“Seemingly, it is. Mr. Coaten wants to become our legal guardian. I can’t understand why he should show such interest in us.”
“I thought the Breens were looking after you and Ted.”
“They took us in because we had no one else. We never were adopted, and the truth is, we’re a financial burden.”
“Is Mr. Coaten an old friend?”
“I never met him until he came to Riverview. He and his friend, Carl Addison, claim they were closely associated with my father. Neither Ted nor I ever heard Papa speak of them when he was alive.”
“It does seem strange they should show such sudden interest in you,” Penny commented thoughtfully. “You have no property they might wish to control?”
“Ted and I haven’t a penny to our names. Papa never owned land, and what cash he had was absorbed by his last sickness.”
“Then perhaps Mr. Coaten really is a friend.”
“I wish I could think so, but I can’t. Penny, I just feel that he has a selfish purpose behind his apparent kindness. It worries me because I can’t figure it out.”
“Then of course you’ll not agree to the adoption?”
“I don’t want to, Penny. Ted favors it, and so does Mrs. Breen. You see, Mr. Coaten has been very generous with his money.” Rhoda indicated a new dress which she wore. “He gave me this. He made Mrs. Breen accept money, and he’s giving Ted things too.”
“If he’s really a friend of the family—”
“I’ll never believe that he is,” Rhoda interrupted. “Never!”
The ringing of the school bell brought the conversation to an end, but all during the morning Penny thought of what the trailer-camp girl had told her. Knowing nothing concerning the characters of the two strangers, she could not judge their motives.
Another matter caused Penny considerable annoyance. The morning paper had carried a brief item about the record stone found at the Marborough mansion. From her father she had learned that instead of delivering the rock to the museum, Jay Franklin had hauled it to his own home, offering it for sale to the highest bidder. Penny felt that Mrs. Marborough should be told what had occurred, yet neither she nor Louise were eager to visit Rose Acres again.
“After last night I’ve had enough of that place,”Louise declared as they discussed the matter. “Mrs. Marborough was very rude to us.”
“Even so, we should tell her what Jay Franklin has done,” Penny insisted. “Let’s go right after school.”
“I can’t,” Louise declined. “I’ve planned a shopping tour.”
“Then, immediately after dinner,” Penny persisted. “I’ll stop by for you in the car.”
As it developed, various duties kept both girls so busy that it was dusk before they actually drove toward Rose Acres. Louise protested that, considering what had occurred the previous night, it was much too late to call on the widow.
“Mrs. Marborough surely won’t be abed before eight o’clock,” Penny answered carelessly. “If the house should be dark, we can drive away without disturbing her.” Louise made another protest, but knew that as usual Penny would get her way.
A few minutes later the automobile swung around a bend. Directly ahead loomed the old colonial mansion, its windows without lights.
“We may as well turn back,” Louise observed.
Penny slackened speed, gazing toward the unkempt grounds.
“Louise!” she exclaimed tensely. “There it is again! The light!”
“Where?” Louise demanded in disbelief. “I don’t see it.”
As she spoke, the car passed beyond a tall clump of azalea bushes bordering the property. Through its branches both girls saw a light which appeared to be motionless.
“It’s a lantern covered with a cloth to prevent a bright glow!” Louise discerned.
“And it’s close to the wishing well!” Penny added in a thrilled voice. “Lou, there’s something queer going on at this place. Let’s find out about it!”
“How?” Louise asked, forgetting that she had decided to have nothing more to do with her chum’s“ideas.”
“Let’s drive past the house and park up the road,”Penny proposed with a delighted chuckle. “Then we’ll steal back afoot and see what we can see!”
CHAPTER 10
BENEATH THE FLAGSTONES
Louise offered no serious objection to Penny’s proposal, for she too was curious to learn who might be prowling about the Marborough yard. Driving on down the road for a considerable distance, they parked the car just off the pavement and walked back to the estate. A high hedge bounded the front side of the Marborough property, but they were able to peer through the scanty foliage into the yard.
“It will be just our luck that the light has disappeared,”Penny muttered. “I don’t see it anywhere.”
“I do!” Louise whispered excitedly. “Look over there by the wishing well.”
In the darkness, both girls could see the faint glow of a covered lantern which had been deposited on the ground. A shadowy figure was bending over, examining some object on the ground.
“Can you tell who it is?” Penny murmured.
“Not from here. Dare we move closer?”
“Let’s risk it,” Penny said, and led the way through the open gateway.
Taking the precaution to keep tall bushes between themselves and the wishing well, the girls quietly stole closer. Soon they were near enough to distinguish that someone in dark clothing was kneeling on the ground, face turned away from them. Apparently the person was trying to lift one of the flagstones which formed a circular base about the covered well.
“Who can he be?” Penny whispered, pausing. “And what is he doing?”
At that moment the figure straightened, and the lantern was lifted from the ground.
“It’s a she, not a he!” Louise observed in an undertone.
“Mrs. Marborough!”
“It looks like her from here,” Louise nodded. “But what can she be doing at the well?”
Completely mystified, the girls remained motionless, watching. Mrs. Marborough raised one of the flagstones and peered beneath it.
“She’s searching for something,” Penny whispered. “Probably she works after dark so she won’t be observed.”
It was evident to both girls that the moving light which had attracted their attention the previous night had, undoubtedly, been Mrs. Marborough’s lantern.
Although they now could understand the old lady’s irritation at their intrusion, her actions mystified them. As they continued to watch, she pried up one stone after another, frequently resting from her labors.
“We might offer to help her,” Louise proposed half-seriously.
“If we show ourselves now she’ll order us never to return,” Penny replied. “We want to find out what this is all about.”
During the next ten minutes the girls huddled behind the friendly bush. At the end of that period, Mrs. Marborough gathered together her tools, and went wearily into the house.
“Obviously she didn’t find what she was after,”Penny said, coming from behind the shelter. “What do you suppose it can be?”
“Buried treasure, perhaps.”
“Or possibly the family silverware hidden during the Civil War,” Penny chuckled. “I’m afraid not. Mrs. Marborough lived at Rose Acres all her early years. If there had been anything valuable buried, wouldn’t she have done her searching long ago?”
“If that’s a question, I can’t answer it,” sighed Louise. “What’s our next move? Home?”
“I should say not! Let’s inspect the wishing well.”
Penny started forward, taking pains to avoid a patch of light which came from the lower windows of the Marborough house. Even in the semi-darkness the girls were able to see that many flagstones about the well had been removed and fitted again into place.
“Just for luck I shall make a wish!” Penny announced unexpectedly, lowering the bucket into the pit.
“What will it be this time?” Louis
e inquired, slightly amused.
Penny drank deeply of the cool, sweet water, and tossed a token into the well.
“I wish that Rose Acres would give us a whopping big mystery!” she said gaily. “Lou, why did Mrs. Marborough return to Riverview after being away so many years?”
“This is her ancestral home.”
“True, but didn’t she tell us that whether or not she remains here depends upon certain conditions? Lou, she must have had a very special reason for coming, and it may be connected with this wishing well! We ought to find out about it!”
“Why?”
“Why?” Penny fairly wailed. “Oh, Lou, at times you’re the most exasperating person. Here we are face to face with something baffling, and you wonder why we should interest ourselves in it!”
“I like mystery as well as you, but you know Mrs. Marborough won’t care to have us interfere in her private affairs.”
“Probably not,” Penny conceded. “Oh, well, we can forget all about it if that’s the way you feel.”
“How could we learn anything without provoking Mrs. Marborough?”
“I know of no way,” Penny admitted. “In fact, she’ll probably be irritated when I rap on her door again.”
Louise followed her chum down the path toward the house.
“Ought we bother Mrs. Marborough now?” she asked in mild protest. “She may think we have been spying on her.”
“Which of course we never would consider doing,”Penny chuckled.
Paying no heed to Louise, she boldly clomped across the veranda and knocked on the door. The girls did not have long to wait. In a moment Mrs. Marborough appeared, looking decidedly flustered and nervous.
“Who is it?” she asked sharply, and then recognized the girls. “Oh, I see!”
“Mrs. Marborough, do excuse us,” Penny began hastily. “I’ve learned something which I feel sure you’ll wish to hear.”
“You’ve seen another light in the yard perhaps?” the old lady inquired, her voice slightly mocking.
Penny glanced at Louise, uncertain what to say in reply.
“There has been no one in my yard either last night or this evening,” Mrs. Marborough resumed tartly. “I appreciate your interest in my welfare, but I can only repeat that I am quite capable of looking after myself.”
“We came to tell you about that big rock which we discovered on the hillside,” Penny interposed. “Do you care to hear what Jay Franklin did?”
Despite herself, Mrs. Marborough was interested. She hesitated, and then came outside, carefully closing the door behind her. The peculiar action was not lost upon the girls.
“It’s quite chilly out tonight,” Penny said significantly. “Perhaps it would be better to step inside.”
“I don’t mind a little fresh air,” Mrs. Marborough replied. “Now what is it that you wish to tell me?”
Feeling far from comfortable, Penny explained howJay Franklin had kept the big rock as his own property and was endeavoring to sell it to the museum at a handsome profit.
“But he told me he would give the stone to the institution!”Mrs. Marborough exclaimed indignantly. “Will you see Mr. Franklin tomorrow?”
“I can,” Penny nodded.
“Then if you do, ask him to come here and see me.”
As if the matter were completely settled, Mrs. Marborough started to reënter the house. She did not invite the girls to accompany her. However, sensing that they were puzzled by her lack of hospitality she said apologetically:
“I would invite you in only the house isn’t fixed up yet. After everything is cleaned and straightened, you both must come to tea.”
Without giving the girls an opportunity to say that they shouldn’t mind a disorderly house, she gently closed the door.
“Well, at least Mrs. Marborough didn’t slam it in our faces this time,” Penny remarked cheerfully. “Lou, we’re making progress!”
“Progress toward what?” Louise demanded.
“I’m not sure yet,” Penny laughed as they started for their car. “All the same, I have a feeling that we’re on our way!”
CHAPTER 11
JAY FRANKLIN’S TRICKERY
“Morning, Dad,” Penny greeted her father as she slid into a vacant chair at the breakfast table. “What’s news and why?”
“No news.” Mr. Parker lowered his paper, and folding it, devoted himself to a plate of bacon and eggs.
“Just fourteen pages of well-set type, I suppose. Isn’t there anything about 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, reaching across the table for the coffee percolator.
“Must I give you a diagram?” the publisher asked wearily. “After you’ve been 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 half page 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 latest developments,” Penny teased.
“Nothing really new has come out. Jay Franklin is trying to sell the Marborough stone to the museum at a fancy price, and the institution officials 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 no knowledge of ancient writing, but I do have common sense. For the time being, at least, I shall continue to play down the story.”
Penny finished breakfast, and before starting to school, telephoned Jay Franklin. Relaying Mrs. Marborough’s message, she requested him to visit the old lady as soon as it was convenient. Somewhat to her surprise he promised that he would call at Rose Acres that afternoon.
During school, Penny kept thinking about the Marborough stone and her father’s theory that the writing and symbols it bore were fakes. It occurred to her that Truman Crocker’s opinion might be interesting for the old man had worked with rocks his entire life.
“Let’s hike out to his shack this afternoon,” she impulsively proposed to Louise Sidell.
“All right,” her chum agreed. “Why not invite Rhoda too? She might enjoy accompanying us.”
Upon being approached, the trailer camp girl immediately accepted the invitation. Since the last meeting of the Palette Club nearly all of the students had been very kind to her, but she seemed rather indifferent to everyone save Louise and Penny.
As the three girls trudged along the dusty road en-route to the river shack, Rhoda spoke of Mr. Coaten and his friend who still remained in Riverview.
“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 never would 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 two more—penniless at that.”
“What will you do?” Louise inquired.
“I don’t know. Ted and I are deadlocked. He favors the adoption, but I am against 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 when you had no friends, so why not stay on with them?”
“That’s the trouble,” Rhoda confessed. “They haven’t much money, you know, and Mr. Coaten has offered to give them a hundred dollars if they make no objection to the adoption.”
“Buying them off?” Penny commented.
“In a way, yes. But why should Mr. Coaten be so interested in adopting Ted and me? We’ll certainly be a financial liab
ility.”
The problem was such a perplexing one that neither Penny nor Louise could offer any convincing answer. Considering everything Rhoda had told them it appeared that Mr. Coaten must be motivated entirely by generosity. Yet, it seemed odd that if he were an old family friend he had not interested 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 Truman Crocker’s shack. It was a long, one-story frame building which served the dual 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 do for you?”
“Not much of anything,” Penny responded, glancing with interest about the cluttered workshop. “We were just out for a walk and thought we would stop in for a few minutes.”
Her attention drawn to a large rock which had been covered with wet sacking, she crossed the room to examine it. Iron filings had been sprinkled on the covering, and she knew that they must have a special purpose.
“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?” Louise asked, crossing the room to stand beside Penny.
“I sell it,” Mr. Crocker returned briefly. “I have work to do, and I’m waiting 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. Do you think the writing on it is genuine?”
“Sure it is. Anyone who knows anything about stones could tell it had been lying in the ground for years.”
“The aging couldn’t have been faked?”
“Say, what is this?” Crocker demanded, scowling. “What are you trying to get at?”
“My father, who publishes the Star, believes that someone may be perpetrating a hoax.”
“A what?” Crocker asked, puzzled by the word.
The Penny Parker Megapack: 15 Complete Novels Page 73
