skillfully that her father little dreamed of the heavy responsibility which rested upon her shoulders.
As a famous criminal and mystery-case lawyer, Carson Drew found it necessary to maintain a certain social position, and accordingly Nancy was frequently called upon to entertain noted professional men.
She had often been present when Carson Drew discussed important cases with detectives and police officials, and as a result had become interested in detective work herself. Her first fame came when she uncovered The Secret of the Old Clock .
Later she solved the mystery of a troubled household, discovering a hidden staircase and having no end of creepy adventures in an underground passageway.
Undaunted by this experience, she risked her life to help Laura Pendleton. Nancy’s unusual adventures in this connection are recounted in the third volume of the series, The Bungalow Mystery .
Now, as Nancy Drew walked slowly toward the house, she was considering the problem which Hannah Gruen’s departure had created. Her father confidently expected that by the time Judge Graham arrived for his weekend visit the household would be moving as smoothly as before, but Nancy, who had tried many servants before she had secured Hannah, was beset with doubt.
“I’ll telephone the agency right away and see what they can do for me,” she decided.
Having looked up a number in the directory, she repeated it to an operator and after a brief wait was connected with the manager of the best employment agency in River Heights. She stated her wants briefly, trying not to appear too exacting.