Kay Tracey #3 The Mystery of the Swaying Curtains

In Kay Tracey #3, The Mystery of the Swaying Curtains, Kay's friend, Sissy, is to begin work at Mrs. Barley's home, but Mrs. Barley has disappeared.  Sissy has a very nervous disposition, so Kay stays with Sissy and Mrs. Barley's housekeeper, Eliza.  Mrs. Barley sends directions that her home is to be closed up, so Kay and Sissy help Eliza close the home.

Later, Cousin Bill informs Sissy that an anonymous note has suggested that Sissy is heir to a fortune.  Cousin Bill helps Sissy find proof of her lineage.  Martin Cornwall might be able to help, but he has disappeared.  Kay helps his nephew search for him.  Meanwhile, a strange tramp lurks nearby, and Kay is suspicious.

This book is full of odd events that are seemingly disconnected, but of course, all of them are closely connected and part of the same mystery.  The book does have one event that is completely disconnected to all other events.  Ethel Eaton has a chemistry lab mishap and accidentally burns down an entire wing of Carmont High School!

When Kay helps to close Mrs. Barley's house, she decides to invite her friends over to have a party, so that they can get the food eaten before it spoils.  Boys are invited over as well.  While it's wise to use food that would spoil in Mrs. Barley's absence, it's a bit odd to have a dinner party at someone else's house without their knowledge.  How rude.

On page 149, two maids had been shoved into a closet by a thief.  Kay questions the women, who noticed almost nothing about the man except for his "big black eyes" and his "flashy suit" that was missing a button.  The button turns out to be a very important clue and is found by Kay later.  I question whether the terrified women would have noticed a missing button.

While the story is strange, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  This is one of the three books that is only available in the Cupples and Leon editions.  The story was never reprinted in the later sets.