{"product_id":"2940148787686","title":"The Mystery of Arnold Hall (Illustrated)","description":"“Will you go, Patricia?” called Mrs. Randall from the living room, one cool evening late in August, as the doorbell rang imperatively. “I’m starting a fire in the grate.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom the dining room across the hall, where she had been putting away the last of the supper dishes, hurried a tall slender girl, whose short wavy yellow hair and big brown eyes were set off to perfection by a green jersey dress. Expecting to see one of the neighbors when the door was opened, she was startled into an involuntary gasp as a messenger thrust forward a special delivery letter, inquiring curtly—“Miss Patricia Randall?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Y—es.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Sign here.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[6]\u003cbr\u003ePatricia signed his book, closed the door, and walked slowly into the living room staring down at the unexpected missive in her hand.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“What is it, Pat?” inquired her mother, glancing up from the hearth rug where she knelt trying to coax a blaze from a bed of charcoal and paper.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A special delivery letter—for me.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“For you?” repeated Mrs. Randall in surprise. “From whom?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I don’t know,” replied her daughter, frowning in a puzzled fashion.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Well, open it and find out. Don’t stand staring at it like that,” urged her mother briskly.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePatricia sank into a low tapestry chair beside the fireplace and tore open the envelope. As she drew out the single sheet it contained, a slip dropped from it onto her lap. Still holding the folded letter she picked up the slip and exclaimed:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A cashier’s check for a thousand dollars!”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Pat!” cried Mrs. Randall, reaching for the yellow paper to read it for herself. “Look at the letter, quick, and see who sent it!”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“It’s only a line. ‘For Patricia Randall to spend on a year at Granard College.’ Oh—why—Mums!”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePatricia flung herself on her mother so suddenly that Mrs. Randall lost her balance, and the two fell in a heap on the rug.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[7]\u003cbr\u003e“Mary! Patricia!” ejaculated a horrified masculine voice from the doorway. “What in the world—”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Oh, Dad!” cried the girl, springing up and giving a helping hand to her mother. With scarcely more effort than that of her daughter Mrs. Randall regained her feet, and they stood facing Mr. Randall’s astonished gaze.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Just look at this!” Patricia thrust the magic papers into his hand. “Isn’t it marvelous?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMr. Randall read the brief message, turned the check over and over as if to discover its sender by inspecting it from all sides, and then looked inquiringly at his wife and daughter.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Is this a joke of some kind?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Joke!” retorted Patricia in disgust. “I should say not! A messenger just brought it, special delivery.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Strange, very strange,” commented her father, shaking his head. “Do you know anything about it, Mary?” addressing his wife, with a suspicious look.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I most certainly do not. Do you?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“You ought to know that I don’t. Where would I get that much money? Didn’t we send Pat here to Brentwood College last year because we couldn’t afford to send her away?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Keep your shirt on, Dad!” laughed Patricia. “Keep your shirt on, and say I may go.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[8]\u003cbr\u003e“I—I don’t know what to say,” replied the puzzled man, sinking heavily into his favorite chair, and pulling his pipe out of his pocket.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Do you suppose,” began Patricia, perching on the arm of her father’s chair, “that Aunt Betsy could have gotten big-hearted and sent it?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Pat!” cried her mother derisively. “Of course not. She has all she can do to keep Ted in college.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Be rather nice for me, having Ted at Granard,” mused Patricia, recalling her cousin’s beguiling ways and good looks.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“And having Aunt Betsy there to keep an eye on both of you,” added her mother.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Some eye! She’ll probably never know I’m there,” laughed Patricia. “Darling Ted takes up all of her time and attention.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“You two women,” remarked Mr. Randall peevishly, “seem to have this affair all settled.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Well, you see, darling, we felt quite sure you would let me go,” laughed Patricia, ruffling up his hair.","brand":"Lost Leaf Publications","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47173096145136,"sku":"2940148787686","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/239133481.jpg?v=1747522400","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940148787686","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}