The Mystery of the 99 Steps by Carolyn G. Keene Page B

him.”
    George wrinkled her brow. “Joan finally did succeed in getting the king to Reims, didn’t she?”
    “Oh, yes,” said Nancy. “Charles gave her a sword and banner and troops. In 1429 she rode into Orléans and freed the city from the English. Then the king was crowned.”
    “Unfortunately,” Bess added, “she was captured a short time later and burned at the stake for heresy!”
    “And you know,” Nancy concluded, “twenty-four years after Joan’s death at Rouen she was declared innocent. Now she’s a saint!”
    The girls became silent, thinking about the brave peasant girl and viewing the lovely countryside of the Loire valley. The soil was rich and the air sweet with mingled scents of fruit and flowers.
    Later, as Nancy pulled into the city of Orléans, Bess requested that they go directly to the famous old square called La Place Ville Martroi, where a statue of Jeanne d’Arc on horseback graced the center. Nancy parked on a side street, and the girls went to gaze at the figure in armor high on a large pedestal.
    At that moment the girls heard music. “That’s a marching tune,” said George. “Wonder what’s up.”
    A crowd had begun to gather in the square. Speaking in French, Nancy asked the man standing beside her the reason for the music. He said a small parade was on its way. Soon the square was filled with onlookers.
    Again Nancy spoke to the man. “Pardon, monsieur, but do you happen to know a schoolmaster in town named Louis Aubert? I should like to find him.”
    He nodded. “Mais oui, Monsieur Aubert is the bandleader in the parade.”
    Nancy and her friends could have jumped in excitement. In a few moments the schoolmaster suspect would appear!
    As the music came closer, the girls strained their eyes to see the beginning of the parade. Suddenly a small boy standing near Nancy found he was too short to see the parade. He jumped over the flowers and onto a section of bench that surrounded the base of St. Joan’s statue. Like a monkey he clambered up the pedestal.
    “Oh, that’s dangerous!” Bess cried out. “He’ll fall!”
    The boy was just pulling himself to the top of the pedestal when Nancy saw one of his hands slip. Instantly she jumped onto the bench. “Hold on!” she called to the boy.
    The lad clawed wildly at the pedestal, but lost his grip. With a cry he dropped into Nancy’s outstretched arms. The shock knocked the two into the flower bed. Neither was hurt.
    “Merci, mademoiselle,” the boy murmured, as they got to their feet.
    By this time the crowd had begun to cheer. Nancy was embarrassed, particularly when the boy’s mother rushed up and threw her arms around Nancy. In voluble French she expressed her thanks over and over again.
    Nancy smiled, freed herself gently, and made her way back to Bess and George.
    “Great rescue, Nancy,” said George. “But in all the excitement we missed seeing the beginning of the parade. The band has gone down another street.”
    Dismayed, Nancy’s instinct was to run after the band and try to spot the leader. But that was impossible. Several policemen had appeared and re fused to let the bystanders move about until the entire parade had passed.

    The shock knocked them into the flower bed
    “It’s a shame!” George declared. “Maybe we can catch up with Louis Aubert somewhere else.”
    Nancy sighed. “I hope so.”
    The man to whom Nancy had talked earlier turned to her and said, “Pardon, mademoiselle, I see you have missed your friend. Would it help for you to speak to Madame Aubert?”
    “Oh, yes!” Nancy replied.
    “She is standing in that doorway across the square.”
    Nancy caught a glimpse of the woman as the marchers went by. But by the time the square was clear and the girls could cross, Madame Aubert had vanished.
    “We’ve had so many disappointments today,” Bess said wistfully, “something good is bound to happen soon.”
    Nancy urged that they try to catch up with the band. The trio ran after the