“I suppose I could send you out to Pine Top alone, Penny. Or perhaps you might be able to induce your chum, Louise, to go along. Would you like that?”
“It would be more fun if you went also.”
“That’s out of the picture now. If everything goes well I might be able to join you for Christmas weekend.”
“I’m not sure Louise could go,” said Penny doubtfully. “But I can find out right away.”
After dinner that night, she lost no time in running over to the Sidell home. At first Louise was thrown into a state of ecstasy at the thought of making a trip to Pine Top and then her face became gloomy.
“I would love it, Penny! But it’s practically a waste of words to ask Mother. We’re going to my grandmother’s farm in Vermont for the holidays, and I’ll have to tag along.”
Since grade school days the two girls had been inseparable friends. Between them there was perfect understanding and they made an excellent pair, for Louise exerted a subduing effect upon the more impulsive, excitable Penny.
Inactivity bored Penny, and wherever she went she usually managed to start things moving. When nothing better offered, she tried her hand at writing newspaper stories for her father’s paper. Several of these reportorial experiences had satisfied even Penny’s deep craving for excitement.
Three truly “big” stories had rolled from her typewriter through the thundering presses of the Riverview Star: Tale of the Witch Doll, The Vanishing Houseboat, and Danger at the Drawbridge. Even now, months after her last astonishing adventure, friends liked to tease her about a humorous encounter with a certain Mr. Kippenberg’s alligator.
“Pine Top won’t be any fun without you, Lou,”Penny complained.
“Oh, yes it will,” contradicted her chum. “I know you’ll manage to stir up plenty of excitement. You’ll probably pull a mysterious Eskimo out of a snow bank or save Santa Claus from being kidnaped! That’s the way you operate.”
“Pine Top is an out of the way place, close to the Canadian border. All one can do there is eat, sleep, and ski.”
“You mean, that’s all one is supposed to do,” corrected Louise with a laugh. “But you’ll run into some big story or else you’re slipping!”
“There isn’t a newspaper within fifty miles. No railroad either. The only way in and out of the valley is by airplane, and bob-sled, of course.”
“That may cramp your style a little, but I doubt it,” declared Louise. “I do wish I could go along.”
The girls talked with Mrs. Sidell, but as they both had expected, it was not practical for Louise to make the trip.
“I’ll come to the airport to see you off on your plane,” Louise promised as Penny left the house. “You’re starting Thursday, aren’t you?”
“Yes, at ten-thirty unless there’s bad weather. But I’ll see you again before that.”
All the next day Penny packed furiously. Mr. Parker was unusually busy at the office, but he bought his daughter’s ticket and made all arrangements for the trip to Pine Top. Since Mrs. Weems also planned to leave Riverview the following day, the house was in a constant state of turmoil.
“I feel sorry for Dad being left here alone,” remarked Penny. “He’ll never make his bed, and he’ll probably exist on strong coffee and those wretched raw beef sandwiches they serve at the beanery across from the Star office.”
“I ought to give up my vacation,” declared Mrs. Weems. “It seems selfish of me not to stay here.”
Mr. Parker would not hear of such an arrangement, and so plans moved forward just as if his own trip had not been postponed.
“Dad, you’ll honestly try to come to Pine Top for Christmas?” Penny pleaded.
“I’ll do my best,” he promised soberly. “I have a hunch that Harvey Maxwell may still be in town, despite what we were told at the hotel. I intend to busy myself making a complete investigation of the man.”
“If I could help, I’d be tickled to stay, Dad.”
“There’s nothing you can do, Penny. Just go out there and have a nice vacation.”
Mr. Parker had not intended to go to the office Thursday morning until after Penny’s plane had departed, but at breakfast time a call came from DeWitt, the city editor, urging his presence at once. Before leaving, he gave his daughter her ticket and travelers checks.
“Now I expect to be at the airport to see you off,” he promised. “Until then, good-bye.”
Mr. Parker kissed Penny and hastened away. Later, Louise Sidell came to the house. Soon after ten o’clock the girls took leave of Mrs. Weems, taxiing to the airport.
“I don’t see Dad anywhere,” Penny remarked as the cabman unloaded her luggage. “He’ll probably come dashing up just as the plane takes off.”
The girls entered the waiting room and learned that the plane was “on time.” Curiously, they glanced at the other passengers. Two travelers Penny immediately tagged as business men. But she was rather interested in a plump, over-painted woman whose nervous manner suggested that she might be making her first airplane trip.
While Penny’s luggage was being weighed, two men entered the waiting room. One was a lean, sharp-faced individual suffering from a bad cold. The other, struck Penny as being vaguely familiar. He was a stout man, expensively dressed, and had a surly, condescending way of speaking to his companion.
“Who are those men?” Penny whispered to Louise. “Do you know them?”
Louise shook her head.
“That one fellow looks like someone I’ve seen,”Penny went on thoughtfully. “Maybe I saw his picture in a newspaper, but I can’t place him.”
The two men went up to the desk and the portly one addressed the clerk curtly:
“You have our reservations for Pine Top?”
“Yes, sir. Just sign your name here.” The clerk pushed forward paper and a pen.
Paying for the tickets from a large roll of greenbacks, the two men went over to the opposite side of the waiting room and sat down. Penny glanced anxiously at the clock. It was twenty minutes past ten.
A uniformed messenger boy entered the room, letting in a blast of cold air as he opened the door. He went over to the desk and the clerk pointed out the two girls.
“Now what?” said Penny in a low voice. “Maybe my trip is called off!”
The message was for her, from her father. But it was less serious than she had expected. Because an important story had “broken” it would be impossible for him to leave the office. He wished her a pleasant trip west and again promised he would bend every effort toward visiting Pine Top for Christmas.
Penny folded the message and slipped it into her purse.
“Dad won’t be able to see me off,” she explained to her chum. “I was afraid when DeWitt called him this morning he would be held up.”
Before Louise could reply the outside door opened once more, and a girl of perhaps twenty-two who walked with a long, masculine gait, came in out of the cold. Penny sat up a bit straighter in her chair.
“Do you see what I see?” she whispered.
“Who is she?” inquired Louise curiously.
“The one and only Francine Sellberg.”
“Which means nothing to me.”
“Don’t tell me you haven’t seen her by-line in theRiverview Record! Francine would die of mortification.”
“Is she a reporter?”
“She covers special assignments. And she is pretty good,” Penny added honestly. “But not quite as good as she believes.”
“Wonder what she’s doing here?”
“I was asking myself that same question.”
As the two girls watched, they saw Francine’s cool gaze sweep the waiting room. She did not immediately notice Penny and Louise whose backs were partly turned to her. Her eyes rested for an instant upon the two men who previously had bought tickets to Pine Top, and a flicker of satisfaction showed upon her face.
Moving directly to the desk she spoke to the ticket agent in a low voice, yet loudly enough for Penny a
nd Louise to hear.
“Is it still possible to make a reservation for Pine Top?”
“Yes, we have one seat left on the plane.”
“I’ll take it,” said Francine.
Penny nudged Louise and whispered in her ear:“Did you hear that?”
“I certainly did. Why do you suppose she’s going to Pine Top? For the skiing?”
“Unless I’m all tangled in a knot, she’s after a big story for the Record. And I just wonder if those two mysterious-looking gentlemen aren’t the reason for her trip!”
CHAPTER 3
TRAVELING COMPANIONS
Francine Sellberg paid for her ticket and turned so that her gaze fell squarely upon Penny and Louise. Abruptly, she crossed over to where they sat.
“Hello, girls,” she greeted them breezily. “What brings you to the airport?”
As always, the young woman reporter’s manner was brusque and business-like. Without meaning to offend, she gave others an impression of regarding them with an air of condescension.
“I came to see Penny off,” answered Louise before her chum could speak.
“Oh, are you taking this plane?” inquired Francine, staring at Penny with quickening interest.
“I am if it ever gets here.”
“Traveling alone?”
“All by my lonesome,” Penny admitted cheerfully.
“You’re probably only going a short ways?”
“Oh, quite a distance,” returned Penny. She did not like the way Francine was quizzing her.
“Penny is going to Pine Top for the skiing,” declared Louise, never guessing that her chum preferred to withhold the information.
“Pine Top!” The smile left Francine’s face and her eyes roved swiftly toward the two men who sat at the opposite side of the room.
“We are to be traveling companions, I believe,” remarked Penny innocently.
Francine’s attention came back to the younger girl. Her eyes narrowed with suspicion.
“So you’re going out to Pine Top for the skiing,” she said softly.
“And you?” countered Penny.
“Oh, certainly for the skiing,” retorted Francine, mockery in her voice.
“Nice of the Record to give you a vacation.”
By this time the silver-winged transport had wheeled into position on the apron, and passengers were beginning to leave the waiting room. The two men who had attracted Penny’s attention, arose and without appearing to notice the three girls, went outside.
“You don’t deceive me one bit, Penny Parker,” said Francine with a quick change of attitude. “I know very well why you are going to Pine Top, and it’s for the same reason I am!”
“You seem to have divined all my secrets, even when I don’t know them myself,” responded Penny. “Suppose you tell me why I am going to Pine Top mountain?”
“It’s perfectly obvious that your father sent you, But I am afraid he over-estimates your journalistic powers if he thinks you have had enough experience to handle a difficult assignment of this sort. I’ll warn you right now, Penny, don’t come to me for help. On this job we’re rivals. And I won’t tolerate any bungling or interference upon your part!”
“Nice to know just where we stand,” replied Penny evenly. “Then there will be no misunderstanding or tears later on.”
“Exactly. And mind you don’t give any tip-off as to who I am!”
“You mean you don’t care to have those two gentlemen who were here a moment ago know that you are a reporter for the Record.”
“Naturally.”
“And who are these men of mystery?”
“As if you don’t know!” Francine made an impatient gesture. “Oh, why pose, Penny? This innocent act doesn’t go over worth a cent.”
Louise broke indignantly into the conversation. “Penny isn’t posing! It’s true she is going to Pine Top for the skiing and not to get a story. Isn’t it?”
“Yes,” acknowledged Penny unwillingly. She was sorry that her chum had put an end to the little game with Francine.
The reporter stared at the two girls, scarcely knowing whether or not to believe them.
“Why not break down and tell me the identity of our two fellow passengers?” suggested Penny.
“So you really don’t know their names?” Francine flashed a triumphant smile. “Fancy that! Well, you’ve proven such a clever little reporter in the past, I’ll allow you to figure it out for yourself. See you in Pine Top.”
Turning away, the young woman went back to the desk to speak once more with the ticket man.
“Doesn’t she simply drip conceit!” Louise whispered in disgust. “Did I make a mistake in letting her know that you weren’t on an assignment?”
“It doesn’t matter, Lou. Shall we be going out to the plane before I miss it?”
The huge streamliner stood warming up on the ribbon of cement, long tongues of flame leaping from the exhausts. Nearly all of the passengers already had taken their seats in the warm, cozy cabin.
“Good-bye, Lou,” Penny said, shaking her chum’s hand.
“Good-bye. Have a nice time. And don’t let that know-it-all Francine get ahead of you!”
“Not if I can help it,” laughed Penny.
Francine had left the waiting room and was walking with a brisk step toward the plane. Not wishing to be the last person aboard, Penny stepped quickly into the cabin. All but two seats were taken. One was at the far end of the plane, the other directly behind the two strange men.
Penny slid into the latter chair just as Francine came into the cabin. As she went down the aisle to take the only remaining seat, the reporter shot the younger girl an irritated glance.
“She thinks I took this place just to spite her!” thought Penny. “How silly!”
The stewardess, trim in her blue-green uniform, had closed the heavy metal door. The plane began to move down the ramp, away from the station’s canopied entrance. Penny leaned close to the window and waved a last good-bye to Louise.
As the speed of the engines was increased, the plane raced faster and faster over the smooth runway. A take-off was not especially thrilling to Penny who often had made flights with her father. She shook her head when the stewardess offered her cotton for her ears, but accepted a magazine.
Penny flipped carelessly through the pages. Finding no story worth reading, she turned her attention to her fellow passengers. Beside her, on the right, sat the over-painted woman, her hands gripping the arm rests so hard that her knuckles showed white.
“We—we’re in the air now, aren’t we?” she asked nervously, meeting Penny’s gaze. “I do hope I’m not going to be sick.”
“I am sure you won’t be,” replied Penny. “The air is very quiet today.”
“They tell me flying over the mountains in winter time is dangerous.”
“Not in good weather with a skilful pilot. I am sure we will be in no danger.”
“Just the same I never would have taken a plane if it hadn’t been the only way of reaching Pine Top.”
Penny turned to regard her companion with new interest. The woman was in her early forties, though she had attempted by the lavish use of make-up to appear younger. Her hair was a bleached yellow, dry and brittle from too frequent permanent waving. Her shoes were slightly scuffed, and a tight-fitting black crepe dress, while expensive, was shiny from long use.
“Oh, are you traveling to Pine Top, too?” inquired Penny. “Half the passengers on this plane must be heading for there.”
“Is that where you are going?”
“Yes,” nodded Penny. “I plan to visit an old friend who has an Inn on the mountain side, and try a little skiing.”
“This is strictly a business trip with me,” confided the woman. She had relaxed now that the transport was flying at an even keel. “I am going there to see Mr. Balantine—David Balantine. You’ve heard of him, of course.”
Penny shook her head.
“My dear, everyone in the East is familiar
with his name. Mr. Balantine has a large chain of theatres throughout the country. He produces his own shows, too. I hope to get a leading part in a new production which will soon be cast.”
“Oh, I see,” murmured Penny. “You are an actress?”
“I’ve been on the stage since I was twelve years old,” the woman answered proudly. “You must have seen my name on the billboards. I am Miss Miller. Maxine Miller.”
“I should like to see one of your plays,” Penny responded politely.
“The truth is I’ve been ‘at liberty’ for the past year or two,” the actress admitted with an embarrassed laugh. “‘At liberty’ is a word we show people use when we’re temporarily out of work. The movies have practically ruined the stage.”
“Yes, I know.”
“For several weeks I have been trying to get an interview with Mr. Balantine. His secretaries would not make an appointment for me. Then quite by luck I learned that he planned to spend two weeks at Pine Top. I thought if I could meet him out there in his more relaxed moments, he might give me a role in the new production.”
“Isn’t it a rather long chance to take?” questioned Penny. “To go so far just in the hope of seeing this man?”
“Yes, but I like long chances. And I’ve tried every other way to meet him. If I win the part I’ll be well repaid for my time and money.”
“And if you fail?”
Maxine Miller shrugged. “The bread line, perhaps, or burlesque which would be worse. If I stay at Pine Top more than a few days I’ll never have money enough to get back here. They tell me Pine Top is high-priced.”
“I don’t know about that,” answered Penny.
As the plane winged its way in a northwesterly direction, the actress kept the conversational ball rolling at an exhausting pace. She told Penny all about herself, her trials and triumphs on the stage. As first, it was fairly interesting, but as Miss Miller repeated herself, the girl became increasingly bored. She shrewdly guessed that the actress never had been the outstanding stage success she visioned herself.
Penny paid more than ordinary attention to the two men who sat in front of her. However, Miss Miller kept her so busy answering questions that she could not have overheard their talk, even if she had made an effort to do so.
The Penny Parker Megapack: 15 Complete Novels Page 16
