“You did very well, but you weren’t known then. It will be a different matter today since we antagonized the family by using the story. I’ll suggest that Jerry Livingston be assigned to it.”
“With Penny as first assistant?”
Mr. Parker smiled and shook his head. “This isn’t your type of story. Now if you would like to cover a lecture at the Women’s Club—”
“Or a nice peppy meeting of the Ladies Sewing Circle,” Penny finished ironically. “Thank you, no.”
“I am sure you wouldn’t have a chance of getting into the estate,” her father said lamely. “We must have good coverage.”
“What does Jerry have that I haven’t got?” Penny demanded in an aggrieved voice.
“Eight years of experience for one thing.”
“But I really should go out there,” Penny insisted. “I ought to show Miss Kippenberg the ring I found.”
“The ring might provide an entry,” Mr. Parker admitted thoughtfully. “I’ll tell you, why don’t you telephone long distance?”
“And if I’m able to make an appointment, may I help Jerry cover the story?”
“All right,” agreed Mr. Parker. “If Sylvia Kippenberg talks with you we’ll be able to use anything she says.”
“I’m the same as on my way to the estate now, Dad.”
With a triumphant laugh, Penny left the breakfast table and hastened to the telephone.
“Long distance,” she said into the transmitter. “The Kippenberg estate at Corbin, please.”
She hovered anxiously near the telephone while she waited for the connection to be made. Ten minutes elapsed before the bell jingled several times. Eagerly, she jerked down the receiver. She could hear a faint, far-away voice saying, “hello.”
“May I speak with Sylvia Kippenberg?” Penny requested.
“Who is this, please?”
“Miss Parker at Riverview.”
“Miss Kippenberg is not at home,” came the stiff response.
“Then let me speak with Mrs. Kippenberg,” Penny said quickly. “I have something very important to tell her. Yesterday when I was at the estate I found a ring—”
The receiver had clicked at the other end of the line. The connection was broken.
CHAPTER 9
A SOCIETY BAZAAR
“You see, Penny,” said Mr. Parker sympathetically,“wealthy people have a way of being inaccessible to the press. They surround themselves with servants who have been trained to allow no invasion of their privacy. They erect barriers which aren’t easily broken down.”
“If only I could have reached Miss Kippenberg I feel sure she would have wished to learn about the ring,” returned Penny. “Oh, well, let Jerry cover the story. I’ve lost interest.”
All that morning the girl went about the house in a mood of deep depression. She felt completely out of sorts and would scowl at her own reflection whenever she passed a mirror. Nothing seemed to go right.
“I declare, I wish you would forget that silly wedding,”Mrs. Weems said wearily. “Why don’t you try working out your resentment on a tennis ball?”
“Not a bad idea,” admitted Penny. “Only I have no partner. Louise is going away somewhere today to a charity bazaar.”
“Here in Riverview?” inquired Mrs. Weems with interest.
“No, it’s to be held at Andover, twenty miles from Corbin. Louise is going with an aunt of hers. She invited me several days ago, but I didn’t think it would be any fun.”
“You might enjoy it. Why don’t you go?”
“I wonder if it isn’t too late?” Penny glanced at the clock.
A telephone call to the Sidell home assured her that she would have ample time to get ready for the trip. She quickly dressed and was waiting when Louise and her aunt, Miss Lucinda Frome, drove up to the door.
“What sort of an affair is it?” Penny inquired as they traveled toward the distant town.
Miss Frome explained that the bazaar was being sponsored by members of the D.A.R. organization and would be held at one of the fashionable clubs of the city. As Miss Frome belonged to the Riverview chapter she and her guests would have an entry.
“I look forward to meeting a number of prominent persons today,” the woman declared. “The Andover chapter has a very exclusive membership.”
Louise winked at Penny, for it was a source of amusement to her that her aunt stood in awe of society personages. Neither she nor her chum suffered from social ambition or a feeling of inferiority.
At Andover, Miss Frome drove the car to the City Club and parked it beside a long row of other automobiles, many of which were under the charge of uniformed chauffeurs.
“Oh, dear,” remarked Miss Frome nervously, “I didn’t realize how shabby my old coupe looks. I do hope no one notices.”
“Now don’t start that, Aunty,” Louise said, taking her by the arm. “Your car is perfectly all right. And so are you.”
They went up the steps of the stone building and mingled with the other women. So many persons were present that the three newcomers attracted no attention. Miss Frome was reassured to see that she was as well dressed as anyone in the room.
Several long tables were covered with various articles offered for sale. Penny and Louise wandered about examining objects which struck their fancy. Miss Frome bought a vase and an imitation ivory elephant, but the girls considered the prices too high for their purses.
Presently, Penny’s gaze was drawn to a young woman who stood behind one of the tables at the far end of the room. She stopped short and stared.
“See someone you know?” inquired Louise.
“Why, that young woman with the dark hair and the lace dress, Louise! She is Sylvia Kippenberg!”
“Really? I must say she has courage to come here today after all that happened!”
The young woman did not realize that she was being subjected to scrutiny. However, she seemed fully aware that she was a general object of curiosity, for her lips were frozen in a set smile and her face was pale despite the rouge on the smooth cheeks.
“I suppose she must be on the bazaar committee,”Louise went on. “But my, if anyone had jilted me, I would not have come here today.”
“Jerry must have missed his interview after all,”Penny murmured, half to herself.
“Jerry?”
“Yes, Dad assigned him to the Kippenberg story. I suppose he drove to Corbin today in the hope of seeing Miss Sylvia.”
“And she may have come here just to escape reporters.”
“For two cents I’d try to interview her myself,”Penny said.
“Do you think she would talk with you?”
“Not if she realizes I am a reporter. But at least I can try.”
“Don’t create a scene whatever you do,” Louise warned uneasily. “Not that I would mind. But Aunt Lucinda would die of mortification.”
“I’ll try to be careful,” Penny promised.
She sauntered forward, gradually working toward the table where the young woman served. Selecting an article at random from the display, she inquired its price.
“Ten dollars,” Miss Kippenberg answered mechanically.
Penny loitered at the table until two elderly women had moved on. She was now alone with Sylvia Kippenberg. She would have no better opportunity to speak with her.
“Miss Kippenberg,” she began.
“Yes?” The young woman really gazed at the girl for the first time. Penny saw that her eyelids were red and swollen from recent tears.
“I should like to talk with you alone, please.”
“Do I know your name?” Miss Kippenberg asked coldly.
“Penny Parker.”
“Parker—Parker,” the young woman repeated and her eyes hardened. “Oh, yes, you are the girl who came to our place yesterday with that photographer! And you telephoned again this morning.”
“Yes,” Penny admitted reluctantly, “but—”
The young woman did not allow her to finish.
&
nbsp; “I’ll not talk with you or any other reporter. You have no right to come here and annoy me.”
“Please, I’m not really a reporter, Miss Kippenberg. I have something to show you.”
Miss Kippenberg had closed her ears to Penny’s words. She turned abruptly and fled in the direction of the powder room.
Penny hesitated, remembering her promise to create no scene. Still, she could not allow Miss Kippenberg to elude her so easily. Determinedly, she followed.
“Please, Miss Kippenberg, you must listen to me,” she pleaded.
Observing that her words had not the slightest effect upon the girl, she suddenly opened her purse and took out the white gold ring. She thrust it in front of Miss Kippenberg.
“I only wish to show you this.”
The young woman stopped short, gazing down at the ring.
“Where did you get it?” she asked in a low tone.
“Then you do recognize it?”
“Of course. Grant showed it to me the night before we were to have been married. Tell me, how did it come into your hands?”
“We can’t talk here.”
Miss Kippenberg glanced quickly about and observing that many eyes were focused upon them, led the girl into the deserted powder room. They sat down on a sofa in a secluded corner.
“I didn’t mean to be so rude before,” Miss Kippenberg apologized. “It was only because I must protect myself from reporters and photographers. You have no idea how I have been annoyed.”
“I do understand,” said Penny, “and I wish to help you. That was why I was so insistent upon talking with you. I think this ring may be a clue to Mr. Atherwald’s disappearance.”
“Then you believe as I do that he did not go away purposely?”
“My theory is that Mr. Atherwald was a victim of a plot. Did he have any known enemies?”
“Oh, no, everyone liked Grant. Tell me about the ring. Who gave it to you?”
“No one. I found it while I was exploring a path on the estate, the trail which is blocked off.”
“You shouldn’t have gone there, but no matter. Just where did you pick up the ring?”
“I found it near the lily pool.”
Miss Kippenberg stared at Penny with expressionless, half-glazed eyes.
“Oh!” she murmured. Her head dropped low, her body sagged and she slumped down on the sofa in a faint.
CHAPTER 10
A THROWN STONE
Penny’s first thought was to call for assistance, but sober reflection made her realize that to do so would likely result in awkward questions. She felt certain Miss Kippenberg had only fainted and would soon revive.
Stretching the young woman full length upon the sofa, the girl ran to the washroom for a glass of water. She dampened a towel and folded it across Miss Kippenberg’s forehead, at the same time rubbing the limp hands and trying to restore circulation. Noticing the white gold ring which had fallen to the floor, she reached down and picked it up.
“Miss Kippenberg must have fainted because of what I told her about the lily pond,” thought Penny. “I should have used more tact.”
She watched the young woman anxiously, fearing that what she had assumed to be an ordinary faint might really be a heart attack. A wave of relief surged over her as Miss Kippenberg stirred slightly. Her long dark eyelashes fluttered open and she stared blankly about her.
“Where am I?” she asked, moistening her dry lips.
“Here, drink this,” Penny urged, offering the glass of water. “You’ll feel much better in a few minutes.”
“Now I remember,” Miss Kippenberg murmured. “You were saying—”
“Don’t think about that now. Just lie still and relax.”
Miss Kippenberg did not try to speak again for some little time. Then, despite Penny’s protests, she raised herself to a sitting position.
“I feel quite all right now,” she insisted. “How stupid of me to faint.”
“I am afraid I was very tactless.”
“On the contrary, our conversation had nothing to do with it.”
“I thought—”
“It was the heat,” Miss Kippenberg insisted. “I had a sunstroke once and since then I can’t bear even an overheated room.”
“But it really isn’t very warm in here,” protested Penny. “I don’t notice it at all.”
“You might not but I am very sensitive to it.”
“Well, I’m glad your faint wasn’t caused by anything I said,” Penny declared, although she continued to regard the young woman dubiously. “I thought you seemed shocked by what I told you about the ring.”
“You were saying that you picked it up near the lily pond?” Miss Kippenberg questioned in a low tone.
“Yes,” replied Penny, watching her closely.
“I wish I knew the exact place.”
“If we could go to your estate together I could show you,” Penny said eagerly.
Miss Kippenberg hesitated in her reply, obviously still prejudiced against the girl because of her connection with the Riverview Star.
“Very well,” she agreed. “Will you please ask that my car be sent to the door?”
“Gladly,” said Penny, trying not to show her jubilance.
Leaving Miss Kippenberg in the powder room she returned to the main hall. Louise separated from the crowd and hurried to meet her.
“Oh, Penny, I saw you go off with Miss Kippenberg,” she began. “Would she talk with you?”
“She did,” answered Penny, “and now I’m going with her to the estate.”
“But Aunt Lucinda expects to start home in a few minutes,” protested Louise. “How long will you be gone?”
“I haven’t the slightest idea. If I’m not back here by the time you are ready to leave don’t wait for me.”
“But how will you get home?”
“Oh, I’ll find a way. The important thing now is to learn everything I can from Miss Kippenberg. She’s in a mood to talk.”
“I’d love to visit the estate,” Louise said wistfully.
“I wish I could take you,” Penny told her sincerely,“but I don’t see how I can this time.”
“Of course not, Penny. It would be very foolish of you to try. You might lose your own chance to gain an exclusive news story.”
“Will you explain to your aunt about my sudden disappearance?”
“Yes, she’ll understand,” Louise replied. “We’ll wait here for you at least an hour.”
Penny left a call for Miss Kippenberg’s car and then went back to the powder room. The young woman walked a bit unsteadily even with aid. However, no one paid attention to them as they crossed the main hall and made their way to the waiting automobile.
With Penny and Miss Kippenberg as passengers the big limousine rolled away from the clubhouse and sped toward Corbin. During the ride the young woman scarcely spoke. She sat with her head against the cushion, eyes half closed. As they came within view of the drawbridge she made an effort to arouse herself.
“I see you have visitors at the estate,” Penny commented, noticing a number of cars parked near the river’s edge.
“Reporters, always reporters,” returned Miss Kippenberg impatiently. “They may try to board as we pass.”
Penny wondered how the limousine would be taken across the river. The old watchman had noted their approach. Before the car reached the end of the road he had lowered the creaking drawbridge into position.
“Is the bridge really safe?” Penny inquired of her companion.
“For light traffic only,” Miss Kippenberg answered briefly.
The arrival of the car had created a stir of interest among the group of men gathered near the bridge. Penny caught sight of Jerry Livingston and could not resist rolling down the side window so he would be sure to obtain a clear view of her. It gave her a very pleasant feeling to see him stare as if he could not believe his own eyes.
Several of the reporters attempted to stop the limousine but without success. The car
clattered over the drawbridge which was pulled up again before anyone could follow.
Penny and Miss Kippenberg alighted at the front door of the great house.
“Now show me where you found the ring,” requested the young woman.
Penny led her down the winding path into the grove.
“I hope we don’t meet your head gardener,” she said significantly. “He seems to be such an unpleasant individual.”
Miss Kippenberg glanced at her queerly.
“Why, how do you mean?”
“Oh, yesterday he ordered me away from here in no uncertain terms.”
“He only meant to do his duty.”
“Then the man has been ordered to keep persons away from this part of the estate?”
“I really couldn’t tell you,” Miss Kippenberg answered aloofly. “Mother has charge of the servants.”
“Has the man been in your employ long?”
“I can’t tell you that either.” Miss Kippenberg’s voice warned Penny that she did not care to be questioned.
There was no sign of the old gardener as they came presently to the lily pool. Penny searched about in the grass for a few minutes.
“Here is where I found the ring,” she revealed. “And see this!”
“What?” Miss Kippenberg drew in her breath sharply.
“Footprints.”
“That doesn’t seem so remarkable.” The young woman bent to examine them. “They probably were made by Grant’s own shoe.”
“But it looks as if there might have been a struggle here,” Penny insisted. “From those marks wouldn’t you say a body had been dragged across the ground toward the pool?”
“No!” cried Miss Kippenberg. “The grass is trampled, but I can’t believe Grant has met with violence. I refuse to think of such a thing! The pool—” she broke off and a shudder wracked her body.
“It is best to know the truth. Have you notified the police about Mr. Atherwald’s disappearance?”
Miss Kippenberg shook her head. “Until today I thought he would return. Or at least I hoped so.”
“It seems to me an expert should be called into the case,” Penny urged. “Why don’t you telephone the police station now?”
“I couldn’t,” returned Sylvia looking very miserable. “Not without consulting Mother.”
“Then let’s talk with her now.”
The Penny Parker Megapack: 15 Complete Novels Page 6
