The Secret Pact
Page 21
CHAPTER 20 _PICNIC BY MOONLIGHT_
Penny had never found it necessary to explain fully to her father whathad become of Mrs. Weems. She had mentioned rather carelessly that thehousekeeper was helping out at the Fenestra home for a few days, and hehad accepted the substitution of Tillie Fellows without too manyquestions.
At breakfast on Wednesday morning, the publisher waited until Tillie hadgone to the kitchen, and then asked in an undertone:
"How much longer is this to continue? When is Mrs. Weems coming home?"
"Friday morning, Dad. Don't you like Tillie's cooking?"
"It's awful," he whispered. "These eggs taste as if they had been friedin lard."
"They were," chuckled Penny. "Tillie was brought up to be frugal. Shenever wastes butter."
The discussion was brought to an abrupt end by the appearance of Tillie.Mr. Parker immediately switched to another subject, that of a barbecuepicnic which he gave each summer to the _Star_ employes. Penny hadforgotten that the outing was scheduled for that night at the cottage.
"I'm glad you reminded me, Dad," she said. "I'll be there with bells toeat my share of roast beef. Mind if I bring Old Horney?"
"Invite him if you like," replied Mr. Parker. "But no others. This is anewspaper picnic, not a bread line as you made it last year."
After school that afternoon Penny worked as usual at the _Times_ office.She was busy figuring advertising space when she glanced up and saw FredClousky standing in the doorway.
"Are--are you busy?" asked the boy diffidently.
"Yes, I am," said Penny with discouraging brevity.
"I don't want to bother you," Fred murmured, "but I was wondering--do youhave a job for me around here? I'd like to work on a real paper. Beingeditor of _Chatter_ is okay but you don't get any practical experience."
"Oh, so you want a job?" inquired Penny. Inclined to give him a shortanswer, she thought better of it. "Everything considered," she said,"what you need, Fred, is to learn about different kinds of type. It's soeasy to get name-plates and various headlines mixed!"
Fred kept his gaze on his shoes.
"I have just the job for you," resumed Penny. "You can sort and clean thetype when it's broken out of the page forms. If you do that well, perhapsyou can work up later on."
"When do I start?" Fred asked in a crushed voice.
Penny was surprised for she had expected him to decline such a dirty,menial job. In a far more friendly tone she directed him to seek OldHorney who would be found in the composing room.
"Fred isn't so bad after all," she thought after he had gone. "I'll givehim an office job next week."
Penny returned to her work. In need of an extra sheet of paper, she triedto open the lower drawer of her desk. It was stuck fast. She tugged at itseveral times, finally pulling it out entirely. A folded newspaperclipping dropped to the floor.
Wondering what it might be, she picked it up. The torn sheet, yellow withage, bore the picture of a young man. The face was vaguely familiaralthough the name beneath it read, Matthew Jewel.
"Matthew Jewel," she whispered. "But it's Matthew Judson! Judson as ayoung man. He must have changed his name!"
The two column headline drew her attention.
MATTHEW JEWEL BEGINS TEN YEAR SENTENCE IN NEW YORK PRISON FORMISAPPROPRIATION OF BANK FUNDS
The clipping, she noted, had been cut from a New York paper and was datedtwenty years earlier. It reported Matthew Jewel's conviction, followingan admission that he had stolen two thousand dollars belonging to theBerkley Savings Bank.
Penny studied the picture again. Not the slightest doubt entered her mindthat the young man of the story and Matthew Judson were the sameindividual. Evidently the clipping had been saved by the formerpublisher, and in some manner had become lodged beneath the drawer.
"I'm sure no one in Riverview ever knew that Judson served a term inprison," she thought. "He came here years ago with his daughter, and toall appearances had led an upright life."
After perusing the item again, she returned it to the drawer which shecarefully locked. She knew that the information was of utmost importance.Was it not possible that she had stumbled upon a motivation for Judson'sstrange behavior of the past year? Could not the data contained in theclipping have provided an unscrupulous person with a basis for blackmail?
"But why should Judson ruin his career rather than face exposure?" shereflected. "Other men have made mistakes in their youth and started overagain. The truth might have humiliated him, but Riverview people wouldhave taken a charitable attitude."
Deeply troubled, Penny gathered together her belongings and went insearch of Old Horney. Finding him initiating Fred Clousky in his newduties, she discreetly invited him to attend the picnic.
"Thank you mightily," responded the pressman, "but I'm not dressed forit. These pants are so shiny you could use 'em for a mirror."
"Don't you worry about your clothes, Horney. Besides, it will be so darkno one will notice. Dad gave you a special invitation."
"Did he now?" The old pressman could not hide his pleasure. "Well, if youthink he really wants me, maybe I'll go."
"You wash up while I get the car," Penny urged. "We're rather late."
Within ten minutes, Old Horney met her at the front entrance. His hairwas combed, he wore a frayed coat, and had contrived to polish his shoes.
"Horney," Penny said abruptly as they drove toward the river, "did youever hear that Matthew Judson had been in trouble before he gave up hispaper?"
"You mean financial?" the pressman inquired.
"No, I meant of a personal nature. I've been thinking over your theorythat Judson was blackmailed."
"Maybe I oughtn't to have said what I did. It was just my own idea."
"I'm inclined to believe there may be something to it, Horney. Nowsupposing that Judson had stolen money or had been in prison--"
"It couldn't have been that," interrupted the pressman. "Why, Judson wasso honest he bent over backwards."
Penny was tempted to tell Horney about the clipping, but refrained fromdoing so. However, she was satisfied that employes of the _Morning Press_had gained no inkling of Mr. Judson's prison record.
The picnic was well under way by the time Penny and the pressman arrivedat the river cottage. A caterer had taken complete charge, and with hiscrew of helpers, prepared to serve nearly two hundred boisterous, hungrynewspaper employes.
Always a favorite, Penny immediately was surrounded by a group offriends. Assured that Horney had found welcome with pressmenacquaintances, she entered wholeheartedly into the frivolity.
Jerry Livingston, frowning away all other young men, became her escortfor the evening. After supper had been served, he guided her firmly awayfrom the group.
"We don't want to hear any speeches," he said. "Let's go look at themoon."
"Can't we see it here?" countered Penny.
"A moon to be appreciated properly must be seen from a sandy beach,"chuckled Jerry. "Preferably from a nice comfortable shoulder."
Breaking away, Penny raced ahead of him, along the beach to thesuspension bridge. She was halfway across when he overtook her, rockingit so violently that she had to cling to him for support.
"Stop that, Jerry Livingston! You'll break the bridge!"
"Then don't try to run away from me. Will you let me show you the moon?"
"No, I know you, Jerry. You show it to all the girls."
"If I do, it's just as a rehearsal. You see, Penny, I've hoped thatsomeday I might get a chance to show it to you."
"What a line you have," laughed Penny. "But I won't play. As amoon-shower your technique is terrible. Better practice some more."
Jerry chuckled and slipping his hand in hers, led her on across thebridge.
"If you won't look at the moon," he said, "then take a squint at Old ManRiver."
"I believe I prefer the moon after all," Penny returned, raising her eyes
to the disc of light sailing serenely through the star-pricked sky. "It_is_ beautiful."
Her reverie was broken by Jerry's voice. His hand tightened on her own.
"Penny!" he exclaimed. "Look over there!"
Farther down the river in an open space, the forms of two struggling menwere silhouetted in the moonlight.
"Oh, Jerry," Penny cried, "they're fighting!"
"And to the death," added Jerry grimly. "Come on, before it's too late!"