salt acted instinctively. leaping over the wire barrier he dived into the bushes. hurling himself upon the man who crouched there, he pinned him to the ground. the fellow gave a choked cry and tried to pull free.
“oh, no, you don’t,” salt muttered, coolly sitting down on his stomach. “snooping, eh?”
“you let me up!” the man cried savagely. “let me up, i say!”
“i’ll let you up when you explain what you were doing here.”
“why, you impudent young pup!” the man spluttered. “you’re the one who will explain. i am mrs. kippenberg’s head gardener.”
salt’s hand fell from the old man’s collar and he apologetically helped him to his feet. penny, who had reached the scene, stooped down and recovered a trowel which had slipped from the gardener’s grasp.
[36]
“it was just a little mistake on my part,” salt mumbled. “i hope i didn’t hurt you.”
“no fault of yours you didn’t,” the old man snapped. “a fine howdydo when a person can’t even loosen earth around a shrub without being assaulted by a ruffian!”
the gardener was a short, stout man with graying hair. he wore coarse garments, a loose fitting pair of trousers, a dark shirt and battered felt hat. but penny noticed that his hands and fingernails were clean and there were no trowel marks around any of the shrubs.
“salt isn’t exactly a ruffian,” she said as the photographer offered no defense. “after all, from where we stood it looked exactly as if you were hiding in the bushes.”
“then you both need glasses,” the man retorted rudely. “a person can’t work without getting down on his hands and knees.”
“where were you digging?” penny asked innocently.
“i was just starting in when this young upstart leaped on my back!”
“sorry,” said salt, “but i thought you were trying to get away.”
“who are you anyway?” the gardener demanded bluntly. “you’re not guests. i can tell that.”
[37]
“you have a very discerning eye,” replied salt smoothly. “we’re from the riverview star.”
“reporters, eh?” the old man scowled unpleasantly. “then you’ve no business being here at all. you’re not wanted, so get out!”
“we’re only after a few facts about the wedding,” penny said. “perhaps you would be willing to tell me—”
“i’ll tell you nothing, miss! if anything is given out to the papers it will have to come from mrs. kippenberg.”
“fair enough,” salt acknowledged. he glanced curiously down the path which had been blocked off. “what’s down there?”
“nothing.” the gardener spoke irritably. “this part of the estate hasn’t been fixed up. that’s why it’s closed.”
penny had bent down, pretending to examine a shrub at the edge of the path.
“what is the name of this bush?” she inquired casually.
“an azalea,” the gardener replied after a slight hesitation. “now get out of here, will you? i have my work to do.”
“oh, all right,” salt rejoined as he and penny moved away. “no need to get so tough.”
[38]
they stepped over the barrier wire and retraced their way toward the house. several times penny glanced back but she could not see the old man. he had slipped away somewhere among the trees.
“i don’t believe that fellow was a gardener,” she said suddenly.
“what makes you think not?”
“didn’t you notice his nice clean hands and fingernails? and then when i asked him the name of that bush he hesitated and called it an azalea. i saw another long botanical name attached to it.”
“maybe he just made a mistake, or said the first thing that came into his head. he wanted to get rid of us.”
“i know he did,” nodded penny. “yet, when he found out we were from the star he didn’t threaten to report us to mrs. kippenberg.”
“that’s so.”
“he was afraid to report us,” penny went on with conviction. “i’ll bet a cent he has no more right here than we have.”
salt had lost all interest in the gardener. he glanced at his watch and quickened his step.
“is it two o’clock yet?” penny asked anxiously.
“just. after all the trouble we’ve had getting here we can’t afford to miss the big show.”
emerging from the grove, salt and penny were relieved to see that the ceremony had not yet started. the guests were gathered in the garden, the minister stood waiting, musicians were in their places, but the bridal party had not appeared.
[39]
“we’re just in time,” salt remarked.
penny observed mrs. kippenberg talking with one of the ushers. even from a distance it was apparent that the woman had lost her poise. her hands fluttered nervously as she conferred with the young man and a worried frown puckered her eyebrows.
“something seems to be wrong,” said penny. “i wonder what is causing the delay?”
before salt could reply, the usher crossed the lawn, and came directly toward them. penny and salt instantly were on guard, thinking that he had been sent by mrs. kippenberg to eject them from the grounds. but although the young man paused, he did not look squarely at them.
“have you seen mr. atherwald anywhere?” he questioned.
“the bridegroom?” salt asked in astonishment. “what’s the matter? is he missing?”
“oh, no, sir,” the young man returned stiffly. “certainly not. he merely went away for a moment.”
“mr. atherwald came over on the same boat with us,” penny volunteered.
“and did you see him enter the house?”
“no, he spoke to one of the servants and then went toward the garden.”
“did you notice which path he took?”
[40]
“i believe it was this one.”
“we’ve just come from down by the river,” added salt. “we didn’t see him there. the only person we met was an old gardener.”
the usher thanked them for the information and hurried on. when the man was beyond hearing, salt turned to penny, saying jubilantly:
“say, maybe we’ll get a big story after all! sylvia kippenberg jilted at the altar! hot stuff!”
“aren’t you jumping to swift conclusions, salt? he must be around here somewhere.”
“it’s always serious business when a man is late for his wedding. even if he does show up, daughter sylvia may take offense and call the whole thing off.”
“oh, you’re too hopeful,” penny laughed. “he’ll probably be here in another minute. i don’t believe he would have come at all if he had intended to slip away.”
“he may have lost his nerve at the last minute,” salt insisted.
“atherwald did act strangely on the boat,” penny said reflectively. “and then that message he received—”
“he may have sent it to himself.”
“as an excuse for getting away?”
“why not?”
[41]
“i can’t see any reason for going to so much unnecessary trouble,” penny argued. “if he intended to jilt miss kippenberg how much easier it would have been not to come here at all.”
“well, let’s see what we can learn,” salt suggested.
their interest steadily mounting, they went on toward the house and stationed themselves where they could see advantageously. it was evident by this time that the guests suspected something had gone amiss. significant glances were exchanged, a few persons looked at their watches, and all eyes focused upon mrs. kippenberg who tried desperately to carry off an embarrassing situation.
minutes passed. the crowd became increasingly restless. finally, the usher returned and spoke quietly to mrs. kippenberg. they both retired to the house.
“it looks as if there will be no wedding today,” salt declared. “atherwald hasn’t been located.”
“i won’t dare use the story unless i’m absolutely certain of my facts,” penny said anxiously.
“we’ll get them, never fear.”
mrs. kippenberg and the usher had stepped into the breakfast room. posting penny at the outside door, salt followed the couple. from the hallway he could hear their conversation distinctly.
“but he must be somewhere on the grounds,” the matron argued.
[42]
“i can’t understand it myself,” the young man replied. “grant’s disappearance is very mysterious to say the least. several persons saw him arrive here and everything seemed to be all right.”
“what time is it now?”
“two thirty-five, mrs. kippenberg.”
“so late? oh, this is dreadful! how can i face them?”
“i know just how you feel,” the young man said with sympathy. “if you wish i will explain to the guests.”
“no, no, this will disgrace us,” mrs. kippenberg murmured. “wait until i have talked with sylvia.”
she turned suddenly and reached the hall door before salt could escape. her eyes blazed with wrath as she faced him.
“so here you are!” she cried furiously. “how dare you disregard my orders? i will have no reporters on the grounds!”
“i’m only a photographer,” salt said meekly enough. “sorry to intrude but i’ve been assigned to get a picture of the bride. it won’t take a minute—”
“indeed it won’t,” mrs. kippenberg broke in, her voice rising higher. “you’ll take no pictures here. not one! now get out.”
“a picture might be better than a story that the bridegroom had skipped out,” salt said persuasively.
[43]
“why, you—you!” mrs. kippenberg’s face became fiery red. she choked as she tried to speak. “get out, i say!”
salt did not retreat. instead he took his camera from his pocket.
“just one picture, mrs. kippenberg. at least of you.”
realizing that the photographer meant to take it whether or not she gave permission, the woman suddenly lost all control over her temper.
“don’t you dare!” she cried furiously. “don’t you dare!”
whirling about, she seized an empty plate from the tall stack on the serving table.
“hold that pose!” chortled salt, goading her on.
the woman hurled the plate straight at him. salt gleefully snapped a picture and dodged. the plate crashed into the wall behind him, splintering into a half dozen pieces.
“swell action picture!” he grinned.
“don’t you dare try to use it!” screamed mrs. kippenberg. “i’ll telephone your editor! i’ll have you discharged!”
“see here,” offered the usher, taking out his wallet. “i’ll give you ten dollars for that picture.”
salt shook his head, still smiling broadly.
the sound of the crash had brought servants running to the scene.
“have this person ejected from the grounds,” mrs. kippenberg ordered harshly. “and see that he doesn’t get back.”
just outside the house, penny huddled against the wall, trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible. she had heard everything. as salt backed out the door he did not glance at her but he muttered for her ears alone:
“you’re on your own now, kid. i’ll be waiting at the drawbridge.”
an instant later two servants seized him roughly by the arms and escorted him down the walk to the boat landing.
