The Secret Pact

by Mildred A. Wirt

  CHAPTER 5 _COBWEBS AND RUST_

  "My dear young lady, do I understand you correctly? You are asking forthe use of the _Morning Press_ building without the payment of rent."

  Mr. Veeley, slightly bald and with a bulging waistline, regarded Pennyacross the polished mahogany desk. Upon arriving at his office thatSaturday morning, he had found the girl awaiting him. For the past tenminutes she had stunned him with her remarkable figures and plans.

  "Yes, that's about the size of it," Penny acknowledged. "What Riverviewneeds is a newspaper unhampered by the conservatism of over-aged minds.Now you have a fine building and equipment which is standing idle, fastfalling into decay--"

  "Decay?" Mr. Veeley inquired mildly.

  "Expensive machinery soon rusts and becomes practically worthless unlesskept in use," declared Penny with authority. "If you'll agree to myproposition, I'll publish a weekly paper there, see that your property iskept in good condition, and turn the plant back to you whenever you canfind a prosperous renter."

  "Your father sent you here?"

  "Oh, goodness, no! Dad thinks it's all a great joke. But it isn't! I_know_ I can make a success of the paper if only I have a chance to testmy ideas."

  Mr. Veeley could not fail to be impressed by Penny's earnest, appealingmanner. The novelty of her plan both amused and intrigued him.

  "I wish I could help you start your paper," he said. "However, I doubt ifyou comprehend the cost of such a venture. Even should I permit the useof my building rent free, how would you meet such expenses as light,water and heat?"

  "Oh, I have a plan for everything," insisted Penny grandly. "All I needis a building. I'll have the windows washed for you and do a good job ofhouse cleaning. With me in charge you'll be able to dismiss yourwatchman."

  "I haven't one."

  "No watchman?" Penny inquired innocently. "Last night when I drove pastthe building I saw a light on the third floor. Evidently someone isprowling about there, Mr. Veeley."

  "You're certain you saw a light?" the man inquired, disturbed by theinformation.

  "Oh, yes, indeed. Excuse me for advising you, Mr. Veeley, but you reallyshould have someone to guard your property."

  Mr. Veeley smiled broadly. "You are a very convincing young lady. While Irealize it is a foolish thing to do, I am tempted to let you have thekey."

  "Oh, Mr. Veeley, that's wonderful! You'll never regret it!"

  "I'll allow you the use of the building for a month," resumed Mr. Veeley."At the end of that time we'll discuss the future."

  Penny was thrown into such a frenzy of excitement that she scarcely couldremain outwardly serene until she had left the office. Once on the streetshe ran the entire distance to the _Star_ building, dashing into herfather's suite with all the sound effects of a laboring steam engine.

  "Dad!" she cried dramatically. "I have it! The key to the _Morning Press_plant! Now I'm on my way to draw my savings from the bank."

  "What's that?" demanded Mr. Parker. "Don't tell me Mr. Veeley listened toyour crazy scheme!"

  "He's heartily in favor of it, Dad. Now I must rush off to the bank."

  "Come back here," her father commanded as she started for the door. "Ican't allow you to withdraw your savings."

  "How can I launch the _Weekly Times_ without capital?"

  "You're really determined to try it?"

  "Of course."

  Mr. Parker reached for a cheque book. "How much will you need?"

  "Oh, just sign your name at the bottom and leave the amount blank."

  "Sorry, I prefer not to financially cripple myself for life. One hundreddollars is my limit. I'm throwing it down a sink-hole, but the lessonsyou'll learn may be worth the cost."

  "I can do a lot with a hundred dollars," said Penny. "Thanks, Dad."

  She picked up the cheque before the ink was dry and, dropping a kisslightly on her father's cheek, was gone.

  From the corner drugstore Penny telephoned Louise, telling her the newsand asking her to come downtown at once. Fifteen minutes later her chummet her at the entrance to the _Morning Press_ building.

  "Just think, Lou!" she murmured, unlocking the front door. "This hugeplant all mine! I'm a publisher at last!"

  "You're completely insane if you ask me," retorted Louise. "This place isa dreadful mess. You'll never be able to clean it up, let alone get outan issue of the paper!"

  The girls had passed through the vestibule to the lower floor room whichonce had served as the _Press_' circulation department. Behind the highservice counter, desks and chairs remained untouched, covered by a thicklayer of dust. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling light fixtures and festoonedthe walls.

  Climbing the stairs, the girls glanced briefly into the newsroom, andthen wandered on to the composing room. Penny's gaze roved over long rowsof linotype machines and steel trucks which were used to hold page forms.There were bins of type, Cheltenham, Goudy, Century--more varieties thanshe had ever seen before.

  Passing the stereotyping department, the girls entered the press roomwhere slumbered ten giant double-decked rotary presses. Lying on theroller of one was a torn strip of newspaper, the last issue of the_Morning Press_ ever printed.

  "It gives one a queer feeling to see all this," said Louise. "Why do yousuppose Judson closed the plant when it was prosperous?"

  "No one seems to know the answer," Penny replied, stooping to peer intoan empty ink pot. "But it doesn't seem possible a man would give up hisbusiness, throw so many persons out of work, without a good reason."

  "His bad luck seems to be yours," Louise remarked gloomily. "Well, sinceyou've fallen heir to all this, what will you do with it? It will take asizeable chunk of your hundred dollars just to get the place cleaned."

  "Not according to my calculations," chuckled Penny. "Let's choose ouroffices and then we'll discuss business."

  "Our offices?" echoed Louise. "I'm not in on this brain-storm of yours."

  "Oh, yes, you are. You'll be the editor."

  "But I thought you were that!"

  "I'll be the managing editor," said Penny gently. "You'll have youroffice, and oodles of authority. Of course, you'll have to work hardkeeping our staff in line."

  "What staff?"

  "We'll recruit from Riverview High, concentrating on the journalismmajors. Now I think Jack Malone will be our new advertising manager."

  "Jack Malone! Why, Penny, he hasn't an ounce of push."

  "I know, Lou. But his father is president of the Malone Glass Company. Ifigure if his son is in charge of advertising--"

  "I get the idea," interrupted Louise. "Penny, with a head like yours, weshould land all the important accounts in town."

  "I aim to win several fat ones away from the _Star_," Penny said withquiet confidence. "If we don't, it will be bankruptcy before the firstissue of the paper is off the press."

  Louise glanced dubiously at the dusty machinery.

  "There's no denying you're a genius, Penny. Even so, I don't see how youexpect to get these presses running."

  "We'll only need one."

  "True, but you can't recruit pressmen or linotype operators fromRiverview High."

  "Unfortunately, no," sighed Penny. "The first issue of the _Times_ willbe printed at the _Star_ plant. Dad doesn't know it yet. Afterthat--well, I'll think of something."

  "How do you propose to get this place cleaned?"

  "Every person who works on our paper must wield a broom, Lou. After we'vechosen our offices, we'll scamper forth and gather our staff together."

  Returning to the second floor, the girls inspected the offices adjoiningthe newsroom. Penny selected for hers the one which previously had beenoccupied by Matthew Judson. His name remained on the frosted-glass door,and the walls bore etchings and paintings of considerable value.

  In the top drawer of the flat-top desk there remained an assortment ofpens, erasers, thumbtacks, and small articles. All letters and papers had
been removed.

  "Mr. Judson apparently left here in a great hurry," she remarked. "Forsome reason he never returned for the paintings and personal trifles."

  Louise chose an office adjoining Penny's new quarters. They both wereadmiring the view from the window when her chum suddenly drew herselfinto an attitude of attention.

  "What's wrong?" inquired Louise, mystified.

  "I thought I heard someone moving about," whispered Penny. "Quiet!"

  They remained motionless; listening. A board creaked.

  Darting to the door, Penny flung it open. The newsroom was deserted, butshe was almost certain she heard footsteps retreating swiftly down thehall.

  "Lou, we're not alone in this building!"

  "I thought I heard someone, too."

  The girls ran through the newsroom to the hall, and down the stairway.Three steps from the bottom, Penny suddenly halted. On the servicecounter of the advertising department lay a man's grimy felt hat.

  "Look at that," she whispered. "Someone _was_ upstairs!"

  "He may still be here, too. Penny, did you leave the entrance doorunlocked?"

  "I guess so. I don't remember."

  "A loiterer may have wandered into the building, and then left when wegave chase."

  "Without his hat?"

  "It probably was forgotten."

  "Anyhow, I intend to look carefully about," declared Penny. "After all, Iam responsible for this place now."

  Both girls were uneasy as they wandered from room to room. Penny evenventured into the basement where a number of rats had taken refuge. Thebuilding seemed deserted.

  "We're only wasting precious time," she said at last. "Whoever theintruder was, he's gone now."

  Retracing their way to the advertising department, the girls stoppedshort, staring at the counter. The hat, observed there only a few minutesbefore, had vanished.