CHAPTER 11 _JAY FRANKLIN'S TRICKERY_
"Morning, Dad," Penny greeted her father as she slid into a vacant chairat the breakfast table. "What's news and why?"
"No news." Mr. Parker lowered his paper, and folding it, devoted himselfto a plate of bacon and eggs.
"Just fourteen pages of well-set type, I suppose. Isn't there anythingabout that big stone Lou and I found at the Marborough place?"
"Not a line. I told you the _Star_ would play that yarn down."
"Why are you so convinced it's all a hoax?" Penny demanded, reachingacross the table for the coffee percolator.
"Must I give you a diagram?" the publisher asked wearily. "After you'vebeen in the newspaper business as long as I have, you don't need reasons.You sense things."
"Just like a bloodhound!" Penny teased. "How about the other papers?Aren't they carrying the story either?"
"They are," Mr. Parker admitted a bit grimly. "The _News_ used a halfpage of pictures today and went for the story in a big way."
"I may subscribe to a rival paper just to keep posted on the latestdevelopments," Penny teased.
"Nothing really new has come out. Jay Franklin is trying to sell theMarborough stone to the museum at a fancy price, and the institutionofficials are seriously considering his proposition."
"Then, in their opinion the stone is an authentic one?"
"Experts have been known to be wrong," Mr. Parker insisted. "I claim noknowledge of ancient writing, but I do have common sense. For the timebeing, at least, I shall continue to play down the story."
Penny finished breakfast, and before starting to school, telephoned JayFranklin. Relaying Mrs. Marborough's message, she requested him to visitthe old lady as soon as it was convenient. Somewhat to her surprise hepromised that he would call at Rose Acres that afternoon.
During school, Penny kept thinking about the Marborough stone and herfather's theory that the writing and symbols it bore were fakes. Itoccurred to her that Truman Crocker's opinion might be interesting forthe old man had worked with rocks his entire life.
"Let's hike out to his shack this afternoon," she impulsively proposed toLouise Sidell.
"All right," her chum agreed. "Why not invite Rhoda too? She might enjoyaccompanying us."
Upon being approached, the trailer camp girl immediately accepted theinvitation. Since the last meeting of the Palette Club nearly all of thestudents had been very kind to her, but she seemed rather indifferent toeveryone save Louise and Penny.
As the three girls trudged along the dusty road en-route to the rivershack, Rhoda spoke of Mr. Coaten and his friend who still remained inRiverview.
"They've taken a room at the Riverview Hotel," she told Penny and Louise."Perhaps I am too suspicious, but I don't trust them. Mr. Coaten neverwould seem like a father to me."
"Is he married?" Louise questioned curiously.
"His wife remained in Dallas. The Coatens have two children of their own.I can't understand why they should be so eager to adopt twomore--penniless at that."
"What will you do?" Louise inquired.
"I don't know. Ted and I are deadlocked. He favors the adoption, but I amagainst it."
"I think you are wise to be cautious--and my advice is 'stand firm,'"Penny declared promptly. "The Breens were kind enough to take you in whenyou had no friends, so why not stay on with them?"
"That's the trouble," Rhoda confessed. "They haven't much money, youknow, and Mr. Coaten has offered to give them a hundred dollars if theymake no objection to the adoption."
"Buying them off?" Penny commented.
"In a way, yes. But why should Mr. Coaten be so interested in adoptingTed and me? We'll certainly be a financial liability."
The problem was such a perplexing one that neither Penny nor Louise couldoffer any convincing answer. Considering everything Rhoda had told themit appeared that Mr. Coaten must be motivated entirely by generosity.Yet, it seemed odd that if he were an old family friend he had notinterested himself in their case at the time of Mr. Wiegand's death.
Choosing a trail which led along the river, the girls soon came to TrumanCrocker's shack. It was a long, one-story frame building which served thedual purpose of dwelling and shop. The door of the workroom stood ajar,and the stonecutter could be seen grinding a granite block.
"Good afternoon," Penny said in a loud voice to make herself heard.
The stonecutter jumped from surprise and switched off a running motor.
"You scared me out of a year's growth," he grinned. "Well, what can I dofor you?"
"Not much of anything," Penny responded, glancing with interest about thecluttered workshop. "We were just out for a walk and thought we wouldstop in for a few minutes."
Her attention drawn to a large rock which had been covered with wetsacking, she crossed the room to examine it. Iron filings had beensprinkled on the covering, and she knew that they must have a specialpurpose.
"What is this for?" she inquired curiously.
"Oh, I'm removing discoloration from a stone," Mr. Crocker answered."Don't touch the sacking. Leave it alone."
"What do you do with the rock after you finish working on it?" Louiseasked, crossing the room to stand beside Penny.
"I sell it," Mr. Crocker returned briefly. "I have work to do, and I'mwaiting to get at it."
"Oh, we didn't mean to interrupt you," Penny apologized. "The truth is,we came here to ask you about that stone you hauled for Jay Franklin. Doyou think the writing on it is genuine?"
"Sure it is. Anyone who knows anything about stones could tell it hadbeen lying in the ground for years."
"The aging couldn't have been faked?"
"Say, what is this?" Crocker demanded, scowling. "What are you trying toget at?"
"My father, who publishes the _Star_, believes that someone may beperpetrating a hoax."
"A what?" Crocker asked, puzzled by the word.
"A joke. He thinks that some _clever_ person may have faked the writingon the two stones."
"Well, I didn't have nothing to do with it," Truman Crocker declared, histone unpleasant. "I hauled the rock for Jay Franklin and that's all Iknow about it. Now go away and don't pester me."
"We're the same as absent right now," Penny laughed, retreating to thedoorway. "Thanks for your splendid cooperation."
"What's that?"
"Never mind, you wouldn't understand," Penny replied. "Goodbye."
A safe distance from the shack, the three girls expressed their opinionof the old stonecutter's manners.
"He acted as if we were suspicious of him," Louise declared. "Such asimple fellow!"
"It never once entered my head that Crocker could have any connectionwith the hoax, assuming that the writing isn't genuine," Penny said. "Butnow that I think of it, why wouldn't he be a logical person to do such atrick?"
"He's far too stupid," Louise maintained. "Why, I doubt that he ever wentthrough eighth grade in school. Likely he never even heard of Elizabethanwriting."
"All true," Penny conceded, "but couldn't someone have employed him? Ifhe were told to carve a rock in such and such a manner, I'm sure he couldcarry out instructions perfectly. He knows more about such work thananyone in this community."
"Oh, Penny, you're quite hopeless!" Louise laughed. "Just let anyonerebuff you, and immediately you try to pin a crime on him!"
"I'm not accusing Truman Crocker of anything--at least not yet. All thesame, those two stones were found quite close to his shack. The Gleasonfarm isn't more than three-quarters of a mile away."
"Why should Mr. Crocker be interested in playing such a joke?" Rhodainquired dubiously. "Or for that matter, any other person?"
"I can't figure it out," Penny acknowledged. "If the stones are fakes,one would judge them to be the creation of a rather brilliant practicaljoker."
"Are you sure you didn't do it yourself?" Louise asked teasingly. "Afterall, you were the one who found the
second stone, so that throwssuspicion on you!"
Penny allowed the subject to die. With a quick change of interest, shesuggested to her companions that they return to Riverview by way of theMarborough place.
"Don't you think we're showing ourselves there too frequently," Louiseprotested mildly. "There's such a thing as wearing out one's welcome."
"Oh, we needn't try to break into the house." Penny grinned. "But if wedon't go there, we'll never learn any more about the mystery."
Louise and Rhoda were not particularly eager to climb the hill. However,to oblige Penny they offered no objection to her proposal.
Approaching the Marborough property five minutes later, the girls werestartled to hear loud, angry voices. The sound came from the direction ofthe old wishing well.
"Someone is having a fearful argument!" Penny declared, quickening herstep.
As the three friends emerged into the clearing they saw Mrs. Marboroughand Jay Franklin sitting together on a garden bench. The widow wasspeaking in a high-pitched voice, reprimanding the caller for havingmisled her regarding the record stone found on her land.
"She's giving it to him right, and I'm glad!" Penny chuckled.
"Let's not go any closer," Louise murmured, holding back.
Penny stared at her chum in blank amazement. "Not go closer?" shedemanded. "Why, this is why we came! I thought Mr. Franklin might behere, and I want to hear what he has to say for himself."
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