The Mystery at the Calgary Stampede

by Gertrude Chandler Warner

  “We saw you with your grandfather just now,” Jessie began. “It looked like you were giving him an old costume.”

  Marian frowned. “The cleaning people were just getting rid of some old stuff, and the stage manager told me I could look through it. She knows my Poppa is a collector. That’s all you saw.” Her eyes narrowed. “You still think I took the pin, don’t you? What about that pin of Clay’s? He says he bought it weeks ago. But don’t you think it’s funny that he started wearing it just after Daisy’s went missing? How do you know he didn’t sand Judy Simon’s name off the back and make up the story about a yard sale?” She stared back at the Aldens, and her face grew redder and redder, but she didn’t take her eyes away until they all heard a voice behind them.

  “Violet? Henry? Jessie?” Grandfather had just come in the stage door. “I’ve come to pick you up for dinner,” he said just as Daisy and Benny returned from watching rehearsal.

  “We’ll leave Daisy and the Young Canadians to prepare for their show,” Grandfather said, smiling at Daisy. “I’m looking forward to it.”

  Daisy tried to smile back, but her smile seemed wobbly, Jessie thought, and she blinked as if she might cry.

  As the Aldens prepared to leave with Grandfather, Jessie turned to look back at Marian, whose face was still red.

  “It was just some bits and pieces and an old costume,” she said softly to Jessie. “Nothing anyone else but my poppa wants.”

  Jessie wished she could be sure of that.

  CHAPTER 7

  A Mystery Guest

  “I’d still like to know what Mr. Sutton put in that bag of his,” Henry said, as they waited in line for one of the many restaurants on Stephens Avenue Walk. Benny had picked a hamburger place when he’d seen the menu posted by the front door. “They put cheese and apples on one of their burgers!”

  While the Aldens waited to be seated, they talked about the mystery.

  “I’d like to see the pin that Clay has. Do you think it would look different if it had been engraved and the engraving was removed?” asked Jessie.

  “I’d like to see what Marian had in her hand when she handed something small to her poppa,” said Violet.

  “I’d like to have Aunt Judy with us so we don’t have to wait in line,” said Benny.

  The others laughed. “You really think Aunt Judy never has to wait for anything?” asked Henry.

  “Yes,” said Benny.

  “Where is Aunt Judy?” asked Violet.

  “I don’t know,” Grandfather said. “She just sent a message saying she’d meet up with us later.”

  “Boy, I hope she doesn’t go missing too,” said Benny.

  “I’m sure she’ll show up in time for the Grandstand Show,” Grandfather said.

  The restaurant host seated the Aldens at a table on the patio, circled by a low wall made up of bales of hay. Benny was excited to see more wagon wheels leaning against the hay. Jessie pointed out the Western skirts that some girls walking down the sidewalk were wearing. Henry admired the cowboy belts other pedestrians wore. He wouldn’t mind a fancy belt buckle for himself.

  “Do people always dress like this here?” he asked. “Or is it special, just for the Stampede?”

  A man at the next table overheard his question and gave a chuckle. “Boy,” he called, “we like our cowboy hats here all year long.”

  After dinner, the Aldens returned to the Grandstand, where they took their seats. There was no sign of Aunt Judy, though Violet was sure the empty seat beside them was hers. She tried not to feel worried.

  “We didn’t get to sit out here last night!” said Henry. “It’s going to be different watching the show from out here in the stands.”

  “The show doesn’t start for another hour. What’s happening now?” asked Jessie.

  A woman sitting just in front of them turned to answer. “Every evening at this time is the chuck wagon races. The chuck wagons are my favorite part of the whole Stampede! You’ll see!”

  The rodeo arena was filling with brightly painted covered wagons, each hitched with four lively horses. One wagon had flames painted on the sides, and another was yellow with bold orange polka-dots. Violet cheered for the one painted like a rainbow.

  “How do they race in the arena?” asked Henry. “It’s too small.”

  “It is,” said the helpful spectator. She pointed out how the chuck wagon course went outside of the rodeo arena and around a huge track that surrounded both the arena and far seating. “We can watch all the action on that!” She pointed to a huge screen set up at one end of the rodeo arena. “The wagons will circle back into the arena right in front of us, coming down the straightaway to the finish line.”

  “Wow!” Henry said.

  Four large white barrels were placed across the arena to mark starting places for each of the wagons. As the contestants and their horses readied for the race, the Aldens could feel excitement all around them. Many spectators went to stand at the railing for a closer view of the track.

  The horses had been moving slowly, pulling wagons into place, shaking their beautiful necks, whinnying, but when the horn sounded, suddenly they leapt into a run in a burst of powerful energy.

  “They’ve been waiting for this!” said Jessie. “Look at them go!”

  “Let’s get a better view too!” shouted Grandfather over the noise. The Aldens hurried down the grandstand aisle toward the railing.

  The horses pulled the wagons hard, circling the barrels and sweeping up and around the huge oval track. The overhead screen showed the wagon teams racing behind the stands, and the Aldens readied themselves for the final straightaway in front of them.

  The cheering became even louder as the horses reached the straightaway and came barreling down. Jessie knew she was hollering but she couldn’t even hear herself. Henry was laughing at her and shouting something too, and Violet and Benny were holding on to her sleeves as if to keep her from flying away with excitement.

  All the wagon drivers were standing, urging their horses to go faster and faster. The driver of the lead wagon yelled the loudest and his hat went flying. The ground shook as the horses and wagons sped past. The wind tangled the girls’ long hair over their faces. Violet pushed hers out of her eyes, and Jessie twisted hers back into a knot.

  “I think some horse snot flew out and landed on me,” yelled Benny.

  A new group of four horse-and-wagon teams prepared for the next race, and Grandfather led the way back to their seats. Violet kept looking over her shoulder. She didn’t want to miss a second of it, even though it scared her a bit too.

  After six more groups of wagons and horses, more thundering and shaking ground, and more cheering and excitement, the chuck wagon races were over for that evening.

  Everyone watched as the stage was pulled into the rodeo arena by an enormous tractor. Soon the arena was ready for the evening Grandstand Show. Then, with a blast of music and lights, the Young Canadians took the stage.

  “There’s Clay with that wagon wheel!” Benny said. He was perched on the edge of his seat as Clay whirled his wagon wheel into the air and caught it again and again.

  Suddenly Clay fumbled and dropped his wheel, but he caught it so quickly that only someone watching closely would have seen it. “Did you see that?” Benny’s voice was shrill. “He got it. He saved the day. He didn’t really drop it.”

  “Now that takes a lot of practice,” said Grandfather.

  Next up was Daisy. This time she didn’t attempt to sing by herself. She brought Clay and the girl who had helped her the night before, and once again they sang as a trio. They sounded so good that the audience clapped a long time when they finished.

  Then the show’s announcer told the audience to welcome a mystery guest. “Every Calgary Grandstand Show has one,” he said. “And this one is extra special.” As he spoke, a bright silver bus drove up a ramp onto the stage.

  The Aldens leaned forward to get a closer look at the bus just as a man was making his way past the
ir seats and blocking their view for a moment. It was Mr. Sutton.

  “Hello,” he said. He was about to sit in the seat meant for Aunt Judy, but first he picked up something that someone had left underneath the seat. It was a ticket stub. “Here’s a find!” he said and tucked it into his leather bag. Then he sat down.

  “You’re not Aunt Judy,” said Benny.

  “No, I’m not,” replied Mr. Sutton. “There’s Aunt Judy,” he said, pointing to the stage.

  The entire side of the bus opened up almost magically, and inside was another stage, complete with flashing red and gold lights. And there was Aunt Judy, wearing a glittering dress and a microphone in hand.

  “Hello, Calgary!” she shouted, and the crowd roared their approval. “It’s so good to be home!” She sang about coming home from a long time traveling. Her voice was rich and mellow.

  Violet looked over at Grandfather. “You’re right,” she said. “She is a great singer. Even better than she sounds in her kitchen singing about cows and soup.”

  Grandfather smiled. “I remember when she first sang this song,” he said. “She wrote it when she was traveling and homesick. It’s my favorite.”

  “She’s our best,” said Mr. Sutton proudly. “I have a photograph of her the first time she was onstage.”

  Henry looked at Mr. Sutton and wondered again what else he might have—the pin?

  Aunt Judy sang more songs. The entire audience sang along with one of them.

  “Everyone knows all words!” said Violet. “They must really love her music.”

  “Before I start my last song,” Aunt Judy said, “I’d like to ask my niece to join me!” The crowd cheered. “This is a song we’ve sung together since she was a very small girl!”

  Daisy waved to the crowd from the back of the stage. The crowd cheered in response. Aunt Judy motioned to Daisy to join her on the bus, and the crowd cheered even louder. But when Daisy reached Aunt Judy, the Aldens could see Daisy shake her head. Aunt Judy whispered to her, and Daisy stopped shaking her head. Aunt Judy gave her a hug and began the song.

  Daisy came in on the harmony with just a soft voice at first, then louder and louder when her aunt let her take over for an entire verse. Aunt Judy stepped back from Daisy and moved away to stand with the back-up singers.

  “Look at that!” said Jessie. “Daisy is singing on her own now!”

  The crowd was thrilled. Two Young Canadians, one from the past and one from the present, were up onstage together. They audience stood and clapped when Daisy finished. Aunt Judy stepped forward and clapped for her niece too.

  Jessie turned to Henry. “Daisy really doesn’t need that pin, does she?” she said. Henry grinned. Violet and Benny shook their heads.

  “No, she doesn’t,” said Benny. “She can be brave all on her own.”

  The side of Aunt Judy’s special bus folded up and closed. It drove back down the ramp and out of the stampede arena.

  The fireworks show followed the musical program, and Violet and Benny both said it was even better than the previous night. “It wasn’t this long,” said Jessie, remembering how she and Henry had felt very short on time looking for the pin in the dressing room.

  “There’s more purple tonight!” said Violet happily, looking skyward to the colorful explosions.

  The show ended with a series of deep booms that echoed across the fairgrounds. The children stood to go.

  “We still need to find the pin,” said Henry, “even if Daisy doesn’t need it to perform.”

  Jessie turned to Mr. Sutton, who was looking through his bag.

  “Mr. Sutton,” she began, “Marian gave you a costume.”

  “That’s right,” he said. He didn’t even ask how she knew. “She finds some wonderful pieces for my collection. Whatever I don’t add to the collection, I give to our little neighbor.”

  “Your little neighbor?” Jessie asked.

  “I think you’ve met her,” he said. “Clay’s little sister.”

  “You’re neighbors?” Henry asked.

  “Yes, she and Clay live just a few doors away. She loves costumes.”

  “What about other collectible pieces? The other day, we saw Marian give you something small. Was it a Young Canadian pin, by any chance?” asked Jessie.

  Mr. Sutton gave her a sharp look. “Marian said you’re looking for that missing pin and seem to think she had something to do with it. I can assure you, she doesn’t. I do think that pin should be in the museum, but I wouldn’t take it.”

  He put his bag over his shoulder and got up to leave.

  They watched him go.

  “I don’t think he liked being questioned like that,” Henry said.

  “What should we do now?” Jessie asked.

  “I don’t know what to do about the mystery,” said Henry, “but we should really find Aunt Judy and Daisy and tell them how much we enjoyed their show!”

  CHAPTER 8

  A Good Catch

  Back in the dressing room, the mood was festive. Everyone seemed pleased to have Aunt Judy sing in the show. Young Canadians gathered around her to hear stories of her time in their shoes. Daisy’s cheeks were pink and her eyes were shiny.

  Henry noticed that Clay had changed into a T-shirt and shorts. He was sitting at the makeup counter, though the bright lights around the mirrors were off, and it was a bit dark on that side of the room. The counter was covered with bouquets of roses and other flowers sent to congratulate the performers. Marian was nearby putting the bouquets in vases.

  Clay seemed to be the only person in the room who was not happy.

  “I think that’s because he dropped the wagon wheel,” whispered Benny. “I’m going to cheer him up.” He and Henry approached Clay.

  “I like how you caught that wheel before anyone noticed,” Benny said.

  “You noticed,” Clay said glumly.

  “But you caught it so quickly. My grandfather says that takes lots of practice,” Benny replied.

  “Your grandfather says it takes lots of practice to drop a wheel?” Clay asked.

  “No, it takes lots of practice to make a mistake and fix it before anyone can notice,” Henry said.

  Henry noticed that Marian, who had been listening nearby, looked startled when he said that. For a moment she even looked at Henry.

  “Is something wrong?” Henry asked her.

  “Nothing,” she said quickly. She grabbed a broom leaning against the wall and began to sweep the floor. She kept her face down and didn’t look at them again.

  Clay picked up his performing shirt from where he’d tossed it on the counter. He fingered the pin on his shirt and looked dismayed. “I really thought this pin would bring me good luck,” he said.

  “Good luck doesn’t come from a thing like that,” said Daisy, overhearing the conversation. It comes from all our hard work. I think my aunt was right after all.”

  Clay undid the pin and looked at it closely as if it could tell him a secret. At last he placed it on the counter and got up and left the room.

  Henry picked up the pin for a closer look. He turned it over to see if it might have been engraved. He didn’t see anything suspicious, but the pin did feel a bit scratched under his fingertips.

  His sisters came closer and Benny hovered at his elbows eager for a look.

  “What do you think?” Henry asked.

  Each of them took a turn inspecting the pin. Violet pointed to some marks on the back. “It looks as if someone dropped it on the sidewalk and stepped on it,” she said.

  “Or could it have been engraved and then scratched off?” Jessie held the pin up to her eyes and turned toward the light in the room.

  “Quick,” said Benny, hearing the bathroom door open and close down the hall. “I think Clay’s coming back.”

  But it was Little Clay who entered the dressing room with her shy smile. “What are you doing?” she asked.

  Just then Jessie had an idea. “Little Clay, do you know how long Clay has had this pin?” sh
e asked.

  “Weeks and weeks and weeks and weeks,” Little Clay answered.

  “Are you sure?” asked Henry. That would mean the pin couldn’t possibly be Daisy’s.

  “Of course I’m sure,” Little Clay said. “I gave it back to him, because he needs some luck. Did you see him drop that wagon wheel?”

  Clay was suddenly behind her. “What are you saying?” he asked in a really grouchy voice.

  “I’m just talking about that wagon wheel…” his little sister started to say.

  “See?” said Clay, turning to Benny. “It wasn’t just you who saw it. Everyone saw my mistake. Even my little sister.”

  Little Clay looked dismayed at first, but slowly a smile grew on her face. She leaned toward her brother and whispered something in his ear.

  His face went from grumpy to a half smile. Then it stretched to a full smile. He gave a chuckle. “I’d forgotten how you make me laugh sometimes,” he told Little Clay.

  “You have been pretty grouchy lately,” she said, not whispering anymore.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. It sounded as if he really meant it.

  “I get it,” said Little Clay. “I know what it’s like to be scared to get up in front of people and sing and dance.”

  “I think you should have the pin!” said Big Clay.

  “No,” said Little Clay. “I don’t need it. I already have—”

  Crash!

  Marian had been sweeping the broom around Clay and his little sister and under the makeup counter. Now she’d accidentally bumped one of the vases of flowers off the counter and it had come tumbling down. Water and flowers and pieces of the ceramic vase were all over the floor. “Oh no!” she cried.

  The other performers rushed in to help, and Jessie gave Marian a hug.

  “It’s only an old vase,” one of the performers said. “Nothing to be bothered about.” The floor was clean in minutes.

  Before long all the Young Canadians were out of costume and ready to go home. They drifted out in groups, and soon just the Aldens, Daisy, Clay, and Little Clay were left.

  “So what did Little Clay whisper to you?” Jessie asked Clay.