those same questions were pounding through penny’s mind the next morning when she read the first edition of her father’s paper. propped up in bed with pillows, she perused the story as she nibbled at the buttered muffins on her breakfast tray.
“is there anything else you would like?” mrs. weems inquired, hovering near.
“no, i’m quite all right,” smiled penny. “not even a head cold after my ducking. have you heard about jerry?”
“your father said he was doing fine.”
“did he leave any message for me before going to the office?”
“he said he thought you should stay in bed all day.”
“dad would,” penny pouted. “well, i feel just fine. i’m getting up right away.” she heaved aside the bed clothes.
[165]
then, because she couldn’t get the kippenberg case out of her head, she dressed quickly and went downstairs. she was going out the front door when mrs. weems stopped her.
“now where are you going, penny?”
penny’s bright eyes twinkled and she flashed the housekeeper an arch, provocative smile.
“not sure just where i’m going,” she replied, her smooth forehead creasing with thought. “but if dad should get curious, you can tell him he shouldn’t be surprised if he finds me visiting with the kippenbergs.”
“penny! you’re not going there again?”
“why not? i’m after a story for the riverview star and i mean to get it. see you later.”
with a wave of her hand penny walked jauntily off. a few moments later mrs. weems heard the clatter of penny’s leaping lena careening down the street in the direction of corbin. first, however, she called for her chum, louise, who was eager to accompany her on the long ride.
“i won’t be able to stay long, penny,” said louise. “mother wants me to go shopping with her later this afternoon.”
“that’s all right,” responded penny as the old car bolted along the road. “if i get delayed, you can take leaping lena back home, and i’ll follow later on.”
with both girls keeping up a steady run of conversation they soon reached their destination.
[166]
penny wondered if she would be able to enter the kippenberg estate without being challenged by the bridgeman or a servant. her anxiety increased upon approaching the river, for she saw that a large group of persons had gathered by the drawbridge.
no one paid the slightest attention to the two girls as they abandoned the car and proceeded to the water’s edge. penny was pleased to find the youthful boatman at his usual haunt on the river. he rowed the girls across to the estate, promising to await their return.
penny escorted louise through the trees to the kippenberg house. boldly she rang the doorbell which was answered by a butler.
“i should like to speak with mrs. kippenberg,” she requested.
“madam will see no one,” began the man.
footsteps sounded behind him in the hallway and mrs. kippenberg stood in the door.
“so it is you?” she asked in an icy voice. “julius, see that this person is ejected from the grounds.”
“one moment please,” interposed penny. “if i leave now, i warn you that certain facts will be published in the star, facts which will add to your embarrassment.”
“you can print nothing which will humiliate us further.”
[167]
“no? you might like to have me mention the alligator in your lily pool. and the reason why you and your daughter are so anxious to be rid of it before the police ask questions.”
mrs. kippenberg’s plump face flushed a deep red. but for once she managed to keep her temper.
“what do you wish of me?” she asked frigidly.
“first, tell me about that painting, ‘the drawbridge’ which was presented to your daughter as a wedding gift. was it not given to her by your husband?”
“i shall not answer your question.”
“then you prefer that i print my own conclusions?”
“you are an impudent, prying young woman!” mrs. kippenberg stormed. “what if the picture was given to sylvia by her father! is that any crime?”
“certainly not,” said penny soothingly. “it merely proves that you both know the whereabouts of mr. kippenberg.”
“perhaps i do. but i’ll tell you nothing, absolutely nothing!”
“i have a few questions to ask about your new gardener,” penny went on, unmoved. “for instance, why does he wear a wig?”
the door slammed in her face.
“that certainly was a very cold reception,” remarked louise as the girls walked away, the sound of the slamming door still ringing in their ears.
[168]
penny shrugged her shoulders and smiled. “that’s nothing. when you’re a reporter you have to expect those things.” she looked about the deserted estate. “well, i think i’ll do some more sleuthing in the vicinity of the pool.”
louise looked at her wristwatch. “goodness, it’s getting late,” she stated. “i’d like to stay, penny, but i think i’d better be getting home to meet mother.”
“go ahead,” said penny. “you take leaping lena. the boy in the boat will row you across.”
“but how will you get home, then?”
“don’t worry about me. i’ll find a way. you just go on. i only hope the old bus holds up all the way home.”
louise laughed and then the two girls walked to the boat dock. in a few moments the boy in the rowboat appeared and took louise across. afterward, penny turned back through the trees and went on to the forbidden part of the estate.
she spent a long time about the pool, examining the earth all about it, but she failed to learn anything new. finally, she retraced her steps to the river. she expected to find the boy waiting for her, but he had disappeared. she walked through the trees to the boat dock and stood there until the old watchman on the other side observed her predicament.
[169]
he obligingly lowered the drawbridge and she crossed the river, pausing at the gear house to chat with him.
penny listened without comment to his story of the automobile accident. thorny had his own version of how it had occurred and she did not correct any of the details.
“i wish i had a way to get into corbin,” she remarked when he had finished his lengthy account.
“if you walk down to the main road you kin catch the county bus,” he told her. “it runs every hour.”
a long hike along a dusty highway, an equally tedious wait at a crossroad, and finally penny arrived in corbin. she went directly to the colonial hotel, placing a telephone call to her father’s office.
“what are you doing in corbin, penny?” her father demanded as he recognized her voice.
penny answered him eagerly. “i’ve made an important discovery which may blow your case higher than a kite. no, i can’t tell you anything over the telephone. the reason i am calling is that i may need help. is jerry still in the hospital?”
“he never was there,” responded her father. “i couldn’t make him go. he and salt are out on the river looking for the men who cracked him over the head. i expect they’ll call in any time now.”
“if you do get in touch with jerry, ask him to meet me at the colonial hotel,” urged penny. “i have a hunch the big story is about to break. in any event i’ll need a ride home.”
there was a great deal more to the conversation, with mr. parker delivering a long lecture upon the proper deportment for a daughter. penny closed her ears, murmuring at regular intervals, “yes, dad,” and finally went back to her post in the lobby.
