The Secret Pact Part 19

"Shall I call the police?" prodded Penny. She gave him a severe glance.

"No, don't do that," the man pleaded, finding his voice. "Don't call the police. I'll go. I won't bother you any more."

"Why have you been hiding in the building?"

"Because I have no other place to sleep, Miss. The cops chase you off the park benches."

Penny was surprised by the man's speech which belied his disreputable garments. His tone was well modulated, his manner respectful.

"You've been living in this building a long while?" she asked curiously.

"Maybe six months. I sleep down in the furnace room. I didn't do any harm."

"You're hungry, aren't you?" Penny inquired, less severely.

"Yes, I am, Miss. Lately I haven't been eating any too often."

"You may finish the lunch," said Penny. "And there's a thermos bottle of coffee under the counter."

"Thank you, Miss, thank you. I surely am obliged."

With a hand which trembled, the man poured himself a cup of the steaming beverage.

"You haven't told me your name," said Penny after a moment.

"Folks just call me Horney. Old Horney."

"What is your real name?"

"Mark Horning," the man answered reluctantly.

"I'm curious to learn how you've been getting in and out of the building."

"With a key." Old Horney devoured the last bite of sandwich, and poured himself a second cup of coffee.

"A skeleton key, you mean?" Penny asked in surprise.

"No, Miss. I have my own key. In the old days I used to work here."

"You're a former _Press_ employee?"

"Sure, I know it's hard to believe," Old Horney replied, "but when a fellow's out of a job and money, it doesn't take long to go to seed. I lost my place when Judson closed down."

"And you've been unable to find other work?"

"In the past nine months I've worked exactly six days. No one hires an old fellow any more. If I could have kept on with Judson three more years I'd have been due for my pension."

"What work did you do on the paper?" asked Penny with growing interest.

"I was a pressman."

Penny shot Louise a glance which was almost triumphant. Her voice when she spoke held an undertone of excitement.

"Horney," she said, "it's barely possible I may be able to find some sort of work for you later on. Do you mind writing your name on this paper?"

The old man took the sheet she handed him, without hesitation scrawling his name, _Mark Horning_.

Penny studied the writing a moment. To her relief it bore not the slightest resemblance to the warning message left on her desk the previous night.

"Horney," she questioned, "did you ever try to frighten me away from this building?"

"Oh, no, Miss," he replied. "Once I tiptoed up to your office. When I saw you were working there, I slipped down to the bas.e.m.e.nt again."

"Did you ever place a note on my desk?"

"I never did."

Penny was satisfied that Horney had told the truth. Yet if he were not the culprit she was unable to guess who had warned her to abandon the plant.

"Horney, I've decided that we need a watchman around this place," she said abruptly. "If you want the job, it's yours."

"You're not turning me out?"

"No, you may stay. I can't promise much of a salary, but at least you'll have a place to sleep and enough food."

"You're mighty kind," Horney mumbled gratefully. "Mighty kind." He hesitated and then added: "I promise you won't be sorry you did it, Miss.

Maybe you'll find I can be of some real use around this plant. I'm at your service and what's more, I'm for you one hundred per cent."

CHAPTER 13 _PAPER PROBLEMS_

The next afternoon Penny and Louise arrived at the _Weekly Times_ to find that the entire lower floor had been cleaned and swept. Old Horney was discovered in the composing room, stirring up a great cloud of dust with a stub of a broom.

"I was just cleaning the place up a bit," he said apologetically. "Hope you don't mind."

"Mind?" laughed Penny. "I'm delighted. Our staff of janitors has lost interest here of late."

"I set a little type for you last night, too."

"Why, Horney! I didn't know you were a linotype operator."

"I'm not," answered the old man, "but I can learn most anything if I set my mind to it. If you have any jobs you want done just turn them over to me."

"Horney," said Penny soberly, "more than anything else I would like to publish the _Weekly_ in my own plant. The obstacles seem almost too great to overcome; do you think it could be accomplished?"

"Why, sure," said Horney. "If I had some tools and a little to do with I could get the presses ready in a day."