The Secret Pact Part 18

"Yes, I remember now," admitted Pauletta coldly. "You were with another girl."

"And you were accompanied by a young man."

"A friend of mine."

"This may be something of a shock," said Penny, "but my chum and I saw you drop a bundle containing a wig into the river."

"Oh!"

"The bundle caught fast and I fished it out."

"You have no proof it was mine! You--you won't tell Father?"

"Not if you can offer a good reason why I shouldn't."

"There are any number of them. You mustn't tell my father! That's why I pretended not to know you."

"I certainly wish you would explain. Tillie Fellows was robbed that night."

"Who is Tillie Fellows?"

"One of the excursionists. Her pocketbook was taken shortly before the boat docked."

"You can't believe I had anything to do with it!"

"I don't wish to think so, but your actions were very strange."

"I can explain everything," Pauletta said hurriedly. "My reason for wearing a disguise was a simple one. I didn't care to have anyone on the boat recognize me."

"Why, may I ask?"

Before Pauletta could answer, Mr. Judson came around the corner of the house.

"Please say nothing about it to Father," the young woman pleaded in a whisper. "I'll explain everything later."

Penny nodded, and for Mr. Judson's benefit, offered a few remarks about the roses.

"We once had a beautiful garden," commented Pauletta. "Now it's in ruin, the same as the yard. Father doesn't look after the place as he should."

"The grounds are large," replied Mr. Judson mildly.

"You shouldn't try to do the work yourself," Pauletta protested. "It was foolish of you to let the gardener go."

Penny felt increasingly ill at ease. As they wandered about the grounds, Pauletta kept making disparaging remarks, thoughtless comments which wounded her father. However, he offered no reb.u.t.tal, nor did he reprove his daughter.

"I really must be going," said Penny at last. "It's getting very dark."

Mr. Judson walked with her to the car, closing the gate after she had driven from the grounds. He stood there a moment, the wind rumpling his gray hair. Then he raised his hand in friendly salute and turned toward the house.

"Poor Mr. Judson," she thought. "So discouraged and yet so gallant! How can Pauletta be completely blind to his suffering? Doesn't she realize?"

Penny did not regret having kept the young woman's secret, for she felt that the revelation of their meeting would only add to Mr. Judson's troubles. Pauletta represented his entire life, and if it developed that she had acted unbecomingly, the shock might be a severe one.

"I can't believe that Pauletta would steal," she told herself. "She must have had another reason for wearing the disguise."

Penny was satisfied that if Mr. Judson had not interrupted, the young woman would have explained her puzzling actions. Therefore, she was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. She made up her mind that she would return as soon as she could to talk privately with Pauletta.

The Parker house was dark and deserted when Penny let herself in with a key. Her father had not expected her home so early and, disliking an empty house, had remained away. There was no telling where he had gone.

After preparing a belated dinner for herself, Penny spent an hour with her studies. However, her mind kept reverting to the events of the day. A great deal had happened. Her meeting with Peter Fenestra had been interesting. Anchor Joe's mishap worried her, and she remained disturbed by the threatening message left on her desk.

"Could it have been written by a prowler in the building?" she mused.

"Ever since we started the paper I've felt that someone was hiding there.

It may be a scheme to get me away."

Before dropping off to sleep Penny made up her mind that the following night she would set a trap for the intruder. Taking Louise into her confidence, she made careful plans. Preparing a tasty lunch, the girls wrapped and laid it conspicuously on the counter of the downstairs advertising room.

"Now the stage is set," declared Penny. "Louise, you go upstairs to my office and tap on the typewriter. I'll hide here and see what happens."

After Louise had gone, Penny secreted herself in a storage closet not far from the counter. By leaving the door open she could see fairly well in the dark room for street lights cast a reflection through the plate gla.s.s windows.

The minutes stretched into a half hour. Louise's typewriting, at first very energetic, began to slacken in speed. Penny moved restlessly in the cramped quarters. She had not imagined that waiting could be so tedious.

An hour elapsed. Far down the street a clock struck ten times.

With a weary sigh Penny arose from the floor. Inactivity bored her, and she no longer could sit quietly and wait.

As she started from her hiding place, intending to call Louise, a door opened at the west end of the room. Instantly Penny froze against the wall, waiting.

A flashlight beam played across the floor, missing her by a scant two feet.

Penny, her heart beating at a furious rate, remained motionless. She could see the squat, shadowy figure of a man moving toward her. Boards squeaked beneath his weight.

Midway across the room, the man paused, evidently listening to the steady clatter of Louise's typewriter. Satisfied, he went to the window where he stood for several minutes watching street traffic.

As he turned again, the beam of his flashlight swept across the front counter, focusing upon the package of food. The man gave a low exclamation of pleasure. With the swiftness of a cat he darted to it and tore off the paper wrapping.

Penny waited until he was eating greedily. Then stealing along the wall, she groped for the electric light switch. As she pressed it, the room was brilliantly illuminated. At the same instant, the girl gave a shrill whistle, a signal to Louise that the culprit had been trapped.

The man at the counter whirled around, facing Penny with startled dismay.

He was a gaunt, unshaven fellow in his late fifties with s.h.a.ggy hair, and soiled, unpressed clothing.

Before he could retreat, Louise came down the stairway, blocking the exit.

"What are you doing here?" Penny questioned him. "Why did you steal my lunch?"

The man's lips moved nervously but no sound issued from them.