[256] "Pleased to meet you," said their caller, extending a hand to shake Helen's.
[257] "Nancy, I guess you've met Mr. Comber," Aunt Rosemary went on.
[258] "Oh, sure!" Nathan Comber said with a somewhat raucous laugh. "Nancy and me, we've met!"
[259] "Only once," Nancy said pointedly.
[260] Ignoring her rebuff, he went on, "Nancy Drew is a very strange young lady. Her father's in great danger and I tried to warn her to stick close to him. Instead of that, she's out here visiting you folks."
[261] "Her father's in danger?" Miss Flora said worriedly.
[262] "Dad says he's not," Nancy replied. "And besides, I'm sure my father would know how to take care of any enemies." She looked straight at Nathan Comber, as if to let him know that the Drews were not easily frightened.
[263] "Well," the caller said, "let's get down to business." He pulled an envelope full of papers from his pocket. "Everything's here—all ready for you to sign, Mrs. Turnbull."
[264] "I don't wish to sell at such a low figure," Miss Flora told him firmly. "In fact, I don't know that I want to sell at all."
[265] Nathan Comber tossed his head. "You'll sell all right," he prophesied. "I've been talking to some of the folks downtown. Everybody knows this old place is haunted and nobody would give you five cents for it—that is, nobody but me."
[266] As he waited for his words to sink in, Nancy spoke up, "If the house is haunted, why do you want it?"
[267] "Well," Comber answered, "I guess I'm a gambler at heart. I'd be willing to put some money into this place, even if there is a ghost parading around." He laughed loudly, then went on, "I declare it might be a real pleasure to meet a ghost and get the better of it!"
[268] Nancy thought with disgust, "Nathan Comber, you're about the most conceited, obnoxious person I've met in a long time."
[269] Suddenly the expression of cunning on the man's face changed completely. An almost wistful look came into his eyes. He sat down on one of the dining-room chairs and rested his chin in his hand.
[270] "I guess you think I'm just a hardheaded business man with no feelings," he said. "The truth is I'm a real softy. I'll tell you why I want this old house so bad. I've always dreamed of owning a Colonial mansion, and having a kinship with early America. You see, my family were poor folks in Europe. Now that I've made a little money, I'd like to have a home like this to roam around in and enjoy its traditions."
[271] Miss Flora seemed to be touched by Comber's story. "I had no idea you wanted the place so much," she said kindly. "Maybe I ought to give it up. It's really too big for us."
[272] As Aunt Rosemary saw her mother weakening, she said quickly, "You don't have to sell this house, Mother. You know you love it. So far as the ghost is concerned, I'm sure that mystery is going to be cleared up. Then you'd be sorry you had parted with Twin Elms. Please don't say yes!"
[273] As Comber gave Mrs. Hayes a dark look, Nancy asked him, "Why don't you buy Riverview Manor? It's a duplicate of this place and is for sale. You probably could purchase it at a lower price than you could this one."
[274] "I've seen that place," the man returned. "It's in a bad state. It would cost me a mint of money to fix it up. No sir. I want this place and I'm going to have it!"
[275] This bold remark was too much for Aunt Rosemary. Her eyes blazing, she said, "Mr. Comber, this interview is at an end. Good-by!"
[276] To Nancy's delight and somewhat to her amusement, Nathan Comber obeyed the "order" to leave. He seemed to be almost meek as he walked through the hall and let himself out the front door.
[277] "Of all the nerve!" Helen burst out.
[278] "Perhaps we shouldn't be too hard on the man," Miss Flora said timidly. "His story is a pathetic one and I can see how he might want to pretend he had an old American family background."
[279] "I'd like to bet a cookie Mr. Comber didn't mean one word of what he was saying," Helen remarked.
[280] "Oh dear, I'm so confused," said Miss Flora, her voice trembling. "Let's all sit down in the parlor and talk about it a little more."
