. The two girls walked along side by side. There was no further recognition of “Chi Che” by any passers-by.
    When they reached the apartment, Aunt Eloise, who had just arrived, opened the door for them. Since Nancy and Bess were not there yet, the conversation was general. Aunt Eloise served tea and cookies.
    Presently Nancy and Bess announced themselves over the speaking tube at the front door and a few minutes later entered the apartment.
    George introduced Lily Alys Wu and explained why she had brought the Chinese girl to call. Then, on a pretext that she had something in her purse to give Nancy, George asked her to come into the bedroom a moment.
    Quickly the two girls exchanged stories. Then George propounded the idea she had had for the past half hour; that Lily Alys, who, like Chi Che, was a linguist, try for a position at Stromberg’s Bookshop.
    Nancy smiled. “I think I know what you have in mind, George. You suspect that Chi Che’s message to Aunt Eloise might have meant she had found out some secret about the bookshop, and perhaps Lily Alys can learn the same thing without being caught.”
    “Exactly,” said George. “And I feel sure Lily Alys can be trusted.”
    Nancy too was certain of this. She and George returned to the living room and broached the subject to the Chinese girl. “That is, if you’re fortunate enough to get the position at the bookshop,” George added.
    Lily Alys screwed up her face and looked a little frightened at the idea. “I do not know that I am capable of such work,” she said. “I have never had anything to do with solving mysteries.”
    “It won’t be hard,” George urged her. “Just do the jobs Mr. Stromberg asks you to, but keep your eyes and ears open.”
    “And pay special attention to telephone calls,” Nancy added.
    The young Chinese student finally agreed and said that she hoped she would not fail in her assignment.
    “I will go over to Mr. Stromberg’s at once,” Lily promised, “and let you know later whether or not I succeed in obtaining the position.”
    Nancy went to the door with their new friend, and the others called, “Good luck!”
    As soon as Lily Alys had left, Nancy telephoned police headquarters. There was no news about the identity of Mr. Soong’s attacker, the sergeant on duty reported. “The car the suspects were riding in,” he added, “was found to have been stolen.”
    As Nancy thanked him and hung up, she shrugged resignedly. “Another clue has faded out,” she told her friends.
    George went into her bedroom to change her clothes and remove the Chinese make-up. Suddenly she called out, “Did one of you knock my clock onto the floor?”
    “No,” the others chorused.
    “Then someone was in here while we were all away!” George exclaimed.
    When they heard this, everyone rushed into the bedroom. George pointed to her traveling clock which lay on the floor by the bed.
    “But how could anyone get in here?” Aunt Eloise asked.
    Nancy and Bess looked at each other sheepishly. They had forgotten to lock the door between the Soong apartment and Aunt Eloise’s!
    “Evidently the person who has the key to the Soongs’ let himself in and came through,” Nancy