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diff --git a/34592.txt b/34592.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5c60830 --- /dev/null +++ b/34592.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6666 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Behind the Green Door, by Mildred A. Wirt + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Behind the Green Door + +Author: Mildred A. Wirt + +Release Date: December 7, 2010 [EBook #34592] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BEHIND THE GREEN DOOR *** + + + + +Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Brenda Lewis and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + Behind + the Green + Door + + + _By_ + MILDRED A. WIRT + + _Author of_ + MILDRED A. WIRT MYSTERY STORIES + TRAILER STORIES FOR GIRLS + + _Illustrated_ + + CUPPLES AND LEON COMPANY + _Publishers_ + NEW YORK + + + + + _PENNY PARKER_ + MYSTERY STORIES + + _Large 12 mo. Cloth Illustrated_ + + + TALE OF THE WITCH DOLL + THE VANISHING HOUSEBOAT + DANGER AT THE DRAWBRIDGE + BEHIND THE GREEN DOOR + CLUE OF THE SILKEN LADDER + THE SECRET PACT + THE CLOCK STRIKES THIRTEEN + THE WISHING WELL + SABOTEURS ON THE RIVER + GHOST BEYOND THE GATE + HOOFBEATS ON THE TURNPIKE + VOICE FROM THE CAVE + GUILT OF THE BRASS THIEVES + SIGNAL IN THE DARK + WHISPERING WALLS + SWAMP ISLAND + THE CRY AT MIDNIGHT + + + COPYRIGHT, 1940, BY CUPPLES AND LEON CO. + + Behind the Green Door + + PRINTED IN U. S. A. + + + + + _CONTENTS_ + + + CHAPTER PAGE + 1 TROUBLE FOR MR. PARKER _1_ + 2 A RIVAL REPORTER _12_ + 3 TRAVELING COMPANIONS _21_ + 4 PINE TOP MOUNTAIN _30_ + 5 OVER THE BARBED WIRE _38_ + 6 PENNY TRESPASSES _47_ + 7 THE GREEN DOOR _55_ + 8 A CODED MESSAGE _63_ + 9 A CALL FOR HELP _72_ + 10 LOCKED IN THE CABIN _79_ + 11 A NEWSPAPER MYSTERY _89_ + 12 THE GREEN CARD _97_ + 13 AN UNKIND TRICK _105_ + 14 A BROKEN ROD _115_ + 15 IN THE TOOL HOUSE _123_ + 16 A PUZZLING SOLUTION _129_ + 17 STRANGE SOUNDS _138_ + 18 QUESTIONS AND CLUES _146_ + 19 PETER JASKO SERVES NOTICE _152_ + 20 VISITORS _162_ + 21 OLD PETER'S DISAPPEARANCE _173_ + 22 THE SECRET STAIRS _182_ + 23 RESCUE _189_ + 24 HENRI'S SALON _197_ + 25 SCOOP! _206_ + + + + + CHAPTER + 1 + _TROUBLE FOR MR. PARKER_ + + +"Watch me coming down the mountain, Mrs. Weems! This one is a honey! An +open christiana turn with no brakes dragging!" + +Penny Parker, clad in a new black and red snowsuit, twisted her agile +young body sideways, causing the small rug upon which she stood to skip +across the polished floor of the living room. She wriggled her slim hips +again, and it slipped in the opposite direction toward Mrs. Weems who was +watching from the kitchen doorway. + +"Coming down the mountain, my eye!" exclaimed the housekeeper, laughing +despite herself. "You'll be coming down on your head if you don't stop +those antics. I declare, you've acted like a crazy person ever since your +father rashly agreed to take you to Pine Top for the skiing." + +"I have to break in my new suit and limber up my muscles somehow," said +Penny defensively. "One can't practice outdoors when there's no snow. Now +watch this one, Mrs. Weems. It's called a telemark." + +"You'll reduce that rug to shreds before you're through," sighed the +housekeeper. "Can't you think of anything else to do?" + +"Yes," agreed Penny cheerfully, "but it wouldn't be half as much fun. How +do you like my suit?" She darted across the room to preen before the full +length mirror. + +A red-billed cap pulled at a jaunty angle over her blond curls, Penny +made a striking figure in the well tailored suit of dark wool. Her eyes +sparkled with the joy of youth and it was easy for her to smile. She was +an only child, the daughter of Anthony Parker, editor and publisher of +the _Riverview Star_, and her mother had died when she was very young. + +"It looks like a good, practical suit," conceded the housekeeper. + +Penny made a wry face. "Is that the best you can say for it? Louise +Sidell and I shopped all over Riverview to get the snappiest number out, +and then you call it _practical_." + +"Oh, you know you look cute in it," laughed Mrs. Weems. "So what's the +use of telling you?" + +Before Penny could reply the telephone rang and the housekeeper went to +answer it. She returned to the living room a moment later to say that +Penny's father was in need of free taxi service home from the office. + +"Tell him I'll be down after him in two shakes of a kitten's tail!" Penny +called, making for the stairway. + +She took the steps two at a time and had climbed halfway out of the +snowsuit by the time she reached the bedroom. A well aimed kick landed +the garment on the bed, and then because it was very new and very choice +she took time to straighten it out. Seizing a dress blindly from the +closet, she wriggled into it and ran downstairs again. + +"Some more skiing equipment may come while I'm gone," she shouted to Mrs. +Weems who was in the kitchen. "I bought a new pair of skis, a couple of +poles, three different kinds of wax and a pair of red mittens." + +"Why didn't you order the store sent out and be done with it?" responded +the housekeeper dryly. + +Penny pulled on her heavy coat and hurried to the garage where two cars +stood side by side. One was a shining black sedan of the latest model, +the other, a battered, unwashed vehicle whose reputation was as +discouraging as its appearance. "Leaping Lena," as Penny called her car, +had an annoying habit of running up repair bills, and then repaying its +long suffering owner by refusing to start on cold winter days. + +"Lena, you get to stay in your cozy nest this time," Penny remarked, +climbing into her father's sedan. "Dad can't stand your rattle and +bounce." + +The powerful engine started with a blast. While Mrs. Weems watched +anxiously from the kitchen window, Penny shot the car out backwards, +wheeling it around the curve of the driveway with speed and ease. She +liked to handle her father's automobile, and since he did not enjoy +driving, she frequently called at the newspaper office to take him home. + +The _Star_ building occupied a block in the downtown section of +Riverview. Penny parked the car beside the loading dock at the rear, and +took an elevator to the editorial rooms. Nearly all of the desks were +deserted at this late hour of the afternoon. But Jerry Livingston, one of +the best reporters on the paper, was still pecking out copy on a noisy +typewriter. + +"Hi, Penny!" he observed, grinning as she brushed past his desk. "Have +you caught any more witch dolls?" + +"Not for the front page," she flung back at him. "My newspaper career is +likely to remain in a state of _status quo_ for the next two weeks. Dad +and I are heading for Pine Top to dazzle the natives with our particular +brand of skiing. Don't you envy us?" + +"I certainly would, if you were going." + +"If!" exclaimed Penny indignantly. "Of course we're going! We leave +Thursday by plane. Dad needs a vacation and this time I know he won't try +to wiggle out of it at the last minute." + +"Well, I hope not," replied Jerry in a skeptical voice. "Your father +needs a good rest, Penny. But I have a sneaking notion you're in for a +disappointment again." + +"What makes you say that, Jerry? Dad promised me faithfully--" + +"Sure, I know," he nodded, "but there have been developments." + +"An important story?" + +"No, it's more serious than that. But you talk with him. I may have the +wrong slant on the situation." + +Not without misgiving, Penny went on to her father's private office and +tapped on the door. + +"Come in," he called in a gruff voice, and as she entered, waved her into +a chair. "You arrived a little sooner than I expected, Penny. Mind +waiting a few minutes?" + +"Not at all." + +Studying her father's lean, tired-looking face, Penny decided that +something _was_ wrong. He seemed unusually worried and nervous. + +"A hard day, Dad?" she asked. + +Mr. Parker finished straightening a sheaf of papers before he glanced up. + +"Yes, I hadn't intended to tell you until later, but I may as well. I'm +afraid our trip is off--at least as far as I'm concerned." + +"Oh, Dad!" + +"It's a big disappointment, Penny. The truth is, I'm in a spot of +trouble." + +"Isn't that the usual condition of a newspaper publisher?" + +"Yes," he smiled, "but there are different degrees of trouble, and this +is the worst possible. The _Star_ has been sued for libel, a matter of +fifty odd thousand." + +"Fifty thousand!" gasped Penny. "But of course you'll win the suit!" + +"I'm not at all sure of it." Anthony Parker spoke grimly. "My lawyer +tells me that Harvey Maxwell has a strong case against the paper." + +"Harvey Maxwell?" repeated Penny thoughtfully. "Isn't he the man who owns +the Riverview Hotel?" + +"Yes, and a chain of other hotels and lodges throughout the country. +Harvey Maxwell is a rather well known sportsman. He lives lavishly, +travels a great deal, and in general is a hard, shrewd business man." + +"He's made a large amount of money from his hotels, hasn't he?" + +"Maxwell acquired a fortune from some source, but I've always had a doubt +that it came from the hotel business." + +"Why is he suing the _Star_ for libel, Dad?" + +"Early this fall, while I was out of town for a day DeWitt let a story +slip through which should have been killed. It was an interview with a +football player named Bill Morcrum who was quoted as saying that he had +been approached by Maxwell who offered him a bribe to throw an important +game." + +"What would be the reason behind that?" + +"Maxwell is thought by those in the know to have a finger in nearly every +dishonest sports scheme ever pulled off in this town. He places heavy +wagers, and seldom comes out on the losing end. But the story never +should have been published." + +"It was true though?" + +"I'm satisfied it was," replied Mr. Parker. "However, it always is +dangerous to make insinuations against a man." + +"Can't the story be proven? I should think with the football player's +testimony you would have a good case." + +"That's the trouble, Penny. This boy, Bill Morcrum, now claims he never +made any such accusation against Maxwell. He says the reporter misquoted +him and twisted his statements." + +"Who covered the story, Dad?" + +"A man named Glower, a very reliable reporter. He swears he made no +mistake, and I am inclined to believe him." + +"Then why did the football player change his story?" + +"I have no proof, but it's a fairly shrewd guess that he was approached +by Maxwell a second time. Either he was threatened or offered a bribe +which was large enough to sway him." + +"With both Maxwell and the football player standing together, it does +rather put you on the spot," Penny acknowledged. "What are you going to +do?" + +"We'll fight the case, of course, but unless we can prove that our story +was accurate, we're almost sure to lose. I've asked Bill Morcrum to come +to my office this afternoon, and he promised he would. He's overdue now." + +Anthony Parker glanced at his watch and scowled. Getting up from the +swivel chair he began to pace to and fro across the room. + +A buzzer on his desk gave three sharp, staccato signals. + +"Morcrum must be here now!" the editor exclaimed in relief. "I'll want to +see him alone." + +Penny arose to leave. As she went out the doorway she met the +receptionist, accompanied by an awkward, oversized youth who shuffled his +feet in walking. He grinned at her in a sheepish way and entered the +private office. + +While Penny waited, she entertained herself by reading all the comic +strips she could find in the out-of-town exchange papers. In the +adjoining room she could hear the rhythmical thumping, clicking sound of +the _Star's_ teletype machines. She wandered aimlessly into the room to +read the copy just as the machines typed it out, a story from Washington, +one from Chicago, another from Los Angeles. It was fascinating to watch +the print appear like magic upon the long rolls of copy paper. + +Presently, the teletype attendant, young Billy Stevens, came dashing into +the room. + +"Oh, hello, Miss Parker," he said with a bashful grin. + +"Hello, Billy," Penny answered cordially. She studied the keyboard of the +sending teletype machine, running her fingers over the letters. "I wish I +could work this thing," she said. + +"There's nothing to it if you can run a typewriter," answered Billy. +"Just a minute, I'll throw it off the line on to the test position. Then +you can try it." + +At first Penny's copy was badly garbled, but under Billy's enthusiastic +coaching she was soon doing accurate work. + +"Say, this is fun!" she declared. "I'm coming in again one of these days +and practice. Thanks a lot, Billy!" + +As Penny went back into the editorial room she saw the Morcrum boy +leaving her father's office. His head was downcast and his face was +flushed to the ears. Obviously, he had not had a comfortable time with +Mr. Parker. + +The moment the boy had vanished, Penny hurried into her father's office +to learn the outcome of the interview. + +"No luck," reported Mr. Parker, reaching for his hat and overcoat. + +"He wouldn't change his story?" + +"No. He seemed like a fairly decent sort of boy, but he kept insisting he +had been misquoted. I couldn't get anywhere with him. He'll testify for +Maxwell when the case comes to trial." + +Mr. Parker put on his overcoat and hat, and opened the door for Penny. As +they left the building he told her more about the interview. + +"I asked the boy point-blank if he hadn't been hired by Maxwell. +Naturally, he denied it, but he acted rather alarmed. Oh, I'm satisfied +he's either been bought off or threatened." + +"When does the case come to trial?" + +"The last of next month, unless we gain a delay." + +"That gives you quite a bit of time. Don't you think you could take two +weeks off anyhow, Dad? We both planned upon having such a wonderful time +at Mrs. Downey's place." + +Penny and her father had been invited to spend the Christmas holidays at +Pine Top, a winter resort which attracted many Riverview persons. They +especially had looked forward to the trip since they were to have been +the house guests of Mrs. Christopher Downey, an old friend of Mr. +Parker's who operated a skiing lodge on the slopes of the mountain +overlooking Silver Valley. + +"There's not much chance of my getting away," Mr. Parker replied +regretfully. "That is, not unless important evidence falls into my hands, +or I am able to make a deal with Maxwell." + +"A deal?" + +"If he would make reasonable demands I might be willing to settle out of +court." + +Penny gazed at her father in blank amazement. + +"And admit you were in the wrong when you're certain you weren't?" + +"Any good general will make a strategic retreat if the situation calls +for it. It might be more sensible to settle out of court than to lose the +case. Maxwell has me in a tight place and knows it." + +"Then why don't you see him? He might be fairly reasonable." + +"I suppose I could stop at the Riverview Hotel on our way home," Mr. +Parker said, frowning thoughtfully. "There's an outside chance Maxwell +may come to terms. Drop me off there, Penny." + +While the car threaded its way in and out of dense traffic, the editor +remained in a deep study. Penny had never seen him look so worried. Her +own disappointment was keen, yet she realized that far more than a +vacation trip was at stake. Fifty thousand dollars represented a large +sum of money! If Maxwell won his suit it might even mean the loss of the +_Riverview Star_. + +Sensing his daughter's alarm, Mr. Parker reached out to pat her knee. + +"Don't worry," he said, "we're not licked yet, Penny! And if there's any +way to arrange it, you shall have your trip to Pine Top just as we +planned." + + + + + CHAPTER + 2 + _A RIVAL REPORTER_ + + +Penny presently edged the sedan into a parking space across the street +from the Riverview Hotel. As she switched off the ignition her father +said: + +"Better come along with me and wait in the lobby. It's cold out here." + +Penny followed her father into the building. The hotel was an elegant one +with many services available for guests. She noticed a florist shop, a +candy store, a dry cleaning establishment, and even a small brokerage +office opening off the lobby. + +"Oh, yes," said Mr. Parker as Penny called his attention to the +brokerage. "Maxwell hasn't overlooked anything. The hotel has a special +leased wire which I've been told gives him a direct connection with his +other places." + +Walking over to the desk, Mr. Parker mentioned his name and asked the +clerk if he might see Harvey Maxwell. + +"Mr. Maxwell is not here," replied the man with an insolent air. + +"When will he be at the hotel?" + +"Mr. Maxwell has left the city on business. He does not expect to return +until the end of next month." + +Mr. Parker could not hide his annoyance. + +"Let me have his address then," he said in a resigned voice. "I'll write +him." + +The clerk shook his head. "I have been instructed not to give you Mr. +Maxwell's address. If you wish to deal with him you will have to see his +lawyer, Gorman S. Railey." + +"So Maxwell was expecting me to come here to make a deal with him?" +demanded Mr. Parker. "Well, I've changed my mind. I'll make a deal all +right, but it will be in court. Good day!" + +Angrily, the newspaper man strode from the lobby. Penny hurried to keep +pace with him. + +"That settles it," he said tersely as they climbed into the sedan again. +"This libel suit will be a fight to the finish. And maybe my finish at +that!" + +"Oh, Dad, I'm sure you'll win. But it's a pity all this had to come up +just when you had planned a fine vacation. Mrs. Downey will be +disappointed, too." + +"Yes, she will, Penny. And there's Mrs. Weems to be thought about. I +promised her a two weeks' trip while we were gone." + +They drove in silence for a few blocks. As the car passed the Sidell +residence, Penny's father said thoughtfully: + +"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 the _Riverview 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 and 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. + +Therefore, when the plane made a brief stop, she was astonished to have +Francine sidle over to her as she sat on a high stool at the lunch stand, +and say in a cutting tone: + +"Well, did you find out everything you wanted to know? I saw you +listening hard enough." + +"Eavesdropping isn't my method," replied Penny indignantly. "It's stupid +and is employed only by trash fiction writers and possibly _Record_ +reporters." + +"Say, are you suggesting--?" + +"Yes," interrupted Penny wearily. "Now please go find yourself a roost!" + +Francine ignored the empty stools beside Penny and went to the far side +of the lunch room. A moment later the two men, who had caused the young +woman reporter such concern, entered and sat down at a counter near +Penny, ordering sandwiches and coffee. + +Rather ironically, the girl could not avoid hearing their conversation, +and almost their first words gave her an unpleasant shock. + +"Don't worry, Ralph," said the stout one. "Nothing stands in our way +now." + +"You're not forgetting Mrs. Downey's place?" + +"We'll soon take care of _her_," the other boasted. "That's why I'm going +out to Pine Top with you, Ralph. I'll show you how these little affairs +are handled." + + + + + CHAPTER + 4 + _PINE TOP MOUNTAIN_ + + +Penny was startled by the remarks of the two men because she felt certain +that the Mrs. Downey under discussion must be the woman at whose inn she +would spend a two weeks' vacation. Was it possible that a plot was being +hatched against her father's friend? And what did Francine know about it? + +She glanced quickly toward the young woman reporter who was doing battle +with a tough steak which threatened to leap off her plate whenever she +tried to cut it. Apparently, Francine had not heard any part of the +conversation. + +Being only human, Penny decided that despite her recent comments, she +could not be expected to abandon a perfectly good sandwich in the +interests of theoretical honor. She remained at her post and waited for +the men to reveal more. + +Unobligingly, they began to talk of the weather and politics. Penny +finished her sandwich, and sliding down from the stool wandered outdoors. + +"I wish I knew who those men are," she thought. "Francine could tell me +if she weren't so horrid." + +Penny waited until the last possible minute before boarding the plane. As +she stepped inside the cabin she was surprised to see that Francine had +taken the chair beside Maxine Miller, very coolly moving Penny's +belongings to the seat at the back of the airliner. + +"Did you two decide to change places?" inquired the stewardess as Penny +hesitated beside the empty chair. + +"I didn't decide. It just seems to be an accomplished fact." + +The stewardess went down the aisle and touched Francine's arm. "Usually +the passengers keep their same seats throughout the journey," she said +with a pleasant smile. "Would you mind?" + +Francine did mind for she had cut her lunch short in the hope of +obtaining the coveted chair, but she could not refuse to move. Frowning, +she went back to her former place. + +Actually, Penny was not particular where she sat. There was no practical +advantage in being directly behind the two strangers, for their voices +were seldom audible above the roar of the plane. On the other hand, Miss +Miller talked loudly and with scarcely a halt for breath. Penny was +rather relieved when an early stop for dinner enabled her to gain a +slight respite. + +With flying conditions still favorable, the second half of the journey +was begun. Penny curled up in her clean, comfortable bed, and the gentle +rocking of the plane soon lulled her to sleep. She did not awaken until +morning when the stewardess came to warn her they soon would be at their +destination. Penny dressed speedily, and enjoyed a delicious breakfast +brought to her on a tray. She had just finished when Francine staggered +down the aisle, eyes bloodshot, her straight black hair looking as if it +had never been combed. + +"Will I be glad to get off this plane!" she moaned. "What a night!" + +"I didn't notice anything wrong with it," said Penny. "I take it you +didn't sleep well." + +"Sleep? I never closed my eyes all night, not with this roller-coaster +sliding down one mountain and up another. I thought every minute we were +going to crash." + +Maxine Miller likewise seemed to have spent an uncomfortable night, for +her face was haggard and worn. She looked five years older and her +make-up was smeared. + +"Tell me, do I look too dreadful?" she asked Penny anxiously. "I want to +appear my best when I meet Mr. Balantine." + +"You'll have time to rest up before you see him," the girl replied +kindly. + +"How long before we reach Pine Top?" + +"We should be approaching there now." Penny studied the terrain below +with deep interest, noting mountain ranges and beautiful snowy valleys. + +At last the plane circled and swept down on a small landing field which +had been cleared of snow. Passengers began to pour from the cabin, +grateful that the long journey was finally at an end. + +"I hope I see you again," said Penny, extending her hand to Miss Miller. +"And the best of luck with Mr. Balantine." + +Eagerly, she gathered together her possessions and stepped out of the +plane into blinding sunlight. The air was crisp and cold, but there was a +quality to it which made her take long, deep breaths. Beyond the landing +field stood a tall row of pine trees, each topped with a layer of snow +like the white icing of a cake. From somewhere far away she could hear +the merry jingle of sleigh bells. + +"So this is Pine Top!" thought Penny. "It's as pretty as a Christmas +card!" + +A small group of persons were at the field to meet the plane. Catching +sight of a short, sober-looking little woman who was bundled in furs, +Penny hastened toward her. + +"Mrs. Downey!" she cried. + +"Penny, my dear! How glad I am to see you!" The woman clasped her firmly, +planting a kiss on either cheek. "But your father shouldn't have +disappointed me. Why didn't he come along?" + +"He wanted to, but he's up to his eyebrows in trouble. A man is suing him +for libel." + +"Oh, that _is_ bad," murmured Mrs. Downey. "I know what legal trouble +means because I've had an unpleasant taste of it myself lately. But come, +let's get your luggage and be starting up the mountain." + +"Just a minute," said Penny in a low tone. With a slight inclination of +her head, she indicated the two male passengers who had made the long +journey from Riverview to Pine Top. "You don't by any chance know either +of those men?" + +Mrs. Downey's face lost its kindliness and she said, in a grim voice: "I +certainly do!" + +Before Penny could urge the woman to reveal their identity, Francine +walked over to where she and Mrs. Downey stood. + +"Did you wish to see me?" inquired the hotel woman as Francine looked at +her with an inquiring gaze. + +"Are you Mrs. Downey?" + +"Yes, I am." + +"I am looking for a place to stay," said Francine. "I was told that you +keep an inn." + +"Yes, we have a very nice lodge up the mountain about a mile from here. +The rooms are comfortable, and I do most of the cooking myself. We're +located on the best ski slopes in the valley. But if you're looking for a +place with plenty of style and corresponding prices you might prefer the +Fergus place." + +"Your lodge will exactly suit me, I think," declared Francine. "How do I +get there?" + +"In my bob-sled," offered Mrs. Downey. "I may have a few other guests." + +"It won't take me a minute to get my luggage," said Francine, moving +away. + +Penny was none too pleased to know that the girl reporter would make her +headquarters at the Downey Inn. Her face must have mirrored her +misgiving, for Mrs. Downey said apologetically: + +"Business hasn't been any too good this season. I have to pick up an +extra tourist whenever I can." + +"Of course," agreed Penny hastily. "One can't run a hotel without +guests." + +"I do believe Jake has snared another victim," Mrs. Downey laughed. "That +woman with the bleached hair." + +"And who is Jake?" inquired Penny. + +Mrs. Downey nodded her head toward a spry man with leathery skin who was +talking with Maxine Miller. + +"He does odd jobs for me at the Inn," she explained. "When he has no +other occupation he tries to entice guests into our den." + +"You make it sound like a very wicked business," chuckled Penny. + +"Since the Fergus hotel was built it's become a struggle, to the death," +replied Mrs. Downey soberly. "I truly believe this will be my last year +at Pine Top." + +"Why, you've had your home here for years," said Penny in astonishment. +"You were at Pine Top long before anyone thought of it as a great skiing +resort. You're an institution here, Mrs. Downey. Surely you aren't +serious about giving up your lodge?" + +"Yes, I am, Penny. But I shouldn't start telling my troubles the moment +you arrive. I never would have said a word if you hadn't asked me about +those two men yonder." + +She gazed scornfully toward the strangers whose identity Penny hoped to +learn. + +"Who _are_ they?" Penny asked quickly. + +"The slim fellow with the sharp face is Ralph Fergus," answered Mrs. +Downey, her voice filled with bitterness. "He manages the hotel and is +supposed to be the owner. Actually, the other man is the one who provides +all the money." + +"And who is he?" + +"Why, you should know," replied Mrs. Downey. "He has a hotel in +Riverview. His name is Harvey Maxwell. He only comes here now and then." + +"Harvey Maxwell!" repeated Penny. "Wait until Dad hears about this!" + +"Your father has had dealings with him?" + +"Has he?" murmured Penny. "Maxwell is the man who is suing Dad for +libel!" + +"Well, of all things!" + +"I believe I understand why Francine came out here too," Penny said +thoughtfully. + +"Francine?" + +"The girl who just engaged a room at your place. I think she went to your +Inn for the sole purpose of keeping an eye on me." + +"Why should she wish to do that?" + +"Francine is a reporter for the _Riverview Record_. Dad's story about +Maxwell bribing a football player served as a tip-off to other editors. +Now the _Record_ may hope to get evidence against him which they can +build up into a big story." + +"I should think that would help your father's case." + +"It might," agreed Penny, "all depending upon how the evidence was used. +But somehow, I don't trust Francine. If there's any fancy newspaper work +to be done at Pine Top, I aim to look after it myself!" + + + + + CHAPTER + 5 + _OVER THE BARBED WIRE_ + + +Mrs. Downey laughed at Penny's remark, not taking it very seriously. + +"I wish someone could uncover damaging evidence against Harvey Maxwell," +she declared. "But I fear he's far too clever a man to be caught in +anything dishonest. Sometime when you're in the mood to hear a tale of +woe, I'll tell you how he is running things at Pine Top." + +"I'd like to learn everything I can about him," responded Penny eagerly. + +Mrs. Downey led the girl across the field to the road where the bob-sled +and team of horses had been hitched. Jake, the handy man, appeared a +moment later, loaded down with skis and luggage. Maxine Miller, Francine, +and a well-dressed business man soon arrived and were helped into the +sled. + +"This is unique taxi service to say the least," declared Francine, none +too well pleased. "It must take ages to get up the mountain." + +"Not very long," replied Mrs. Downey cheerfully. + +Jake drove, with the hotel woman and her guests sitting on the floor of +the sled, covered by warm blankets. + +"Is it always so cold here?" shivered Miss Miller. + +"Always at this time of year," returned Mrs. Downey. "You'll not mind it +in a day or two. And the skiing is wonderful. We had six more inches of +snow last night." + +Penny thoroughly enjoyed the novel experience of gliding swiftly over the +hard-packed snow. The bobsled presently passed a large rustic building at +the base of the mountain which Mrs. Downey pointed out as the Fergus +hotel. + +"I suppose all the rich people stay there," commented Miss Miller. "Do +you know if they have a guest named David Balantine?" + +"The producer? Yes, I believe he is staying at the Fergus hotel." + +At the next bend Jake stopped the horses so that the girls might obtain a +view of the valley. + +"Over to the right is the village of Pine Top," indicated Mrs. Downey. +"Just beyond the Fergus hotel is the site of an old silver mine, +abandoned many years ago. And when we reach the next curve you'll be able +to look north and see into Canada." + +A short ride on up the mountain brought the party to the Downey Lodge, a +small but comfortable log building amid the pines. On the summit of a +slope not far away they could see the figure of a skier, poised for a +swift, downward flight. + +Mrs. Downey assigned the guests to their rooms, tactfully establishing +Penny and Francine at opposite ends of a long hall. + +"Luncheon will be served at one o'clock," she told them. "If you feel +equal to it you'll have time for a bit of skiing." + +"I believe I'll walk down to the village and send a wire to Dad," said +Penny. "Then this afternoon I'll try my luck on the slopes." + +"Just follow the road and you'll not get lost," instructed Mrs. Downey. + +Penny unpacked her suitcase, and then set forth at a brisk walk for the +village. She found the telegraph station without difficulty and +dispatched a message to her father, telling him of Harvey Maxwell's +presence in Pine Top. + +The town itself, consisting of half a dozen stores and twice as many +houses, was soon explored. Before starting back up the mountain Penny +thought she would buy a morning newspaper. But as she made inquiry at a +drug store, the owner shook his head. + +"We don't carry them here. The only papers we get come in by plane. +They're all sold out long before this." + +"Oh, I see," said Penny in disappointment, "well, next time I'll try to +come earlier." + +"I beg your pardon," ventured a voice directly behind her. "Allow me to +offer you my paper." + +Penny turned around to see that Ralph Fergus had entered the drugstore in +time to hear her remark. With a most engaging smile, he extended his own +newspaper. + +"Oh, I don't like to take your paper," she protested, wishing to accept +no favor however small from the man. + +"Please do," he urged, thrusting it into her hand. "I have finished with +it." + +"Thank you," said Penny. + +She took the paper and started to leave the store. Mr. Fergus fell into +step with her, following her outside. + +"Going back up the mountain?" he inquired casually. + +"Yes, I was." + +"I'll walk along if you don't mind having company." + +"Not at all." + +Penny studied Ralph Fergus curiously, fairly certain he had a special +reason for wishing to walk with her. For a time they trudged along in +silence, the snow creaking beneath their boots. + +"Staying at the Downey Lodge?" Fergus inquired after awhile. + +"Yes, I am." + +"Like it there?" + +"Well, I only arrived on the morning plane." + +"Yes, I noticed you aboard," he nodded. "Mrs. Downey is a very fine +woman, a very fine woman, but her lodge isn't modern. You noticed that, I +suppose?" + +"I'm not especially critical," smiled Penny. "It seemed to suit my +needs." + +"You'll be more critical after you have stayed there a few days," he +warned. "The service is very poor. Even this little matter of getting a +morning newspaper. Now our hotel sees that every guest has one shoved +under his door before breakfast." + +"That would be very nice, I'm sure," remarked Penny dryly. "You're the +manager of the hotel, aren't you?" + +Ralph Fergus gave her a quick, appraising glance. "Right you are," he +said jovially. "Naturally I think we have the finest hotel at Pine Top +and I wish you would try it. I'll be glad to make you a special rate." + +"You're very kind." It was a struggle for Penny to keep her voice casual. +"I may drop around sometime and look the hotel over." + +"Do that," he urged. "Here is my card. Just ask for me and I'll show you +about." + +Penny took the card and dropped it into her pocket. A few minutes later +as they passed the Fergus hotel, her companion parted company with her. + +"He thought I was an ordinary guest at Mrs. Downey's," Penny told +herself. "Otherwise, he never would have dared to make such an open bid +for my patronage." + +Upon returning to the lodge she told Mrs. Downey of her meeting with +Ralph Fergus. + +"It doesn't surprise me one bit," the woman replied angrily. "Fergus has +been using every method he can think of to get my guests away from me. He +has runners out all the time, talking up his hotel and talking mine +down." + +Penny sat on the edge of the kitchen table, watching Mrs. Downey stir a +great kettle of steaming soup. + +"While I was coming here on the plane I heard Fergus and Maxwell speaking +about you." + +"You did, Penny? What did they have to say? Nothing good, I'll warrant." + +"I couldn't understand what they meant at the time, but now I think I do. +They said that nothing stood in their way except your place. Maxwell +declared he would soon take care of you, and that he was on his way to +Pine Top to show Fergus how such affairs were handled." + +Mrs. Downey kept on stirring with the big spoon. "So the screws are to be +twisted a bit harder?" she asked grimly. + +"Why do they want your place?" Penny inquired. + +"Because I take a few of their guests away from them. If my lodge closed +up they could raise prices sky high, and they would do it, too!" + +"They offered me a special rate, whatever that means." + +"Fergus has been cutting his room rents lately for the sole purpose of +getting my customers away from me. He makes up for it by charging three +and even four dollars a meal. The guests don't learn that until after +they have moved in." + +"And there's nothing you can do about it?" + +Mrs. Downey shook her head. "I've been fighting with my back to the wall +this past season. I don't see how I possibly can make it another year. +That is why I wanted you and your father to visit here before I gave up +the place." + +"Dad might have helped you," Penny said regretfully. "I'm sorry he wasn't +able to come." + +At one o'clock Mrs. Downey served a plain but substantial meal to +fourteen guests who tramped in out of the snow. They called loudly for +second and third helpings which were cheerfully given. + +After luncheon Penny sat for a time about the crackling log fire and then +she went to her room and changed into her skiing clothes. + +"The nursery slopes are at the rear of the lodge," Mrs. Downey told her +as she went out through the kitchen. "But you're much too experienced for +them." + +"I haven't been on skis for nearly two years." + +"It will come back to you quickly." + +"I thought I might taxi down and look over the Fergus hotel." + +"The trail is well marked. Just be careful as you get about half way +down. There is a sharp turn and if you miss it you may find yourself +wrapped around an evergreen." + +Penny went outside, and buckling on her skis, glided to the top of a long +slope which fell rather sharply through lanes of pine trees to the wide +valley below. As she was studying the course, reflecting that the crusted +snow would be very fast, Francine came out of the lodge and stood +watching her. + +"What's the matter, Penny?" she called. "Can't you get up your nerve?" + +Penny dug in her poles and pushed off. Crouching low, skis running +parallel, she tore down the track. Pine trees crowded past on either side +in a greenish blur. The wind whistled in her ears. She jabbed her poles +into the snow to check her speed. + +After the first steep stretch, the course flattened out slightly. From a +cautious left traverse, a lifted stem turn gave her time to concentrate +her full attention on the route ahead. She swerved to avoid a boulder +which would have broken her ski had she crashed into it, and rode out a +series of long, undulating hollows. + +Gathering speed again, Penny made her decisions with lightning rapidity. +There was no time to think. Confronted with a choice of turns, she chose +the right hand trail, slashing through in a beautiful christiana. Too +late, she realized her error. + +Directly ahead loomed a barbed wire fence. There was no opportunity to +turn aside. Penny knew that she must jump or take a disastrous fall. + +Swinging her poles forward, she let them drop in the snow close to her +ski tips. Crouching low she sprang upward with all her strength. The +sticks gave her leverage so that she could lift her skis clear of the +snow. Momentum carried her forward over the fence. + +Penny felt the jar of the runners as they slapped on the snow. Then she +lost her balance and tumbled head over heels. + +Untangling herself, she sat up and gazed back at the barbed wire fence. + +"I wish all my friends at Riverview could have seen that jump!" she +thought proudly. "It was a beauty even if I did land wrong side up." + +A large painted sign which had been fastened to the fence, drew her +attention. It read: "Skiers Keep Out." + +"I wonder if that means me?" remarked Penny aloud. + +"Yes, it means you!" said an angry voice behind her. + +Penny rolled over in the snow, waving her skis in the air. She drew in +her breath sharply. An old man with a dark beard had stepped from the +shadow of the pine trees, a gun grasped in his gnarled hands! + + + + + CHAPTER + 6 + _PENNY TRESPASSES_ + + +"Can't you understand signs?" the old man demanded, advancing with +cat-like tread from the fringe of pine trees. + +"Not when I'm traveling down a mountain side at two hundred miles an +hour!" Penny replied. "Please, would you mind pointing that cannon in +some other direction? It might go off." + +The old man lowered the shotgun, but the grim lines of his wrinkled, +leathery face did not relax. + +"Get up!" he commanded, prodding her with the toe of his heavy boot. "Get +out of here! I won't have you or any other skier on my property." + +"Then allow me to make a suggestion," remarked Penny pleasantly. "Put up +another strand of barbed wire and you'll have them all in the hospital!" + +She sat up, gingerly felt of her left ankle and then began to brush snow +from her jacket. "Did you see me make the jump?" she asked. "I took it +just like a reindeer. Or do I mean a gazelle?" + +"You made a very awkward jump!" he retorted. "I could have done better +myself." + +Penny glanced up with genuine interest. "Oh, do you ski?" + +By this time she no longer was afraid of the old man, if indeed she had +ever been. + +"No, I don't ski!" he answered impatiently. "Now hurry up! Get those skis +off and start moving! I'll not wait all day." + +Penny began to unstrap the long hickory runners, but with no undue show +of haste. She glanced curiously about the snowy field. An old shed stood +not far away. Beside it towered a great stack of wood which reached +nearly as high as the roof. Through the trees she caught a glimpse of a +weather-stained log cabin with smoke curling lazily from the brick +chimney. + +As Penny was regarding it, she saw a flash of color at one of the +windows. A girl who might have been her own age had her face pressed +against the pane. Seeing Penny's gaze upon her, she began to make motions +which could not be understood. + +The old man also turned his head to look toward the cabin. Immediately, +the girl disappeared from the window. + +"Is that where you live?" inquired Penny. + +Instead of answering, the old man seized her by the hand and pulled her +to her feet. + +"Go!" he commanded. "And don't let me catch you here again!" + +Penny shouldered her skis and moved toward the fence. + +"So sorry to have damaged your nice snow," she apologized. "I'll try not +to trespass again." + +Crawling under the barbed wire fence, Penny retraced her way up the slope +to the point on the trail where she had taken the wrong turn. There she +hesitated and finally decided to walk on to the Fergus hotel. + +"I wonder who that girl was at the window?" Penny reflected as she +trudged along. "She looked too young to be Old Whisker's daughter. And +what was she trying to tell me?" + +The problem was too deep for her to solve. But she made up her mind she +would ask Mrs. Downey the name of the queer old man as soon as she +returned to the lodge. + +Reaching the Fergus hotel, Penny parked her skis upright in a snowbank +near the front door, and went inside. She found herself in a long lobby +at the end of which was a great stone fireplace with a half burned log on +the hearth. Bellboys in green uniforms and brass buttons darted to and +fro. A general stir of activity pervaded the place. + +As Penny was gazing about, she saw Maxine Miller leave an elevator and +come slowly across the lobby. The actress would not have seen her had she +not spoken. + +"How do you do, Miss Miller. I didn't expect to see you here." + +"Oh, Miss Parker!" The actress' face was the picture of despair. "I've +had the most wretched misfortune!" + +"Why, what has happened?" inquired Penny, although she thought she knew +the answer to her question. + +"I've just seen Mr. Balantine." Miss Miller sagged into the depths of a +luxuriously upholstered davenport and leaned her head back against the +cushion. + +"Your interview didn't turn out as you expected?" + +"He wouldn't give me the part. Hateful old goat! He even refused to allow +me to demonstrate how well I could read the lines! And he said some very +insulting things to me." + +"That is too bad," returned Penny sympathetically. "What will you do now? +Go back home?" + +"I don't know," the woman replied in despair. "I would stay if I thought +I could change Mr. Balantine's opinion. Do you think I could?" + +"I shouldn't advise it myself. Of course, I don't know anything about Mr. +Balantine." + +"He's very temperamental. Perhaps if I kept bothering him he would +finally give me a chance." + +"Well, it might be worth trying," Penny said doubtfully. "But I think if +I were you I would return home." + +"All of my friends will laugh at me. They thought it was foolish to come +out here as it was. I can't go back. I am inclined to move down to this +hotel so I'll be able to keep in touch with Mr. Balantine with less +difficulty." + +"It's a very nice looking hotel," commented Penny. "Expensive, I've been +told." + +"In the show business one must keep up appearances at all cost," replied +Miss Miller. "I believe I'll inquire about the rates." + +While Penny waited, the actress crossed over to the desk and talked with +a clerk. In a small office close by, Ralph Fergus and Harvey Maxwell +could be seen in consultation. They were poring over a ledger, apparently +checking business accounts. + +Miss Miller returned in a moment. "I've taken a room," she announced. "I +can't afford it, but I am doing it anyway." + +"Will you be able to manage?" + +"Oh, I'll run up a bill and then let them try to collect!" + +Penny gazed at the actress with frank amazement. + +"You surely don't mean you would deliberately defraud the hotel?" + +"Not so loud or the clerk will hear you," Miss Miller warned. "And don't +use such an ugly word. If I land the part with Mr. Balantine, of course +I'll pay. If not--the worst they can do is to throw me out." + +Penny said no more but her opinion of Miss Miller had descended several +notches. + +"What are you doing here?" the actress inquired, quickly changing the +subject. + +"Oh, I just came down to look over the hotel. It's very swanky, but I +like Mrs. Downey's place better." + +Miss Miller turned to leave. "I am going back there now to check out," +she declared. "Would you like to walk along?" + +"No, thank you, I'll just stay here and rest for a few minutes." + +Penny had no real purpose in coming to the Fergus hotel. She merely had +been curious to see what it was like. Even a casual inspection made it +clear that Mrs. Downey's modest little lodge never could compete with +such a luxurious establishment. + +She studied the faces of the persons in the lobby. There seemed to be a +strange assortment of people, including a large number of men and women +who certainly had never been drawn to Pine Top by the skiing. Penny +thought whimsically that it would be interesting to see some of the fat, +pampered-looking ones take a tumble on the slippery slopes. + +"But what is the attraction of this place, if not the skiing?" she +puzzled. "There is no other form of entertainment." + +Presently, a well-fed lady in rustling black silk, her hand heavy with +diamond rings, paused beside Penny. + +"I beg your pardon," she said, "can you tell me how to find the Green +Room?" + +"No, I can't," replied Penny. "I would need a map to get around in this +hotel. You might ask at the desk." + +The woman fluttered over to the clerk and asked the same question. + +"You have your card, Madam?" he inquired in a low tone. + +"Oh, yes, to be sure. The manager presented it to me this morning." + +"Take the elevator to the second floor wing," the man instructed. "Room +22. Show your card to the doorman and you will be admitted." + +Penny waited until after the woman had gone away. Then she arose and +sauntered across the lobby. She picked up a handful of hotel literature +but there was no mention of any Green Room. Pausing by the elevator, she +waited until the cage was deserted of passengers before speaking to the +attendant, a red headed boy of about seventeen. + +"Where is the Green Room, please?" + +"Second floor, Miss." + +"And what is it? A dining room?" + +The attendant shot her a peculiar glance and gave an answer which was +equally strange. + +"It's not a dining room. I can't tell you what it is." + +"A cocktail room perhaps?" + +"Listen, I told you I don't know," the boy answered. + +"You work here, don't you?" + +"Sure I do," he said with emphasis. "And I aim to keep my job for awhile. +If you want to know anything about the Green Room ask at the desk!" + + + + + CHAPTER + 7 + _THE GREEN DOOR_ + + +Before Penny could ask another question, the signal board flashed a +summons, and the attendant slammed shut the door of the elevator. He shot +the cage up to the fifth floor and did not return. + +Hesitating a moment, Penny wandered over to the desk. + +"How does one go about obtaining a card for the Green Room?" she inquired +casually. + +"You're not a guest here?" questioned the clerk. + +"No." + +"You'll have to talk with the manager. Oh, Mr. Fergus!" + +Penny had not meant to have the matter go so far, but there was no +retreating. The hotel manager came out of his office, and recognizing +her, smiled ingratiatingly. + +"Ah, good afternoon, Miss--" He groped for her name but Penny did not +supply it. "So you decided to pay us a visit after all." + +"This young lady asked about the Green Room," said the clerk +significantly. + +Mr. Fergus bestowed a shrewd, appraising look upon Penny. + +"Oh, yes," he said to give himself more time, "Oh, yes, I see. What was +it you wished to know?" + +"How does one obtain a card of admission?" + +"It is very simple. That is, if you have the proper recommendations and +bank credit." + +"Recommendations?" Penny asked blankly. "Just what is the Green Room +anyway?" + +Ralph Fergus and the clerk exchanged a quick glance which was not lost +upon the girl. + +"I see you are not familiar with the little service which is offered +hotel guests," Mr. Fergus said suavely. "I shall be most happy to explain +it to you at some later time when I am not quite so busy." + +He bowed and went hurriedly back into the office. + +"I guess I shouldn't have inquired about the Green Room," Penny observed +aloud. "There seems to be a deep mystery connected with it." + +"No mystery," corrected the clerk. "If you will leave your name and +address I am sure everything can be arranged within a few days." + +"Thank you, I don't believe I'll bother." + +Penny turned and nearly ran into Francine Sellberg. Too late, she +realized that the girl reporter probably had been standing by the desk +for some time, listening to her conversation. + +"Hello, Francine," she said carelessly. + +The girl returned a haughty stare. "I don't believe I know you, Miss," +she said, and walked on across the lobby. + +Penny was rather stunned by the unexpected snub. She took a step as if to +follow Francine and demand an explanation, but her sense of humor came to +her rescue. + +"Who cares?" she asked herself with a shrug. "If she doesn't care to know +me, it's perfectly all right. I can manage to bear up." + +After Francine had left the hotel, Penny made up her mind that she would +try to learn a little more about the Green Room. Her interest was +steadily mounting and she could not imagine what "service" might be +offered guests in this particular part of the hotel. + +Choosing a moment when no one appeared to be watching, Penny mounted the +stairway to the second floor. She followed a long corridor to its end but +did not locate Room 22. Returning to the elevator, she started in the +opposite direction. The numbers ended at 20. + +While Penny was trying to figure it out, a group of four men and women +came down the hall. They were well dressed individuals but their manner +did not stamp them as persons of good breeding. One of the women who +carried a jeweled handbag was talking in a loud, excited tone: + +"Oh, Herbert, wait until you see it! I shall weep my eyes out if you +don't agree to buy it for me at once. And the price! Ridiculously cheap! +We'll never run into bargains like these in New York." + +"We'll see, Sally," replied the man. "I'm not satisfied yet that this +isn't a flim-flam game." + +He opened a door which bore no number, and stood aside for the others to +pass ahead of him. Penny caught a glimpse of a long, empty hallway. + +"That must be the way to Room 22," she thought. + +She waited until the men and women had gone ahead, and then cautiously +opened the door which had closed behind them. No one questioned her as +she moved noiselessly down the corridor. At its very end loomed a green +painted door, its top edge gracefully circular. Beside it at a small +table sat a man who evidently was stationed there as a guard. + +Penny walked slowly, watching the men and women ahead. They paused at the +table and showed slips of cardboards. The guard then opened the green +door and allowed them to pass through. + +It looked so very easy that Penny decided to try her luck. She drew +closer. + +"Your card please," requested the doorman. + +"I am afraid I haven't mine with me," said Penny, flashing her most +beguiling smile. + +The smile was entirely lost upon the man. "Then I can't let you in," he +said. + +"Not even if I have lost my card?" + +"Orders," he answered briefly. "You'll have no trouble getting another." + +Penny started to turn away, and then asked with attempted carelessness: + +"What's going on in there anyway? Are they selling something?" + +"I really couldn't tell you," he responded. + +"Everyone in this hotel seems to be blind, deaf and dumb," Penny muttered +to herself as she retraced her way to the main hall. "And definitely, for +a purpose. I wonder if maybe I haven't stumbled into something?" + +She still had not the faintest idea what might lie beyond the Green Door, +but the very name had an intriguing sound. It suggested mystery. It +suggested, too, that Ralph Fergus and his financial backer, Harvey +Maxwell, might have developed some special money-making scheme which +would not bear exposure. + +Into Penny's mind leaped a remark which her father had made, one to the +effect that Harvey Maxwell was thought to have his finger in many +dishonest affairs. The Green Room might be a perfectly legitimate place +of entertainment for hotel guests, but the remarks she had overheard led +Penny to think otherwise. Something was being sold in Room 22. And to a +very select clientele! + +"If only I could learn facts which would help Dad's case!" she told +herself. "Anything showing that Maxwell is mixed up in a dishonest scheme +might turn the trick!" + +It occurred to Penny that the editor of the _Riverview Record_ might have +had some inkling of a story to be found at Pine Top. Otherwise, why had +Francine been sent to the mountain resort? Certainly the rival reporter +was working upon an assignment which concerned Harvey Maxwell. She +inadvertently had revealed that fact at the Riverview airport. + +"Francine thinks I came here for the same purpose," mused Penny. "If only +she weren't so high-hat we could work together." + +There was almost no real evidence to point to a conclusion that the +Fergus hotel was not being operated properly. Penny realized only too +well that once more she was depending upon a certain intuition. An +investigation of the Green Room might reveal no mystery. But at least +there was a slender hope she could learn something which would aid her +father in discrediting Harvey Maxwell. + +Without attracting attention, Penny descended to the main floor and left +the hotel. As she retrieved her skis from the snowbank she was surprised +to see Francine standing close by, obviously waiting for her. + +"Hello, Penny," the girl greeted her. + +"Goodness! Aren't you mistaken? I don't think you know me!" + +"Oh, don't try to be funny," Francine replied, falling into step. "I'll +explain." + +"I wish you would." + +"You should have known better than to shout out my name there in the +lobby." + +"I don't follow your reasoning at all, Francine. Are you traveling +incognito or something?" + +"Naturally I don't care to have it advertised that I am a reporter. I +rather imagine you're not overly anxious to have it known that you are +the daughter of Anthony Parker either!" + +"It probably wouldn't be any particular help," admitted Penny. + +"Exactly! Despite your play-acting at the airport, I know you came here +to get the low-down on Harvey Maxwell. But the minute he learns who you +are you'll not even get inside the hotel." + +"And that goes double, I take it?" + +"No one at Pine Top except you knows I am a reporter," went on Francine +without answering. "So I warn you, don't pull another boner like you did +a few minutes ago. Whenever we're around Fergus or Maxwell or persons who +might report to them, just remember you never saw me before. Is that +clear?" + +"Moderately so," drawled Penny. + +"I guess that's all I have to say." Francine hesitated and started to +walk off. + +"Wait a minute, Francine," spoke Penny impulsively. "Why don't we bury +the hatchet and work together on this thing? After all I am more +interested in gaining evidence against Maxwell than I am in getting a big +story for the paper. How about it?" + +Francine smiled in a superior way. + +"Thank you, I prefer to lone wolf it. You see, I happen to have a very +good lead, and you don't." + +"Well, I've heard about the Green Room," said Penny, hazarding a shot in +the dark. "That's something." + +Francine stopped short. + +"What do you know about it?" she demanded quickly. "Maybe we could work +together after all." + +Penny laughed as she bent down to strap on her skis. + +"No, thanks," she declined pleasantly. "You once suggested that a clever +reporter finds his own answers. You'll have to wait until you read it in +the _Star_!" + + + + + CHAPTER + 8 + _A CODED MESSAGE_ + + +Penny sat in the kitchen of Mrs. Downey's lodge, warming her half frozen +toes in the oven. + +"Well, how did you like the skiing?" inquired her hostess who was busy +mixing a huge meat loaf to be served for dinner. + +"It was glorious," answered Penny, "only I took a bad spill. Somehow I +missed the turn you told me about, and found myself heading for a barbed +wire fence. I jumped it and made a one point landing in a snowbank!" + +"You didn't hurt yourself, thank goodness." + +"No, but an old man with a shotgun came out of the woods and said 'Scat!' +to me. It seems he doesn't like skiers." + +"That must have been Peter Jasko." + +"And who is he, Mrs. Downey?" + +"One of the oldest settlers on Pine Top Mountain," sighed Mrs. Downey. +"He's a very pleasant man in some respects, but in others--oh, dear." + +"Skiing must be one of his unpleasant aspects. I noticed he had a 'Keep +Out' sign posted on his property." + +"Peter Jasko is a great trial to me and other persons on the mountain. He +has a hatred of skiing and everything pertaining to it, which amounts to +fanaticism. A number of skiers have been injured by running into his +barbed wire fence." + +"Then he put it up on purpose?" + +"Oh, yes! He has an idea it will keep folks from skiing." + +"He isn't--?" Penny tapped her forehead significantly. + +"No," smiled Mrs. Downey. "Old Peter is right in his mind, at least in +every respect save this one. He owns our best ski slopes, too." + +Penny shifted her foot to a cooler place in the oven. + +"Not the slopes connected with this lodge?" + +Mrs. Downey nodded as she whipped eggs to a foamy yellow. + +"I leased the land from Jasko's son many years ago, and Jasko can do +nothing about it except rage. However, the lease expires soon. He has +given me to understand it will not be renewed." + +"Can't you deal with the son?" + +"He is dead, Penny." + +"Oh, I see. That does make it difficult." + +"Decidedly. Jasko's attitude about the lease is another reason why I +think this will be my last year in the hotel business." + +"You don't think Ralph Fergus or Harvey Maxwell have influenced Jasko?" +Penny asked thoughtfully, a frown ridging her forehead. + +"I doubt that anyone could influence the old man," replied Mrs. Downey. +"Stubborn isn't the word to describe his character. Even if I lose the +ski slopes, I am quite sure he will never lease them to the Fergus hotel +interests." + +"While I was down there I thought I saw a girl standing at the window of +the cabin." + +"Probably you did, Penny. Jasko has a granddaughter about your age, named +Sara. A very nice girl, too, but she is kept close at home." + +"I feel sorry for her if she has to live with that old man. He seemed +like a regular ogre." + +Removing her toasted feet from the oven, Penny pulled on her stiff boots +again. Without bothering to lace them, she hobbled toward the door. + +"Oh, by the way," she remarked, pausing. "Did you ever hear of a Green +Room at the Fergus hotel?" + +"A Green Room?" repeated Mrs. Downey. "No, I can't say I have. What is +it, Penny?" + +"I wonder myself. Something funny seems to be going on there." + +Having aroused Mrs. Downey's curiosity, Penny gave a more complete +account of her visit to the Fergus hotel. + +"I've never heard anyone mention such a place," declared the woman in a +puzzled voice. "But I will say this. The hotel always has attracted a +peculiar group of guests." + +"How would you like to have me solve the mystery for you?" joked Penny. + +"It would suit me very well indeed," laughed Mrs. Downey. "And while +you're about it you might put Ralph Fergus out of business, and bring me +a new flock of guests." + +"I'm afraid you're losing one instead. Maxine Miller told me she is +moving down to the big hotel." + +"I know. She checked out a half hour ago. Jake made an extra trip to haul +her luggage down the mountain." + +"Anyway, I shouldn't be sorry to see her go if I were you," comforted +Penny. "I am quite sure she hasn't enough money to pay for a week's stay +at Pine Top." + +Going to her room, Penny changed into more comfortable clothing and +busied herself writing a long letter to her father. From her desk by the +window she could see skiers trudging up the slopes, some of them making +neat herring-bone tracks, others slipping and sliding, losing almost as +much distance as they gained. + +As she watched, Francine swung into view, poling rhythmically, in perfect +timing with her long easy strides. + +"She _is_ good," thought Penny, grudgingly. + +Dinner was served at six. Afterwards, the guests sat before the crackling +log fire and bored each other with tales of their skiing prowess. A few +of the more enterprising ones waxed their skis in preparation for the +next day's sport. + +"Any newspapers tonight?" inquired a business man of Mrs. Downey. "Or is +this another one of the blank days?" + +"Jake brought New York papers from the village," replied the hotel woman. +"They are on the table." + +"Blank days?" questioned Francine, looking up from a magazine she had +been reading. + +"Mr. Glasser calls them that when he doesn't get the daily stock market +report," explained Mrs. Downey, smiling at her guest. + +"And don't the newspapers always arrive?" questioned Francine. + +"Not always. Lately the service has been very poor." + +"I'd rather be deprived of a meal than my paper," growled Mr. Glasser. +"What annoys me is that the guests at the Fergus hotel always get their +papers. I wish someone would explain it to me." + +"And I wish someone would explain it to _me_," murmured Mrs. Downey, +retreating to the kitchen. + +In the morning Penny decided to ski down to the village for a jar of cold +cream. The snow was crusted and fast but she felt no terror of the trail +which curved sharply through the evergreens. Her balance was better, and +this time she had no intention of impaling herself on Peter Jasko's +barbed wire fence. + +Seldom checking her speed, she hurtled along the ribbon of trail. Racing +on to the sharp turn, she shifted her weight and swung her body at +precisely the right instant. The slope stretched on past rows of tall +trees, towering like sentinels along the snow-swept ridges. Presently it +flattened out into an open valley. Penny sailed past a house, a barn, and +gradually slowed up until she came to a low hillock overlooking the +village. + +Recapturing her breath, Penny took off her skis and walked on into Pine +Top. She made a few purchases at the drug store and then impulsively +entered the telegraph office. To her surprise, Francine Sellberg was +there ahead of her. + +"How late is your office open?" the reporter was asking the operator. + +"Six-thirty," he replied. + +"And if one has a rush message to send after that hour?" + +"Well, you can get me at my house," the man answered. "I live over behind +the Albert's Filling Station." + +"Thank you," responded Francine, flashing Penny a mocking smile. "I may +have an important story to send to my paper any hour. I wanted to be sure +there would be no delay in getting it off." + +Penny waited until the reporter had left the office and then said +apologetically: + +"I don't suppose you've received any message for me?" + +"We always telephone as soon as anything comes in," the man replied. "But +wait! You're Penelope Parker, aren't you?" + +"In my more serious moments. Otherwise, just plain Penny." + +"I do have something for you, then. A message came in a few minutes ago. +I've been too busy to telephone it to the lodge." + +He handed Penny a sheet of paper which she read eagerly. As she +anticipated, it was from her father, and with his usual disregard for +economy he had not bothered to omit words. + +"Glad to learn you arrived safely at Pine Top," he had wired. "Your +information about H. M. is astonishing, if true. Are you sure it is the +same man? Keep your eye on him, and report to me if you learn anything +worth while. I am held here by important developments, but will try to +come to Pine Top for Christmas." + +Penny read the message twice, scowling at the sentence: "Are you sure it +is the same man?" It was clear to her that her father did not have a +great deal of faith in her identification. And obviously, he did not +believe that anything could be gained by making a special trip to Pine +Top to see the hotel man. + +Thrusting the paper into the pocket of her jacket she went out into the +cold. + +"No one seems to rate my detective work very highly," she complained to +herself. "But when Dad gets my letter telling him about the Green Door he +may take a different attitude!" + +Skis slung over her shoulder, she began the weary climb back to the +Downey lodge. Before Penny had walked very far she saw that she was +overtaking a man on the narrow trail ahead of her. Observing that it was +Ralph Fergus, she immediately slowed her steps. + +The hotel man did not turn his head to glance back. He kept walking +slower and slower as if in deep thought, and after a time he reached +absently into his pocket for a letter. + +As he pulled it out, another piece of pale gray paper fluttered to the +ground. Fergus did not notice that he had lost anything. The wind caught +the paper and blew it down the slope toward Penny. + +"Oh, Mr. Fergus!" she called. "You dropped something!" + +The wind hurled her words back at her. Realizing that she could not make +the man hear, Penny quickened her pace. After a short chase she rescued +the paper when it caught on the thorns of a snow-caked bush. + +At first glance Penny thought she had gone to trouble for no purpose. The +paper seemed to be blank. But as she turned it over she saw a single line +of jumbled letters: + +YL GFZKY GLULFFLS + +"What can this be?" Penny thought in amazement. "Nothing, I guess." + +She crumpled the paper and tossed it away. But as it skittered and +bounced like a tumble weed down the trail, she suddenly changed her mind +and darted after it again. Carefully straightening out the page she +examined it a second time. + +"This looks like copy paper used in a newspaper office," she told +herself. "But there is no newspaper in Pine Top, I wonder--?" + +The conviction came to Penny that the jumbled letters might be in code. +Her pulse leaped at the thought. If only she were able to decipher it! + +"I'll take this to the lodge and work on it," she decided quickly. "Who +knows? It may be just the key I need to unlock this strange affair of the +Green Door!" + + + + + CHAPTER + 9 + _A CALL FOR HELP_ + + +All that afternoon and far into the evening Penny devoted to her assigned +task, trying to make sense out of the jumbled sentence of typewriting. +She used first one method and then another, but she could not decode the +brief message. She had moments when she even doubted that it was a code. +At last, completely disgusted, she threw down her pencil and put the +paper away in a bureau drawer. + +"I never was meant to be a cryptographer or whatever you call those +brainy fellows who unravel ciphers and things!" she grumbled. "Maybe the +trouble with me is that I'm not bright." + +Switching off the lamp, Penny rolled up the shade, and stood for a moment +gazing down into the dark valley. Far below she could see lights glowing +in the Fergus hotel, mysterious and challenging. + +"I feel as if I'm on the verge of an important discovery, yet nothing +happens," she sighed. "Something unusual is going on here, but what?" + +Penny did not believe that Francine knew the answer either. The girl +reporter undoubtedly had been sent to Pine Top upon a definite tip from +her editor, yet she could not guess the nature of such a tip. It was +fairly evident that Francine was after some sort of evidence, but so far +she had made no progress in acquiring it. + +"We're both groping in the dark, searching for something we know is here +but can't see," thought Penny. "And we watch each other like hawks for +fear the other fellow will get the jump!" + +The Green Door intrigued and puzzled her. While it might mean nothing at +all, she could not shake off a feeling that if once she were able to get +inside the room she might learn the answer to some of her questions. + +Penny had turned over several plans in her mind, none of which suited +her. The most obvious thing to do was to try to bribe an employee of the +hotel to give her the information she sought. But if she failed, her +identity would be disclosed to Ralph Fergus and Harvey Maxwell. It seemed +wiser to bide her time and watch. + +Penny awoke the next morning to find large flakes of snow piling on the +window sills. The storm continued and after breakfast only the most +rugged skiers ventured out on the slopes. Francine hugged a hot air +register, complaining that there was not enough heat, Many of the other +guests, soon exhausting the supply of magazines, became restless. + +Luncheon was over when Penny stamped in out of the cold to find Mr. +Glasser fretfully pacing to and fro before the fireplace. + +"When will the papers come?" he asked Mrs. Downey. + +"Jake usually goes down to the village after them about four o'clock. But +with this thick weather, the plane may not get in today." + +"It's in now, Mrs. Downey," spoke Penny, shaking snow from her red +mittens. "I saw it nearly half an hour ago, flying low over the valley." + +"Then the papers must be at Pine Top by this time." Mrs. Downey hesitated +before adding: "I'll call Jake from his work and ask him to go after +them." + +"Let me," offered Penny quickly. + +"In this storm?" + +"Oh, I don't mind. I rather like it." + +"All right, then," agreed Mrs. Downey in relief. "But don't get lost, +whatever you do. If the trails become snowed over it might be better to +stay on the main road." + +"I won't get lost," laughed Penny. "If worse comes to worst I always can +climb a pine tree and sight the Fergus hotel." + +She dried out her mittens, and putting on an extra sweater beneath her +jacket, stepped outside the lodge. The wind had fallen and only a few +snowflakes were whirling down. Hearing the faint tingle of bells, Penny +turned to gaze toward the road, where a pair of white horses were pulling +an empty lumber wagon up the hill. + +The driver, hunched over on the seat, was slapping his hands together to +keep them warm. + +"Why, that looks like Old Whiskers himself," thought Penny. "It is Peter +Jasko." + +The observation served only to remind her of their unpleasant meeting. +Since being so discourteously ejected from the Jasko property Penny had +not ventured back. Knowing that the old man was away she felt sorely +tempted to again visit the locality. + +"I guess I ought not to take the time," she decided regretfully. "Mr. +Glasser will be fretting for his paper." + +Making a quick trip down the mountainside, Penny swung into the village. +Mrs. Downey had told her that she would be able to get the newspapers at +the Pine Top Cafe where a boy named Benny Smith had an agency. + +Entering the restaurant, she glanced about but saw no one who was selling +papers. Finally, she ventured to ask the proprietor if she had come to +the right place. + +"This is the right place," he agreed cheerfully. "Benny went home a +little while ago." + +"Then how do I get the papers for Mrs. Downey's lodge?" + +"Guess you're out of luck," he replied. "They didn't come in today." + +"But I saw the plane." + +"The plane got through all right. I don't know what was wrong. Somehow +the papers weren't put aboard." + +Penny turned away in disappointment. She had made the long trip to the +village for no purpose. While she did not mind for herself, she knew that +Mr. Glasser and the other guests were likely to be annoyed. After a day +of confinement indoors they looked forward to news from the outside +world. + +"It's strange the papers didn't come," she mused as she started back to +the Downey lodge. "This isn't the first time they've failed to arrive +either." + +Penny climbed steadily for a time and then sat down on a log to rest a +moment. She was not far from the Jasko cabin. By making her own trail +through the woods she could reach it in a very few minutes. + +A mischievous idea leaped into her mind, fairly teasing to be put into +effect. What fun to climb the forbidden barbed wire fence and honeycomb +Mr. Jasko's field with ski tracks! She could visualize his annoyance when +he returned home to learn that a mysterious skier had paid him a visit. + +"He oughtn't to be so mean," she said aloud to justify herself. "It will +serve him right for trying to frighten folks with shotguns!" + +Penny fastened on her skis and glided off through the woods. She kept her +directions straight and soon emerged into a clearing to find herself in +view of the Jasko cabin. Drawing near the barbed wire fence she stopped +short and stared. + +"Why, that old scamp! He really did it!" + +A new strand of wire had been added to the fence, making it many inches +higher. Penny's suggestion, offered as a joke, had been acted upon by +Peter Jasko. Not even an expert ski jumper could hope to clear the +improved barrier. Any person who came unwittingly down the steep slope +must take a disastrous tumble at the base of the fence. + +"This settles it," thought Penny grimly. "My conscience is perfectly +clear now." + +She rolled under the fence and surveyed the unblemished expanse of snowy +field with the eye of a mechanical draftsman. + +"I may as well be honest about it and sign my name," she chuckled. + +Starting in at the far corner of the field she made a huge double-edged +"P" with her long runners. It took a little ingenuity to figure out an +"E" but two "N's" were fairly easy to execute. She finished "Y" off with +a flourish and cocked her head sideways to view her handiwork. + +"Not bad, not bad at all," she congratulated herself. "Only I've used up +too much space. We'll have to have a big Penny and a little Parker." + +She ran off a "P" and an "A" but even her limber body was not equal to +the contortion required for an "R." In the process of making a neat curve +she suddenly lost her balance and toppled over in an ungainly heap. + +"Oh, now I've done it!" she moaned, slowly picking herself up. "All my +wonderful artistry gone for nothing. 'Parker' looks like a big smudge!" + +A sound, suspiciously suggesting a muffled shout of laughter, reached +Penny's ears. She glanced quickly about. No one was in sight. The windows +of the cabin were deserted. + +"I think I'll be getting out of here," she decided. "If Old Whiskers +should come back this wouldn't be a healthy place to practice +handwriting." + +Penny dug in her poles and glided toward the fence. In the act of rolling +under the barbed wires, she suddenly froze motionless. She had heard a +cry and this time there was no doubt in her mind as to the direction from +which the sound had come. Her startled gaze focused upon the cabin amid +the trees. + +"Help! Help!" called a shrill, half muffled voice. "Come back, and let me +out of my prison!" + + + + + CHAPTER + 10 + _LOCKED IN THE CABIN_ + + +Penny hesitated, and as the call was repeated, went slowly back toward +the cabin. She could see no one. + +"Up here!" shouted the voice. + +Glancing toward the second story windows, Penny saw a girl standing +there, her face pressed to the pane. + +"Peter Jasko's granddaughter!" thought Penny. "And she must have seen me +decorating the place with ski tracks." + +However, the other girl was only concerned with her own predicament. She +smiled and motioned for Penny to come directly under the window. + +"Can you help me get out of here?" she called down. + +"You're not locked in?" inquired Penny in astonishment. + +"I certainly am! My grandfather did it. He fastened the door of the +loft." + +"How long have you been there?" + +"Oh, not very long," the girl answered impatiently, "but I'm sick of it! +Will you help me out of here?" + +"How?" + +"Grandfather always hides the key to the outside door in the woodshed. It +should be hanging on a nail by the window." + +Penny hardly knew what to do. It was one thing to annoy Peter Jasko by +making a few ski tracks in his yard, but quite another to antagonize him +in more serious ways. For all she could tell, he might have locked the +girl in the cabin as a punishment for some wrongdoing. + +"Does your grandfather often leave you like this?" she asked dubiously. + +"Always when there's snow on the ground," came the surprising answer. +"Oh, please let me out of this hateful place! Don't be such a +goody-good!" + +To be accused of being a "goody-good" was a novel experience for Penny. +But instead of taking offense she laughed and started toward the +woodshed. + +"On a nail by the window!" the girl shouted after her. "If it isn't there +look on the shelf by the door." + +Penny found the key and came back. Taking off her cumbersome skis, she +unlocked the front door and stepped inside the cabin. The room was rather +cold for the fire had nearly gone out. Despite a bareness of furniture, +the place had a comfortable appearance. Snowshoes decorated the walls +along with a deer head and an out-dated calendar. There was a cook stove, +a homemade table, chairs, and a cot. + +"Do hurry up!" called the impatient voice from above. "Climb the steps." + +At the far end of the room a rickety, crudely constructed ladder ascended +to a rectangular trap door in the ceiling. Mounting it, Penny +investigated the fastening, a stout plug of wood. She turned it and +pushed up the heavy door. Instantly, it was seized from above and pulled +out of the way. + +Head and shoulders through the opening, Penny glanced about curiously. +The room under the roof certainly did not look like a prison cell. It was +snug and warm, with curtains at the windows and books lining the wall +shelves. The floor was covered with a bright colored rag rug. There was a +comfortable looking bed, a rocker and even a dressing table. + +"Thanks for letting me out." + +Penny turned to gaze at the girl who stood directly behind her. She was +not very pretty, for her nose was far too blunt and her teeth a trifle +uneven. One could see a faint resemblance to Peter Jasko. + +"You're welcome, I guess," replied Penny, but with no conviction. "I hope +your grandfather won't be too angry." + +"Oh, he won't know about it," the girl answered carelessly. "I see you +know who I am--Sara Jasko." + +"My name is Penny Parker." + +"I guessed the Penny part. I saw you trying to write it in the snow. You +don't believe in signs either, do you?" + +"I didn't have any right to trespass." + +"Oh, don't worry about that. Grandfather is an old fuss-budget. But deep +down inside he's rather nice." + +"Why did he lock you up here?" + +"It's a long story," sighed Sara. "I'll tell you about it later. Come on, +let's get out of here." + +Penny backed down the ladder. The amazing granddaughter of Peter Jasko +followed, taking the steps as nimbly as a monkey. + +Going to a closet, Sara pulled out a wind-breaker, woolen cap, and a +stub-toed pair of high leather shoes which she began to lace up. + +"You're not aiming to run away?" Penny asked uneasily. + +"Only for an hour or so. This snow is too beautiful to waste. But you'll +have to help me get back to my prison." + +"I don't know what this is all about. Suppose you tell me, Sara." + +"Oh, Grandfather is funny," replied the girl, digging in the closet again +for her woolen gloves. "He doesn't trust me out of his sight when there's +snow on the ground. Today he had to go up the mountain to get a load of +wood so he locked me in." + +"What has snow to do with it?" + +"Why, everything! You must have heard about Grandfather. He hates +skiing." + +"Oh, and you like to ski," said Penny, "is that it?" + +"I adore it! My father, Bret Jasko, was a champion." Sara's animated face +suddenly became sober. "He was killed on this very mountain. Grandfather +never recovered from the shock." + +"Oh, I'm so sorry," murmured Penny sympathetically. + +"It happened ten years ago while my father was skiing. Ever since then +Grandfather has had an almost fanatical hatred of the hotel people. And +he is deathly afraid I'll get hurt in some way. He forbids me to ski even +on the easy slopes." + +"But you do it anyway?" + +"Of course. I slip away whenever I can," Sara admitted cheerfully. +"Skiing is in my blood. I couldn't give it up." + +"And you don't mind deceiving your grandfather?" + +"You don't understand. There's no reasoning with him. Each year he gets a +little more set in his ways. He knows that I slip away to ski, and that's +why he locks me up. Otherwise, Grandfather is a dear. He's taken care of +me since my father died." + +Sara wriggled into her awkward-fitting coat, wrapped a red scarf about +her throat and started for the door. + +"Coming, Penny?" + +"I haven't promised yet that I will help you get back into your +cubby-hole." + +"But you will," said Sara confidently. + +"I suppose so," sighed Penny. "Nevertheless, I don't particularly like +this." + +They stepped out of the cabin into the blinding sunlight. The storm had +stopped, but the wind blew a gust of snow from the roof into their faces. + +"My skis are hidden in the woods," said Sara. "We'll walk along the fence +so my footprints won't be so noticeable." + +"The place is pretty well marked up now," Penny observed dryly. "Your +grandfather would have to be blind not to see them." + +"Yes, but they're your tracks, not mine," grinned Sara. "Besides, this +strong wind is starting to drift the snow." + +They followed the barbed wire fence to the woods. Sara went straight to +an old log and from its hollow interior drew out a pair of hickory +jumping skis. + +"Let's walk up to Mrs. Downey's lodge," she proposed. "Her chute is a +dandy, but most of the guests are afraid to use it." + +"I haven't tried it myself," admitted Penny. "It looks higher than Pike's +Peak." + +"Oh, you have plenty of nerve," returned Sara carelessly. "I saw you take +Grandfather's barbed wire entanglements." + +"That was a matter of necessity." + +"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," laughed Sara, linking arms with Penny +and pulling her along at a fast pace. "I'll teach you a few tricks." + +They climbed the slope steadily until forced to pause for a moment to +catch their breath. + +"Mrs. Downey isn't using the bob-sled run this year, is she?" Sara +inquired curiously. + +"I didn't know anything about it." + +"She has a fine one on her property, but it's out of sight from the +lodge. I guess there haven't been enough guests this season to make it +worth while. Too bad. Bob-sled racing is even more fun than skiing." + +Coming within view of the Downey lodge, Penny observed that a few of the +more hardy guests had taken advantage of the lull in the storm, and were +out on the slopes, falling, picking themselves up, falling again. + +"I have to run into the house a minute," Penny excused herself. "I'll be +right back." + +She found Mrs. Downey in the kitchen and reported to her that she had +been unable to purchase papers in the village. + +"The plane came in, didn't it?" + +"Yes, but for some reason the papers weren't put on." + +"I wonder if the Fergus hotel managed to get any?" + +"I don't see how they could." + +"It's happened before," declared Mrs. Downey. + +"Time after time we miss our papers, and then I learn later that the +Fergus hotel guests had them. I don't understand it, Penny." + +"Shall I tell Mr. Glasser?" + +"I'll do it," sighed Mrs. Downey. "He's going to be more irritated than +ever now." + +Penny went outside to find Sara waiting impatiently for her. The girl had +strapped on her skis, and was using two sharp-pointed sticks for poles. + +"Ready to try the jump, Penny?" + +"No, but I'll watch you." + +"There's nothing to it, Penny," encouraged Sara as they climbed side by +side. "Just keep relaxed and be sure to have your skis pointing upward +while you're in the air." + +As it became evident that the girls intended to try the chute, a little +crowd of spectators gathered on the slope below to watch. + +"I'll go first," said Sara, "and after I've landed, you come after me." + +"I'll think it over," shivered Penny. + +"Don't think too long, or you'll never try it. Just start." + +Sara bent to examine her bindings. Then in a graceful crouch she shot +down the hill and with a lifting of her arms soared over the take-off. +She made a perfectly poised figure in mid-air and an effortless landing +on the slope below, finishing off with a christiana turn. + +"She's _good_!" thought Penny. "I'll try it, too, even if they carry me +off on a stretcher!" + +In a wave of enthusiasm she pushed off, keeping her arms behind her. As +the edge of the chute loomed up, she swung them forward and sprang into +the air. But something went wrong. In an instant she was off balance, her +arms swinging wildly in a futile attempt to straighten her body into +position. + +The gully appeared to be miles below her. Panic surged over Penny and her +muscles became rigid. She was going to take a hard fall. + +"Relax! Relax!" screamed a shrill voice. + +With a supreme effort Penny drew back one ski and bent her knees. She +felt a hard jar, and in amazement realized that she had landed on her +feet. Her elation was short lived, for the next instant she collapsed and +went sliding on down the slope. + +Sara ran to help her up. + +"Hurt?" + +"Not a bit," laughed Penny. "What a spectacle I must have made!" + +"Your jump wasn't half bad. Next time you'll do much better." + +"I'll never make one as good as yours," Penny said enviously. Seeing +Francine standing near, she turned to the reporter and exclaimed: "Did +you watch Sara's jump? Wasn't it magnificent?" + +"You're both lucky you weren't injured." Francine walked over to the two +girls. She stared at Sara's odd looking costume. "You're not a guest +here?" she inquired. + +"No," answered Sara. + +"Nor at the Fergus hotel?" + +"I live a ways down the mountain." + +Francine regarded her coldly. "You're the Jasko girl, aren't you, whose +grandfather will not allow skiers on his property?" + +"Yes, but--" + +"Since you Jaskos are so sign conscious I should think you might obey +them yourself! Take a glance at that one over on the tree. Unless my +eyesight is failing it reads: 'Only guests of the hotel may use these +slopes.'" + + + + + CHAPTER + 11 + _A NEWSPAPER MYSTERY_ + + +Penny stared at Francine, for a moment not believing that she had meant +the remark seriously. As she comprehended that the girl indeed was +serious, she exclaimed in quick protest: + +"Oh, Francine, what an attitude to take! Sara is my guest. I'm sure Mrs. +Downey doesn't mind." + +"I'll go," offered Sara in a quiet voice. "I never dreamed I would offend +anyone by being here." + +"I'm not particularly offended," replied Francine defensively. "It merely +seems reasonable to me that if you won't allow others on your property +you shouldn't trespass yourself." + +"Sara had nothing to do with that sign on her grandfather's land," +declared Penny. "Francine, you must have jumped out of the wrong side of +the bed this morning." + +Sara had turned to walk away. Penny caught her hand, trying to detain +her. + +"Wait, I'll run into the lodge and ask Mrs. Downey. But I know very well +it will be all right for you to stay." + +Sara hesitated, and might have consented, save at that instant the three +girls heard the faint tinkle of bells. A sled loaded with wood came into +view around a curve of the mountain road. + +"That's grandfather on his way home!" exclaimed Sara. "I must get back +there before he learns I've been away! Hurry, Penny!" + +With several quick thrusts of her sticks, she started down the trail +which led to the Jasko cabin. Penny followed, but she could not overtake +her companion. Sara skied with a reckless skill which defied imitation. +While Penny was forced to stem, she took the rough track with no +perceptible slackening of speed, and had divested herself of skis by the +time her companion reached the woods. + +"We'll have to work fast," she warned, hiding the long runners in the +hollow log. "I want you to lock me in the cabin and then get away before +Grandfather sees you!" + +"What about our tracks in the snow?" + +"I'll blame them all on you," laughed Sara, "It's beginning to get dark +now. And Grandfather is near sighted." + +"I don't like this business at all," complained Penny as they kept close +to the fence on their way to the cabin. "Why not tell your grandfather--" + +"He would rage for days and never let me out again. No, this is the best +way. And you'll come back soon, won't you, Penny?" + +"I don't like to promise." + +"I'll teach you how to jump." Sara offered attractive bait. + +"We'll see. I'll think it over." + +"No, promise!" persisted Sara. "Say you'll come back and at least talk to +me through the window. You have no idea how lonesome I get." + +"All right," Penny suddenly gave in. "I'll do that much." + +Reaching the cabin, Sara had Penny tramp about in the snow with her skis +so as to give the impression that a visitor had walked several times +around the building but had not entered. + +"You'll have to lock me in the loft," she instructed. "Then take the key +back to the woodshed and get away as quickly as you can." + +Sara pulled off her garments and hung them in the closet. With a mop she +wiped up tracks which had been made on the bare floor. Then she climbed +up the ladder to her room. + +Penny turned the wooden peg, and retreating from the cabin, locked the +door. + +"Don't forget!" Sara called to her from the window. "Come again +soon--tomorrow if you can." + +Hiding the key in the woodshed, Penny tramped about the outside of the +building several times before gliding off toward the boundary fence. As +she began a tedious climb up the trail toward the Downey lodge, she saw +the sled appear around a bend of the road. + +Penny did not visit the Jasko cabin the following day nor the next. Along +with other guests she was kept indoors by a raging snow and sleet storm +which blocked the road and disrupted telephone service to the village. + +Everyone at the Downey lodge suffered from the confinement, but some +accepted the situation more philosophically than others. As usual Mr. +Glasser complained because there were no daily papers. Penny overheard +him telling another guest he was thinking very seriously of moving to the +Fergus hotel where at least a certain amount of entertainment was +provided. + +"He'll leave," Mrs. Downey observed resignedly when the conversation was +repeated to her. "I've seen it coming for days. Mr. Glasser has been +talking with one of the runners for the Fergus hotel." + +"It's unfair of them to try to take your guests away." + +"Oh, they're determined to put me out of business at any cost. Miss +Sellberg is leaving, too. She served notice this morning." + +Penny glanced up with quick interest. "Francine? Is she leaving Pine +Top?" + +"No, she told me she had decided to move to the Fergus hotel because of +its better location." + +Penny nodded thoughtfully. She could understand that if Francine were +trying to gain special information about either Ralph Fergus or Harvey +Maxwell, it would be to her advantage to have a room at the other hotel. +Had it not been for her loyalty to Mrs. Downey, she, too, would have been +tempted to take up headquarters there. + +"I can't really blame folks for leaving," Mrs. Downey continued after a +moment. "I've not offered very much entertainment this year. Last season +in addition to skiing we had the bob-sled run." + +"I met Sara Jasko and she was telling me about it," replied Penny. "Can't +you use the run again this year?" + +"We could, but it scarcely seems worth the trouble and expense. Also, it +takes experienced drivers to steer the sleds. The young man I had working +for me last winter isn't available at present." + +"Is there no other person at Pine Top who could do it?" + +"Sara Jasko," responded Mrs. Downey, smiling. "However, it's not likely +her grandfather would give his consent." + +The following day dawned bright and clear and brought a revival of spirit +at the Downey lodge. Nevertheless, with the roads open once more, both +Francine and Mr. Glasser moved their belongings down to the Fergus hotel. +As was to be expected, their departure caused a certain amount of comment +by the other guests. + +Late in the afternoon Penny offered to ski down to Pine Top for the +newspapers. She planned to stop at the Fergus hotel upon her return, +hoping to learn a little more about the mysterious Green Room which had +intrigued her interest. + +Reaching the village, Penny located Benny Smith, but the lad shook his +head when she inquired for the daily papers. + +"I don't have any today." + +"But the plane came through! I saw it myself about an hour ago. This +makes four days since we've had a newspaper at the lodge. What happened?" + +The boy glared at Penny almost defiantly. "You can't blame me. It's not +my fault if they're not put on the plane." + +"No, of course not. I didn't mean to suggest that you were at fault. It's +just queer that we miss our papers so often. And we never seem to get the +back editions either." + +"Well, I don't know anything about it," the boy muttered. + +Penny stood watching him slouch off down the street. Something about the +lad's manner made her wonder if he had not lied. She suddenly was +convinced that Benny knew more about the missing newspapers than he cared +to tell. + +"But how would he profit by not receiving them?" she mused. "He would +lose sales. It simply doesn't make sense." + +As she trudged on down the street Penny turned the problem over in her +mind. She walked with head bent low and did not notice an approaching +pedestrian until she had bumped into him. + +"Sorry," apologized the man politely. + +"It was my fault," replied Penny. She glanced up to see that the stranger +was no stranger at all, but the airplane pilot who had brought her to +Pine Top several days before. + +He would have passed on had she not halted him with a question. + +"I wonder if you could tell me what seems to be the trouble with the +newspaper delivery service here at Pine Top?" + +"We couldn't get through yesterday on account of the weather," he +returned. + +"But what happened to the papers today?" + +"Nothing." + +"You mean they came through?" Penny asked in surprise. + +"That's right. You can get them from Benny Smith." + +"From Benny? But he said--" + +Penny started to reveal that the boy had blamed the failure of service +upon the pilot, and then changed her mind. + +"Thank you," she returned, "I'll talk with him." + +Penny was more puzzled than ever, but she had no reason to doubt the +pilot's word. Obviously, the newspapers had arrived at Pine Top, and +Benny Smith knew what had become of them. + +"I'll just investigate this matter a little further," Penny decided as +she left the village. + +Approaching the Fergus hotel a few minutes later, she paused to catch her +breath before going inside. In the gathering twilight the building looked +more than ever like a great Swiss chalet. The pitched roof was burdened +with a thick layer of white snow, and long icicles hung from the window +ledges. + +Inside the crowded, smoke-filled lobby there was an air of gaiety. A few +lights had been turned on, and the orchestra could be heard tuning up in +the dining room. + +Penny saw no one that she knew. Crossing quickly to a counter at the far +side of the lobby, she spoke to a girl who was in charge. + +"Can I buy a newspaper here?" + +"Yes, we have them." The girl reached around a corner of the counter, +indicating a stack of papers which Penny had not seen. "New York Times?" + +"That will do very nicely." + +Penny paid for the paper and carrying it over to a chair, quickly looked +at the dateline. + +"It's today's issue, all right," she told herself grimly. "This proves +what I suspected. Ralph Fergus has been buying up all the papers--a +little trick to annoy Mrs. Downey and get her in bad with her guests!" + + + + + CHAPTER + 12 + _THE GREEN CARD_ + + +"Do you always talk to yourself?" inquired an amused voice from behind +Penny. + +Glancing up from the newspaper, the girl saw Maxine Miller standing +beside her chair. For an instant she failed to recognize the actress, so +elegant did the woman appear in a sealskin coat and matching hat. The +outfit was so new that the fur had lost none of its glaze, an observation +which caused Penny to wonder if Miss Miller had misled her regarding the +state of her finances. + +"Good evening, Miss Miller," she smiled. "I didn't know you for a +moment." + +"How do you like it?" inquired the actress, turning slowly about. + +"Your new fur coat? It's very beautiful. And you're looking well, too. +You didn't by chance get that role from David Balantine?" + +Miss Miller's painted lips drew into a pout. "No, he left the hotel this +morning." + +"Oh, that's too bad. I suppose you'll be going soon, then?" + +The actress shook her head, and laughed in a mysterious way. + +"No, I've decided to stay here for awhile. I like Pine Top." + +Penny was puzzled by Miss Miller's sudden change in manner and +appearance. The woman acted as if she were the possessor of an important +secret which she longed to reveal. + +"You must have fallen heiress to a vast fortune," Penny ventured lightly. + +"Better than that," beamed Miss Miller. "I've acquired a new job. Take +dinner with me and I'll tell you all about it." + +"Well--" Penny deliberated and said honestly, "I didn't bring very much +money with me, and I'm not dressed up." + +Miss Miller brushed aside both objections as if they were of no +consequence. + +"You'll be my guest, dearie. And your clothes don't matter." + +She caught Penny's hand and pulled her to her feet. Her curiosity +aroused, the girl allowed herself to be escorted to the dining room. + +Miss Miller walked ahead, strutting a bit as she brushed past the crowded +tables. Heads lifted and envious feminine eyes focused upon the actress' +stunning fur coat. Penny felt awkward and embarrassed, clomping along +behind in her big heavy ski boots. + +The head waiter gave them a choice table near the orchestra. Miss Miller +threw back her coat, exposing a form-fitting black satin gown with a +brilliant blue stone pin at the neck line. She knew that she was creating +an impression and thoroughly enjoyed herself. + +A waiter brought menu cards. The actress proceeded to order for both +herself and Penny. She selected the most expensive dishes offered, +stumbling over their long French names. + +"How nice it is to have money again," she remarked languidly when the +waiter had gone. "Do you really like my new wardrobe, dearie?" + +"Indeed, I do, Miss Miller. Your dress is very becoming, and the fur coat +is stunning. Isn't it new?" + +"Exactly two days old." + +"Then you must have acquired it since coming to Pine Top. I had no idea +such lovely skins could be bought anywhere near here." + +"We're very close to the Canadian border, you know." Again the actress +flashed her mysterious smile. "But the duty is frightful unless one is +able to avoid it." + +Penny gazed thoughtfully across the table at her companion. + +"And do you know how to avoid it?" she asked as casually as she could +manage. + +Miss Miller steered skilfully away from the subject. + +"Oh, this coat was given to me. It didn't cost me a cent." + +"And how does one go about acquiring a free coat? You've not become a +professional model?" + +"No," the actress denied, "but your guess is fairly warm. I do have a +nice figure for displaying clothes. No doubt that was why I was given the +job." + +"Who is your employer, Miss Miller? Someone connected with the hotel?" + +The waiter had brought a loaded tray to the table, and the actress used +his arrival as a pretext for not answering Penny's question. After the +man went away she began to chat glibly about other subjects. However, +with the serving of dessert, she once more switched to the topic of her +wardrobe. + +"You were asking me about my fur coat, dearie," she said. "Would you like +to have one like it?" + +"Who wouldn't? What must I do to acquire one--rob a bank?" + +Miss Miller laughed in a forced way. "You will have your little joke. +From what you've told me, I imagine your father has plenty of money." + +"I don't remember saying anything about it," responded Penny dryly. "As a +matter of fact, my father isn't wealthy." + +"At least your family is comfortably fixed or you wouldn't be at this +expensive winter resort," Miss Miller went on, undisturbed. "Now would +you be able to pay as much as a hundred dollars for a coat?" + +"I hadn't even thought of buying one," replied Penny, trying not to +disclose her astonishment. "Can you really get a good fur coat for as +little as a hundred dollars?" + +"You could through my friend." + +"Your friend?" asked Penny bluntly. "Do you mean your new employer?" + +"Well, yes," the actress admitted with a self-conscious laugh. "He is a +fur salesman. You've been very nice to me and I might be able to get a +coat for you at cost." + +"That's most kind," remarked Penny dryly. "Where could I see these +coats?" + +"My employer has a salesroom here at the hotel," Miss Miller declared. "I +can arrange an appointment for you. Say tomorrow at two?" + +"I haven't enough money with me to buy a coat even if I wanted one." + +"But if you liked the furs you could wire your parents for more," the +actress wheedled. "It is a wonderful opportunity. You'll never have +another chance to buy a beautiful coat at cost." + +"I'll have to think it over," Penny returned. "I suppose you get a +commission on every garment sold?" + +"A small one. In your case, I'll not take it. I truly am interested in +seeing you get your coat, dearie. You have just the figure for it, you're +so slim and svelte." + +Penny was not deceived by the flattery. She knew very well that the +actress had treated her to dinner for the purpose of making her feel +under obligation and as a build-up to the suggestion that she purchase a +fur coat. + +Glancing at the bill she was relieved to see that she had enough money to +pay for her share of the meal. + +"No, no, I won't hear of it," Miss Miller protested grandly. + +Summoning the waiter, she gave him a twenty dollar bill. + +"Let me know if you decide you would like to see the coats," she said to +Penny as they left the dining room together. "It won't cost you anything +to look, you know." + +"I'll think it over. Thanks for the dinner." + +Penny looked about the crowded lobby for Ralph Fergus or Harvey Maxwell, +but neither man was to be seen. While at the hotel she would have liked +to acquire a little more information about the Green Room. With the +actress hovering at her elbow it was out of the question. + +She considered speaking of the matter to Miss Miller, and then abandoned +the idea. However, it had occurred to her that the mysterious room of the +hotel might have some connection with the actress' present employment, +and so she ventured one rather direct question. + +"Miss Miller, you're not by chance working for Ralph Fergus or the +hotel?" + +"Dear me, no!" the actress denied. "Whatever put such an idea in your +head?" + +"It just occurred to me. Well, good-bye." + +Penny left the hotel and ventured out into the cold. After so much +cigarette smoke, the pure air was a pleasant relief. She broke off a long +icicle from the doorway, and stood thoughtfully chewing at it. + +"Miss Miller must be working for some dishonest outfit," she mused. "Her +talk about getting a fur coat at cost doesn't fool me one bit. If I were +in her shoes I'd be more than a little worried lest I tangled with the +law." + +A remark by the actress to the effect that the Canadian border was close +by had set Penny's active mind to working. It was not too fantastic to +believe that Miss Miller might be employed by an unscrupulous man whose +business concerned the sale of furs obtained duty free. She had even +dared hope that Ralph Fergus or Harvey Maxwell might be implicated in the +dishonest affair. What a break that would be for her father if only she +could prove such a connection! But the actress' outright denial that +either man was her employer had put an end to such pleasant speculation. + +Penny bent down to pick up her skis which had been left at the side of +the hotel building. As she leaned over, she noticed a small object lying +on top of the snow in the square of light made from one of the windows. +It appeared to be a small piece of colored cardboard. + +Curiously, Penny picked it up and carried it closer to the window. The +card was green. Her pulse quickened as she turned it over. On its face +were six engraved words: + +"Admit Bearer Through The Green Door." + + + + + CHAPTER + 13 + _AN UNKIND TRICK_ + + +Penny all but executed a clog dance in the snow. She knew that she had +picked up an admittance ticket to the Green Room of the Fergus hotel +which some person had lost. With no effort upon her part she would be +able to learn the answer to many of the questions which had plagued her. + +"At last I'll find out what lies behind that Green Door," she thought in +high elation. "If this isn't the most wonderful piece of luck!" + +Debating a moment, Penny decided that it probably was too late to gain +admittance that evening. Mrs. Downey no doubt was worried over her long +absence from the lodge. She would return there, and then revisit the +hotel early the next day. + +Pocketing the precious ticket, Penny set off up the mountain. It was dark +before she had covered half the distance, but there were stars and a half +moon to guide her. + +Mrs. Downey showed her relief as the girl stomped into the kitchen. + +"I was beginning to worry, Penny," she declared. "Whatever made it take +you so long?" + +"I stopped at the Fergus hotel and had dinner with Miss Miller." + +"Were you able to get the newspapers?" + +"Only one which I had to buy at the Fergus hotel. Mrs. Downey, it's queer +about those papers. Benny Smith told me there weren't any to be had, and +then a few minutes later I met the airplane pilot who told me he had +brought them in the same as usual. Also, the Fergus hotel received its +usual quota." + +"Well, that's odd." + +"It looks to me as if the Fergus outfit has made some arrangement with +the paper boy. They may be buying up all the papers." + +"As a means of annoying me," nodded Mrs. Downey grimly. "It would be in +line with their tactics. But what can I do?" + +"I don't know," admitted Penny. She pulled off her heavy boots and set +them where they would dry. "We haven't any proof they're doing anything +like that. It's only my idea." + +The door opened and Jake came into the kitchen. He dropped an armload of +wood behind the range. + +"I started work on the bob-sled run this afternoon," he remarked to Mrs. +Downey. "Got a crew of boys coming first thing tomorrow. We ought to have +her fixed up by noon." + +"And the sleds?" + +"They seem to be in good condition, but I'll check everything." + +After the workman had gone, Penny glanced questioningly at Mrs. Downey. + +"Have you decided to use the run after all?" + +"Yes, I started thinking about it after we talked together. We do need +more entertainment here at the lodge. After you left I ordered Jake to +start work on the track. But I still am in need of experienced drivers +for the sled." + +"You spoke of Sara." + +"I thought I would ask her, but I doubt if her Grandfather will give his +consent." + +"I'll ski down there tomorrow and talk with her if you would like me to," +offered Penny. + +"I would appreciate it," said Mrs. Downey gratefully. "I hate to spare +the time myself." + +Early the next morning Penny paid a visit to the bob-sled run where a +crew headed by Jake was hard at work. There was a stretch of straightaway +and a series of curves which snaked down the valley between the pines. At +the point of the steepest curve, the outer snow walls rose to a height of +eighteen feet. + +"A sled could really travel on that track," observed Penny. "Does it hurt +to upset?" + +"It might," grinned Jake. "We've never had an upset on Horseshoe Curve. +If a sled went over there, you might wake up in the hospital." + +Penny watched the men packing snow for awhile. Then buckling on her skis, +she made a fast trip down the mountain to the Jasko cabin. This time, +having a definite mission, she went boldly to the door and rapped. + +There was no response until the window of the loft shot up. + +"Hello, Penny," called down Sara. "I thought you had forgotten your +promise. The key's in the same place." + +"Isn't your grandfather here?" + +"No, he went down to Pine Top. Isn't it glorious skiing weather? Hurry +and get the key. I've been cooped up here half an hour already." + +Penny went reluctantly to the woodshed and returned with the key. She +unfastened the trapdoor which gave entrance to the loft and Sara quickly +descended. + +"Didn't your grandfather say anything about last time?" Penny inquired +anxiously. + +"Oh, he raved because someone had trespassed. But it never occurred to +him I had gone away. Where shall we ski today?" + +"I only stopped to deliver a message, Sara. I am on my way down to the +Fergus hotel." + +"Oh," said the girl in disappointment. "A message from whom?" + +"Mrs. Downey. She is starting up her bob-sled run again and she wants you +to help out." + +Sara's eyes began to sparkle. + +"I wish I could! If only Grandfather weren't so strict." + +"Is there a chance he'll give his consent?" + +"Oh, dear, no. But I might be able to slip away. Grandfather plans to +chop wood every day this week." + +"I doubt if Mrs. Downey would want you to do that." + +"Need you tell her?" queried Sara coolly. "I'll fix myself a rope ladder +and get out the window. That will save you the trouble of coming here to +let me in and out." + +"And what will your grandfather say if he learns about it?" + +"Plenty! But anything is better than being shut up like a prisoner. You +tell Mrs. Downey I'll try to get up to the lodge tomorrow morning, and +we'll try out the track together, eh Penny?" + +"I don't know anything about bob-sledding." + +"I'll teach you to be my brake boy," Sara laughed. "How long will you +stay at the Fergus hotel?" + +"I haven't any idea." + +"Then I suppose I'll have to crawl back into my cave," Sara sighed +dismally. "Can't you even ski with me for half an hour?" + +"Not this morning," Penny said firmly. "I have important work ahead." + +She shooed Sara back into the loft and returned the key to the woodshed. +The Jasko girl watched from the window, playfully shaking her fist as her +friend skied away. + +"Sara is as stimulating as a mountain avalanche," chuckled Penny, "but +she's almost too headstrong. Sooner or later her stunts will involve me +in trouble with Peter Jasko." + +In the valley below, smoke curled lazily from the chimneys of the Fergus +hotel. Making directly for it, Penny felt in her pocket to be certain she +had not lost the green ticket which she had found the previous evening. + +"This is going to be my lucky day," she told herself cheerfully. "I feel +it in my bones." + +Reaching the hotel, Penny stripped off her skis and entered the hotel +lobby. Maxine Miller was not in evidence nor did she see any other person +who likely would question her presence there. She did notice Harvey +Maxwell sitting in the private office. His eyes were upon her as she +crossed the room. However, Penny felt no uneasiness, realizing that if he +noticed her at all he recognized her only as a guest at the Downey lodge. + +"Second floor," she said quietly to the elevator boy. + +Penny was the sole passenger, but as she stepped from the cage, she was +dismayed to run directly into Francine Sellberg. + +The reporter greeted her with a suspicious stare. + +"Why, hello, Penny Parker. What are you doing here?" + +"Oh, just moseying around." + +"I can see you are!" + +"Your room isn't on this floor, is it?" Penny inquired. + +"No, on the fourth," Francine answered before she considered her words. + +"Looking for someone?" remarked Penny with a grin. "Or should I say +_something_?" + +An elevator stopped at the landing. "Going down," the attendant called, +opening the door. He gazed questioningly at the two girls. + +Francine shook her head, although she had been waiting for an elevator. +Turning again to Penny she said with a hard smile: "I've not only been +looking for something, I've found it!" + +"Still, I don't see you rushing to reach a telephone, Francine. Your +discovery can't have such tremendous news value." + +"It may have before long," hinted Francine. "I don't mind telling you I +am on the trail of a really big story. And I am making steady progress in +assembling my facts." + +Penny regarded the girl reporter speculatively. Her presence on the +second floor rather suggested that she, too, had been trying to +investigate the Green Room, and more than likely had learned its +location. But she was reasonably certain Francine had gathered no +information of great value. + +"Glad to hear you're doing so well," she remarked and started on down the +hall. + +Francine fell into step with her. "If you're looking for a particular +room, Penny, maybe I can help you." + +Penny knew that the reporter meant to stay with her so that she could do +no investigation work of her own. + +"The room I am searching for has a green door," she replied. + +Francine laughed. "I'm glad you're so honest, Penny. I guessed why you +were on this floor all the time. However, I greatly fear you're in the +wrong part of the hotel." + +Penny paused and turned to face her companion squarely. "Why not put an +end to all this nonsense, Francine? We watch each other and get nowhere. +Let's put our cards on the table." + +"Yours might be a joker!" + +"We're both interested in getting a story which will discredit Harvey +Maxwell," Penny went on, ignoring the jibe. "You've had a tip as to what +may be going on here, while I'm working in the dark. On the other hand, +I've acquired something which should interest you. Why don't we pool our +interests and work together?" + +"That would be very nice--for you." + +"I think I might contribute something to the case." + +"I doubt it," replied Francine loftily. "You don't even know the location +of the Green Room." + +"You're wrong about that. It took no great detective power to learn it's +on this floor. To get inside may be a different matter." + +"You're quite right there," said Francine with emphasis. + +"What do you say? Shall we work together and let bygones be bygones?" + +"Thank you, Penny, I prefer to work alone." + +"Suit yourself, Francine. I was only trying to be generous. You see, I +have an admittance card to the Green Room." + +"I don't believe it!" + +Flashing a gay smile, Penny held up the ticket for Francine to see. + +"How did you get it?" the reporter gasped. "I've tried--" + +"A little bird dropped it on my window sill. Too bad you didn't decide to +work with me." + +Penny walked on down the corridor, and Francine made no attempt to +follow. When she glanced back over her shoulder the reporter had +descended the stairway to the lobby. + +"It was boastful of me to show her my ticket," she thought. "But I +couldn't resist doing it. Francine is so conceited." + +Making her way to the unmarked door of the wing, Penny paused there a +moment, listening. Hearing no sound she pushed open the door and went +down the narrow hall. The guard sat at his usual post before the Green +Door. + +"Good morning," said Penny pleasantly. "I have my card now." + +The man examined it and handed it back. "Go right in," he told her. + +Before Penny could obey, the door at the end of the corridor swung open. +Harvey Maxwell, his face convulsed with rage, came hurrying toward the +startled girl. + +"I've just learned who you are," he said angrily. "Kindly leave this +hotel at once, and don't come back!" + + + + + CHAPTER + 14 + _A BROKEN ROD_ + + +"You must have mistaken me for some other person," Penny stammered, +backing a step away from the hotel man. "Who do you think I am?" + +The question was a mistake, for it only served to intensify Harvey +Maxwell's anger. + +"You're the daughter of Anthony Parker who runs the yellowest paper in +Riverview! I know why he sent you here. Now get out and don't let me +catch you in the hotel ever again." + +Observing the green card in Penny's hand he reached out and jerked it +from her. + +"I wasn't doing any harm," she said, trying to act injured. "My father +didn't send me to Pine Top. I came for the skiing." + +Secretly, Penny was angry at Maxwell's reference to the _Riverview Star_ +as being a "yellow" sheet, which in newspaper jargon meant that it was a +sensation-seeking newspaper. + +"And what are you doing in this part of the hotel?" + +"I only wanted to see the Green Room," Penny replied. "I thought I would +have my breakfast here." + +Harvey Maxwell and the doorman exchanged a quick glance which was not +lost upon the girl. + +"Where did you get your ticket?" the hotel man demanded but in a less +harsh voice. + +"I picked it up outside the hotel." + +Penny spoke truthfully and her words carried conviction. Harvey Maxwell +seemed satisfied that she had not been investigating the wing for any +special purpose. However, he took her by an elbow and steered her down +the corridor to the elevator. + +"If you're the smart little girl I think you are, a hint will be +sufficient," he said. "I don't want any member of the Parker family on my +premises. So stay away. Get me?" + +"Yes, sir," responded Penny meekly. + +Inwardly, she was raging. Someone deliberately had betrayed her to Harvey +Maxwell and she had a very good idea who that person might be. From now +on employes of the hotel would be told to keep watch for her. Never again +would she be allowed in the lobby, much less in the vicinity of the Green +Room. + +Harvey Maxwell walked with Penny to the front door of the hotel and +closed it behind her. + +"Remember," he warned, "stay away." + +As Penny started down the walk she heard a silvery laugh, and glancing +sideways, saw Francine leaning against the building. + +"You didn't spend much time in the Green Room, did you?" she inquired. + +"That was a dirty trick to play!" retorted Penny. "I wouldn't have done +it to you." + +"You couldn't have thought that fast, my dear Penny." + +"I might tell Mr. Maxwell you're a reporter for the _Riverview Record_. +How would you like that?" + +Francine shrugged. "In that case we both lose the story. All I want is an +exclusive. After the yarn breaks in the _Record_, your father will be +welcome to make use of any information published. So if you really want +him to win his libel suit, you'll gain by not interfering with me." + +"You reason in a very strange way," replied Penny coldly. + +Picking up her skis she shouldered them and marched stiffly away. She was +angry at Francine and angry at herself for having given the rival +reporter an opportunity to score against her. Probably she would never +tell Harvey Maxwell or Ralph Fergus who the girl actually was, sorely as +she might be tempted. As Francine had pointed out, her own chance of +gleaning any worth while information had been lost. + +"It's a bitter pill to choke down," thought Penny, "but I would rather +have the _Record_ get the story than to lose it altogether." + +Sunk deep in depression, she tramped back to the Downey lodge. The mail +had arrived during her absence but there was no letter from home. + +"Dad might at least send me a postcard," she grumbled. "For two cents I +would take the next plane back to Riverview." + +However, Penny could not remain downhearted for any great length of time. +Why worry about Francine and the silly old Green Room? She would forget +all about it and try to have fun for a change. + +It was not difficult to dismiss the matter from her mind, for the +following morning Sara Jasko came to give her a lesson in bob-sled +driving. With a crowd of interested guests watching from the sidelines, +they made their first exciting ride over the track. Sara steered, Jake +operated the brake, and Penny rode as sole passenger. + +Horseshoe Curve was the most thrilling point on the course. As the sled +tore around it at a tremendous rate of speed, Jake dug in the iron claw +of the brake, sending up a plume of snow. They slackened speed +perceptibly, but even so the sled climbed high on the sloping wall, and +Penny thought for an anxious moment that they were going over the top. +The remainder of the run was mild by comparison. + +Upon later trips Penny was allowed to manage the brake, and soon became +dexterous in applying it as Sara shouted the command. + +Skiers abandoned the slopes to watch the new sport. Two at a time, Penny +and Sara gave them rides and all of their passengers were enthusiastic. + +By the following day the word had spread down the mountain that Mrs. +Downey's bob-sled run was operating. Guests from the Fergus hotel joined +the throng but they were given rides only when there were no passengers +waiting. + +"It's going over like a house afire!" Penny declared gaily to Mrs. +Downey. "I shouldn't be surprised if you take some of the Fergus hotel's +customers away from them if this enthusiasm lasts." + +"You and Sara are showing folks a wonderful time." + +"And we're having one ourselves. It's even more fun than skiing." + +"But more dangerous," declared Mrs. Downey. "I hope we have no +accidents." + +"Sara is a skillful driver." + +"Yes, she is," agreed Mrs. Downey. "There's no cause for worry so long as +the track isn't icy." + +Two days passed during which Penny did not even go near the Fergus hotel +or to the village. As she remarked to Mrs. Downey, all of Pine Top came +to the lodge. During the morning hours when the bob-sled run was in +operation, a long line of passengers stood waiting. Guests from the +Fergus hotel had few chances for rides. Several of them, wishing to be on +the favored list, checked out and came to take lodging at Mrs. Downey's +place. + +"I can't understand it," the woman declared to Penny. "Last year the run +wasn't very popular. I think it may have been because we had a little +accident at the beginning of the season. Nothing serious but it served to +frighten folks." + +"I wonder how the Fergus-Maxwell interests are enjoying it?" chuckled +Penny. + +"Not very well, you may be sure. This flurry in our business will rather +worry them. They may not put me out of business as quickly as they +expected." + +"At least you'll end your season in a blaze of glory," laughed Penny. + +The weather had turned warmer. Late Thursday afternoon the snow melted a +bit and the lowering night temperatures caused a film of ice to form over +the entire length of the bob-sled run. Jake shook his head as he talked +over the situation with Penny the next morning. + +"The track will be fast and slippery this morning." + +"A lot of folks will be disappointed if we don't make any trips," +declared Penny. "Here comes Sara. Let's see what she has to say." + +Sara studied the run, and walked down as far as Horseshoe Curve. + +"It's fast all right," she conceded. "But that will only make it the more +exciting. Brakes in good order, Jake?" + +"I tested every sled last night after they were brought to the shop." + +"Then we'll have no trouble," said Sara confidently. "Round up the +passengers, Jake, and we'll start at once." + +The sled was hauled to the starting line. Sara took her place behind the +wheel, with Penny riding the end position to handle the brake. Their +first passengers were to be a middle aged married couple. Sara gave them +padded helmets to wear. + +"What are these for?" the woman asked nervously. "The toboggan slide +isn't dangerous, is it?" + +"No, certainly not," answered Sara. "We haven't had a spill this year. +Hang tight on the curves. Give me plenty of brake when I call for it, +Penny." + +She signaled for the push off. They started fast and gathered speed on +the straightaway. Penny wondered how Sara could steer for her own eyes +blurred as they shot down the icy trough. They never had traveled at such +high speed before. + +"Brakes!" shouted Sara. + +Penny obeyed the order, and felt the sled slow down as the brake claw dug +into the snow and ice. They raced on toward the first wide curve, and +swung around it, high on the banked wall, too close to the outside edge +for comfort. + +"Brakes!" called Sara again. + +Once more the iron claw dug in, sending up a spray of snow behind the +racing sled. And then there came a strange, pinging sound. + +For the briefest instant Penny did not comprehend its significance. Then, +as the sled leaped ahead faster than ever and the geyser of snow +vanished, she realized what had happened. The brakes were useless! A rod +had snapped! They were roaring down the track with undiminished speed, +and Horseshoe Curve, the most dangerous point on the run, lay directly +ahead. + + + + + CHAPTER + 15 + _IN THE TOOL HOUSE_ + + +Sara, her face white and tense, turned her head for a fraction of a +second and then, crouching lower, kept her eyes glued on the track. She +knew what had happened, and she knew, too, that they never could hope to +make the Horseshoe Curve. Even a miracle of steering would not save them +from going over the wall of ice at terrific speed. + +The two passengers, frozen with fright, gripped the side ropes, and kept +their heads down. It did not even occur to them that they could save +themselves by rolling off. For that matter, they did not realize that the +brake had broken. + +Penny, in end position, could have jumped easily, A fall into the soft +snow beside the track would be far less apt to cause serious injury than +an upset from the high wall of the curve. But it never occurred to her to +try to save herself. + +There was only one slim chance of preventing a bad accident, a costly one +for herself, and Penny took it. As the perpendicular wall of Horseshoe +Curve loomed up ahead, she wrapped her arm about the side rope of the +sled and hurled herself off. Her entire body was given a violent jerk. A +sharp pain shot through her right arm, but she gritted her teeth and held +on. + +Penny's trailing body, acting as a brake, slowed down the sled and kept +it from upsetting as it swept into the curve. Sideways it climbed the +wall of snow. It crept to the very edge, hovered there a breathless +moment, then fell back to overturn at the flat side of the curve. + +Untangling herself from a pile of arms and legs, Sara began to help her +passengers to their feet. + +"Penny, are you hurt?" she asked anxiously. "That was a courageous thing +to do! You saved us from a bad accident." + +Spectators, thrilled by the display of heroism, came running to the +scene. Penny, every muscle screaming with pain, rolled over in the snow. +Gripping her wrenched arm, she tried to get to her feet and could not. + +"Penny, you _are_ hurt!" cried Sara. + +"It's my arm, more than anything else," Penny said, trying to keep her +face from twisting. "I--I hope it's not broken." + +Willing hands raised her to her feet and supported her. Penny was +relieved to discover that she could lift her injured arm. + +"It's only wrenched," she murmured. "Anyone else hurt, Sara?" + +"You're the only casualty," Sara replied warmly. "But if you hadn't used +yourself as a brake we might all have been badly injured. You ought to +get a hot bath as quickly as you can before your muscles begin to +stiffen." + +"They've begun already," replied Penny ruefully. + +She took a step as if to start for the lodge, only to hesitate. + +"I wonder what happened to the brake? I heard something give way." + +Sara overturned the sled and took one glance. "A broken rod." + +"I thought Jake checked over everything last night." + +"That's what he _said_," returned Sara. "We'll ask him about it." + +The workman, white-faced and frightened, came running down the hill. + +"What happened?" he demanded. "Couldn't you slow down or was it too icy?" + +"No brakes," Sara answered laconically. "I thought you tested them." + +"I did. They were in good order last night." + +"Take a look at this." Sara pointed to the broken rod. + +Jake bent down to examine it. When he straightened he spoke no word, but +the expression of his face told the two girls that he did not hold +himself responsible for the mishap. + +"There's something funny about this," he muttered. "I'll take the sled to +the shop and have a look at it." + +"I'll go along with you," declared Sara. + +"And so will I," added Penny quickly. + +"You really should get a hot bath and go to bed," advised Sara. "If you +don't you may not be able to walk tomorrow." + +"I'll go to bed in a little while," Penny answered significantly. + +Followed by the two girls, Jake pulled the sled to the tool house behind +the lodge. Sara immediately closed and bolted the door from the inside so +that curious persons would not enter. + +"Now let's really have a look at that brake rod," she said. "Notice +anything queer about it, Penny?" + +"I did, and I'm thinking the same thing you are." + +"See these shiny marks on the steel," Jake pointed out excitedly. "The +rod had been sawed almost in two. Even a little strain on it would make +it break." + +"You're certain it was in good condition last night?" Sara questioned. + +"Positive," Jake responded grimly. "I checked over both sleds just before +supper last night." + +"Let's have a look at the other sled," proposed Penny. + +An inspection of the brake equipment revealed nothing out of order. + +"Whoever did the trick may have been afraid to damage both sleds for fear +of drawing attention to his criminal work," declared Penny. "But it's +perfectly evident someone wanted us to take a bad spill." + +"I can't guess who would try such a trick," said Sara in perplexity. "Did +you lock the tool house last night, Jake?" + +"I always do." + +"How about the windows?" inquired Penny. + +"I don't rightly remember," Jake confessed. "I reckon they're stuck +fast." + +Penny went over and tested one of the windows. While it was not locked, +she could not raise it with her injured arm. Sara tried without any +better luck. + +However, as the girls examined the one on the opposite side of the tool +house, they discovered that it raised and lowered readily. Tiny pieces of +wood were chipped from the outside sill, showing where a blunt instrument +had been inserted beneath the sash. + +"This is where the person entered, all right," declared Penny. + +"I can't understand who would wish to injure us," said Sara in a baffled +voice. "You're not known here at Pine Top, and I have no enemies to my +knowledge." + +"Mrs. Downey has them. There are persons who would like to see her out of +business. And our bob-sledding parties were growing popular." + +"They were taking a few guests away from the big hotel," Sara admitted +slowly. "Still, it doesn't seem possible--" + +She broke off as Penny reached down to pick up a small object which lay +on the floor beneath the window. + +"What have you found?" she finished quickly. + +Penny held out a large black button for her to see. A few strands of +coarse dark thread still clung to the eyelets. + +"It looks like a button from a man's overcoat!" exclaimed Sara. "Jake, +does this belong to you?" + +The workman glanced at it and shook his head. + +"Not mine." + +"It probably fell from the coat of the person who damaged our sled," +Penny declared thoughtfully. "Not much of a clue, perhaps, but at least +it's something to go on!" + + + + + CHAPTER + 16 + _A PUZZLING SOLUTION_ + + +Penny pocketed the button and then with Sara went outside the building to +look for additional clues. The girls found only a multitude of footprints +in the snow beneath the two windows, for the tool house stood beside a +direct path to the nursery slopes. + +"We've learned everything we're going to," declared Sara. "Penny, I do +wish you would get into the house and take your bath. You're limping +worse every minute." + +"All right, I'll go. I do feel miserable." + +"Perhaps you ought to have a doctor." + +Penny laughed in amusement. "I'll be brake man on the bob-sled tomorrow +as usual." + +"You'll be lucky if you're able to crawl out of bed. Anyway, I doubt if +I'll be able to come myself." + +"Your grandfather?" asked Penny quickly. + +"Yes, he's getting suspicious. I'll have to be more careful." + +"Why don't you tell him the truth? It's really not fair to deceive him. +He's bound to learn the truth sooner or later." + +"I'm afraid to tell him," Sara said with a little shiver. "When +grandfather is angry you can't reason with him. I'll have to run now. I'm +later than usual." + +Penny watched her friend go and then hobbled into the lodge. News of the +accident had preceded her, and Mrs. Downey met her at the door. She was +deeply troubled until she ascertained for herself that the girl had not +been seriously injured. + +"I was afraid something like this would happen," Mrs. Downey murmured +self accusingly. "You know now why I wasn't very enthusiastic about using +the bob-sled run." + +Penny decided not to tell Mrs. Downey until later how the mishap had +occurred. She was feeling too miserable to do much talking, and she knew +the truth would only add to the woman's worries. + +"I can't say I'm so thrilled about it myself at the moment," she declared +with a grimace. "I feel as stiff as if I were mounted on a mummy board!" + +Mrs. Downey drew a tub of hot water, but it required all of Penny's +athletic prowess to get herself in and out of it. Her right arm was +swollen and painful to lift. The skin on one side of her body from hip to +ankle had been severely scraped and bruised. She could turn her neck only +with difficulty. + +"I do think I should call a doctor from the village," Mrs. Downey +declared as she aided the girl into bed. + +"Please, don't," pleaded Penny. "I'll be as frisky as ever by tomorrow." + +Mrs. Downey lowered the shades and went away. Left alone, Penny tried to +go to sleep, but she was too uncomfortable. Every time she shifted to a +new position wracking pains shot through her body. + +"If this isn't the worst break," she thought, sinking deep into gloom. +"I'll be crippled for several days at least. No skiing, no bob-sledding. +And while I'm lying here on my bed of pain, Francine will learn all about +the Green Room." + +After awhile the warmth of the bed overcame Penny and she slept. She +awakened to find Mrs. Downey standing beside her, a tray in her hand. + +"I shouldn't have disturbed you," the woman apologized, "but you've been +sleeping so long. And you've had nothing to eat." + +"I could do with a little luncheon," mumbled Penny drowsily. "You didn't +need to bother bringing it upstairs." + +"This is dinner, not luncheon," corrected Mrs. Downey. + +Penny rolled over and painfully pulled herself to a sitting posture. + +"Then I must have slept hours! What time is it?" + +"Five-thirty. Do you feel better, Penny?" + +"I think I do. From my eyebrows up anyway." + +While Penny ate her dinner, Mrs. Downey sat beside her and chatted. + +"At least there's nothing wrong with my appetite," the girl laughed, +rapidly emptying the dishes. "At home Mrs. Weems says I eat like a wolf. +Oh, by the way, any mail?" + +"None for you." + +Penny's face clouded. "It's funny no one writes me. Don't you think I +might at least get an advertising circular?" + +"Well, Christmas is coming," Mrs. Downey said reasonably. "The holiday +season always is such a busy time. Folks have their shopping to do." + +"Not Dad. Usually he just calls up the Personal Shopper at Hobson's store +and says: 'She's five-feet three, size twelve and likes bright colors. +Send out something done up in gift wrapping and charge to my account.'" +Penny sighed drearily. "Then after Christmas I have to take it back and +ask for an exchange." + +"Have you ever tried giving your father a list?" suggested Mrs. Downey, +smiling at the description. + +"Often. He nearly always ignores it." + +"What did you ask him for this year?" + +"Only a new automobile." + +"Only! My goodness, aren't your tastes rather expensive?" + +"Oh, he won't give it to me," replied Penny. "I'll probably get a sweater +with pink and blue stripes or some dead merchandise the store couldn't +pawn off on anyone except an unsuspecting father." + +Mrs. Downey laughed as she picked up the tray. + +"I hope your father will be able to get to Pine Top for Christmas." + +"So do I," agreed Penny, frowning. "I thought when I wired him that +Harvey Maxwell was here he would come right away." + +"He may have decided it would do no good to contact the man. Knowing Mr. +Maxwell I doubt if your father could make any sort of deal with him." + +"If only he would come here he might be able to learn something which +would help his case," Penny declared earnestly. "Maxwell and Fergus are +mixed up in some queer business." + +Mrs. Downey smiled tolerantly. While she always listened attentively to +Penny's theories and observations, she had not been greatly excited by +her tale of the mysterious Green Room. She knew the two men were +unscrupulous in a business way and that they were making every effort to +force her to give up the lodge, but she could not bring herself to +believe they were involved in more serious affairs. She thought that +Penny's great eagerness to prove Harvey Maxwell's dishonesty had caused +her imagination to run riot. + +"Francine Sellberg wouldn't be at Pine Top if something weren't in the +wind," Penny went on reflectively. "She followed Ralph Fergus and Maxwell +here. And that in itself was rather strange." + +"How do you mean, Penny?" + +"Fergus must have been having trouble in managing the hotel or he +wouldn't have gone to Riverview to see Maxwell. What he had to say +evidently couldn't be trusted to a letter or a telegram." + +"Mr. Fergus often absents himself on trips. Now and then he goes to +Canada." + +"I wonder why?" asked Penny alertly. + +"He and Mr. Maxwell have a hotel there, I've heard. I doubt if his trips +have any particular significance." + +"Well, at any rate, Fergus brought Maxwell back from Riverview to help +him solve some weighty problem. From their talk on the plane, I gathered +they were plotting to put you out of business, Mrs. Downey." + +"I think you are right there, Penny." + +"But why should your lodge annoy them? You could never take a large +number of guests away from their hotel." + +"Ralph Fergus is trying to buy up the entire mountainside," Mrs. Downey +declared bitterly. "He purchased the site of the old mine, and I can't +see what good it will ever do the hotel." + +"You don't suppose there's valuable mineral--" + +"No," Mrs. Downey broke in with an amused laugh. "The mine played out +years ago." + +"Has Mr. Fergus tried to buy your lodge?" + +"He's made me two different offers. Both were hardly worth considering. +If he comes through with any reasonable proposition I may sell. My future +plans depend a great deal upon whether or not Peter Jasko is willing to +renew a lease on the ski slopes." + +"When does the lease expire, Mrs. Downey?" + +"The end of next month. I've asked Mr. Jasko to come and see me as soon +as he can. However, I have almost no hope he'll sign a new lease." + +Mrs. Downey carried the tray to the door. There she paused to inquire: +"Anything I can bring you, Penny? A book or a magazine?" + +"No, thank you. But you might give me my portable typewriter. I think +I'll write a letter to Dad just to remind him he still has a daughter." + +Pulling a table to the bedside, Mrs. Downey placed the typewriter and +paper on it before going away. Penny propped herself up with pillows and +rolled a blank sheet into the machine. + +At the top of the page she pecked out: "Bulletin." After the dateline, +she began in her best journalistic style, using upper case letters: + +"PENNY PARKER, ATTRACTIVE AND TALENTED DAUGHTER OF ANTHONY PARKER, WHILE +RIDING THE TAIL OF A RACING BOB-SLED WAS THROWN FOR A TEN YARD LOSS, +SUSTAINING NUMEROUS BRUISES. THE PATIENT IS BEARING HER SUFFERING WITH +FORTITUDE AND ANTICIPATES BEING IN CIRCULATION BY GLMLFFLS" + +Penny stared at the last word she had written. Inadvertently, her fingers +had struck the wrong letters. She had intended to write "tomorrow." With +an exclamation of impatience she jerked the paper from the machine. + +And then she studied the sentence she had typed with new interest. There +was something strangely familiar about the jumbled word, GLMLFFLS. + +"It looks a little like that coded message I found!" she thought +excitedly. + +Forgetting her bruises, Penny rolled out of bed. She struck the floor +with a moan of anguish. Hobbling over to the dresser, she found the scrap +of paper which she had saved, and brought it back to the bed. + +The third word in the message was similar, although not the same as the +one she had written by accident. Penny typed them one above the other. + + GLMLFFLS + GLULFFLS + +"They're identical except for the third letter," she mused. "Why, I +believe I have it! You simply strike the letter directly below the true +one--that is, the one in the next row of keys. And when your true letter +is in the bottom row, you strike the corresponding key on the top row. +That's why I wrote an M for a U!" + +Penny was certain she had deciphered the third word of the code and that +it was the same as she had written unintentionally. Quickly she wrote out +the entire jumbled message, and under it her translation. + + YL GFZKY GLULFFLS + NO TRAIN TOMORROW + +"That's it!" she chortled, bounding up and down in bed. + +And then her elation fled away. A puzzled expression settled over her +face. + +"I have it, only I haven't," she muttered. "What can the message mean? +There are no trains at Pine Top--not even a railroad station. This leaves +everything in a worse puzzle than before!" + + + + + CHAPTER + 17 + _STRANGE SOUNDS_ + + +Penny felt reasonably certain that she had deciphered the code correctly, +but although she studied over the message for nearly an hour, she could +make nothing of it. + +"No train tomorrow," she repeated to herself. "How silly! Perhaps it +means, no _plane_ tomorrow." + +She worked out the code a second time, checking her letters carefully. +There was no mistake. + +Later in the evening when Mrs. Downey stopped to inquire how she was +feeling, Penny asked her about the train service near Pine Top. + +"The nearest railroad is thirty miles away," replied the woman. "It is a +very tedious journey to Pine Top unless one comes by airplane." + +"Is the plane service under the control of the Fergus-Maxwell interests?" + +"Not to my knowledge," returned Mrs. Downey, surprised by the question. +"This same airline company sent planes here even before the Fergus hotel +was built, but not on a regular schedule." + +Left alone once more, Penny slipped the typewritten message under her +pillow and drew a long sigh. Somehow she was making no progress in any +line. From whom had Ralph Fergus received the coded note, and what was +its meaning? + +"I'll never learn anything lying here in bed," she murmured gloomily. +"Tomorrow I'll get up even if it kills me." + +True to her resolve, she was downstairs in time for breakfast the next +morning. + +"Oh, Penny," protested Mrs. Downey anxiously, "don't you think you should +have stayed in bed? I can tell it hurts you to walk." + +"I'll limber up with exercise. I may take a little hike down to the +village later on." + +Mrs. Downey sadly shook her head. She thought that Penny had entirely too +much determination for her own good. + +Until ten o'clock Penny remained at the lodge, rather hoping that Sara +Jasko would put in an appearance. When it was evident that the girl was +not coming, she bundled herself into warm clothing and walked painfully +down the mountain road. Observing old Peter Jasko in the yard near the +cabin, she did not pause but went on until she drew near the Fergus +hotel. + +"I wish I dared go in there," she thought, stopping to rest for a moment. +"But I most certainly would be chased out." + +Penny sat down on a log bench in plain view of the hostelry. Forming a +snowball, she tossed it at a squirrel. The animal scurried quickly to a +low-hanging tree branch and chattered his violent disapproval. + +"Brother, that's the way I feel, too," declared Penny soberly. "You +express my sentiments perfectly." + +She was still sunk in deep gloom when she heard a light step behind her. +Turning her head stiffly she saw Maxine Miller tramping through the snow +toward her. + +"If it isn't Miss Parker!" the actress exclaimed with affected +enthusiasm. "How delighted I am to see you again, my dear. I heard about +the marvelous way you stopped the bob-sled yesterday. Such courage! You +deserve a medal." + +"I would rather have some new skin," said Penny. + +"I imagine you do feel rather bruised and battered," the actress replied +with a show of sympathy. "But how proud you must be of yourself! Everyone +is talking about it! As I was telling Mr. Jasko last night--" + +"You were talking with Peter Jasko?" broke in Penny. + +"Yes, he came to the hotel to see Mr. Fergus--something about a lease, I +think. Imagine! He hadn't heard a word about the accident, and his +granddaughter was in it!" + +"You told him all about it I suppose?" Penny asked with a moan. + +"Yes, he was tremendously impressed. Why, what is the matter? Do you have +a pain somewhere?" + +"Several of them," said Penny. "Go on. What did Mr. Jasko say?" + +"Not much of anything. He just listened. Shouldn't I have told him?" + +"I am sorry you did, but it can't be helped now. Mr. Jasko doesn't like +to have his granddaughter ski or take any part in winter sports." + +"Oh, I didn't know that. Then I did let the cat out of the bag. I thought +he acted rather peculiar." + +"He was bound to have found out about it sooner or later," Penny sighed. +With a quick change of mood she inquired: "What's doing down at the +hotel? Any excitement?" + +"Everything is about as usual. I've sold two fur coats. Don't you think +you might be interested in one yourself?" + +"I would be interested but my pocketbook wouldn't." + +"These coats are a marvelous bargain," Miss Miller declared. "Why don't +you at least look at them and try one on. Come down to the hotel with me +now and I'll arrange for you to meet my employer." + +"Well--" Penny hesitated, "could we enter the hotel by the back way?" + +"I suppose so," replied the actress in surprise. "You're sensitive about +being crippled?" + +"That's right. I don't care to meet anyone I know." + +"We can slip into the hotel the back way, then. Very few persons use the +rear corridors." + +Penny and Miss Miller approached the building without being observed. +They entered at the back, meeting neither Ralph Fergus or Harvey Maxwell. + +"Can you climb a flight of stairs?" the actress asked doubtfully. + +"Oh, yes, easily. I much prefer it to the elevator." + +"You really walk with only a slight limp," declared Miss Miller. "I see +no reason why you should feel so sensitive." + +"It's just my nature," laughed Penny. "Lend me your arm, and up we go." + +They ascended to the second floor. Miss Miller motioned for the girl to +sit down on a sofa not far from the elevator. + +"You wait here and I'll bring my employer," she offered. "I'll be back in +a few minutes." + +"Who is this man?" inquired Penny. + +The actress did not hear the question. She had turned away and was +descending the stairs again to the lobby floor. + +For a moment or two the girl sat with her head against the back rest of +the sofa, completely relaxed. The trip down the mountainside had tired +her more than she had expected. She was afraid she had made a mistake in +coming boldly to the hotel. If Harvey Maxwell caught her there he would +not treat her kindly. + +As for seeing the fur coats, she had no intention of ever making a +purchase. She had agreed to look at them because she was curious to learn +the identity of Miss Miller's employer, as well as the nature of the +proposition which might be made her. + +Presently, Penny's attention was directed to a distant sound, low and +rhythmical, carrying a staccato overtone. + +At first the girl paid little heed to the sound. No doubt it was just +another noise incidental to a large hotel--some machine connected with +the cleaning services perhaps. + +But gradually, the sound impressed itself deeper on her mind. There was +something strangely familiar about it, yet she could not make a positive +identification. + +Penny arose from the sofa and listened intently. The sound seemed to be +coming from far down the left hand hall. She proceeded slowly, pausing +frequently in an effort to discover whence it came. She entered a side +hall and the noise increased noticeably. + +Suddenly Penny heard footsteps behind her. Turning slightly she was +dismayed to see Ralph Fergus coming toward her. For an instant she was +certain he meant to eject her from the hotel. Then, she realized that his +head was down, and that he was paying no particular attention to her. + +Penny kept her back turned and walked even more slowly. The man overtook +her, passed without so much as bestowing a glance upon her. He went to a +door which bore the number 27 and, taking a key from his pocket, fitted +it into the lock. + +Penny would have thought nothing of his act, save that as he swung back +the door, the strange sound which previously had drawn her attention, +increased in volume. It died away again as the door closed behind Fergus. + +Waiting a moment, Penny went on down the hall and paused near the room +where the hotel man had entered. She looked quickly up and down the hall. +No one was in sight. + +Moving closer, she pressed her ear to the panel. There was no sound +inside the room, but as she waited, the rhythmical chugging began again. +And suddenly she knew what caused it--a teletype machine! + +Often in her father's newspaper office Penny had heard that same sound +and had watched the printers recording news from all parts of the +country. There was no mistaking it, for she could plainly distinguish the +clicking of the type against the platen, the low hum of the machine +itself, the quick clang of the little bell at the end of each line of +copy. + +"What would the hotel be doing with a teletype?" she mused. "They print +no newspapers here." + +Into Penny's mind leaped a startling thought. The coded message in upper +case letters which Fergus had dropped in the snow! Might it not have been +printed by a teletype machine? + +"But what significance _could_ it have?" she asked herself. "From what +office are the messages being sent and for what purpose?" + +It seemed to Penny that the answer to her many questions might lie, not +in the Green Room as she had supposed, but close at hand in Number 27. + +Her ear pressed to the panel, the girl made out a low rumble of voices +above the clatter of the teletype. Ralph Fergus was talking with another +man but she could not distinguish a word they were saying. So intent was +she that she failed to hear a step behind her. + +A mop handle clattered to the floor, making a loud sound on the tiles. +Penny whirled about in confusion. A cleaning maid stood beside her, +regarding her with evident though unspoken suspicion. + + + + + CHAPTER + 18 + _QUESTIONS AND CLUES_ + + +"Good morning," stammered Penny, backing from the door. "Were you wanting +to get into this room?" + +"No, I never clean in there," answered the maid, still watching the girl +with suspicion. "You're looking for someone?" + +Penny knew that she had been observed listening at the door. It would be +foolish to pretend otherwise. + +She answered frankly: "No, I was passing through the corridor when I +heard a strange sound in this room. Do you hear it?" + +The maid nodded and her distrustful attitude changed to one of +indifference. + +"It's a machine of some sort," she answered. "I hear it running every +once in a while." + +Penny was afraid to loiter by the door any longer lest her own voice +bring Ralph Fergus to investigate. As the cleaning woman picked up her +mop and started on down the hall, she fell into step with her. + +"Who occupies Room 27?" she inquired casually. + +"No one," said the maid. "The hotel uses it." + +"What goes on in there anyway? I thought I heard teletype machines." + +The maid was unfamiliar with the technical name Penny had used. "It's +just a contraption that prints letters and figures," she informed. "When +I first came to work at the hotel I made a mistake and went in there to +do some cleaning. Mr. Fergus, he didn't like it and said I wasn't to +bother to dust up there again." + +"Doesn't anyone go into the room except Mr. Fergus?" + +"Just him and George Jewitt." + +"And who is he? One of the owners of the hotel?" + +"Oh, no. George Jewitt works for Mr. Fergus. He takes care of the +machines, I guess." + +"You were saying that the machine prints letters and figures," prompted +Penny. "Do you mean messages one can read?" + +"It was writing crazy-like when I watched it. The letters didn't make +sense nohow. Mr. Fergus he told me the machines were being used in some +experiment the hotel was carrying on." + +"Who occupies the nearby rooms?" Penny questioned. "I should think they +would be disturbed by the machines." + +"Rooms on this corridor are never assigned unless everything else is full +up," the maid explained. + +Pausing at a door, the cleaning woman fitted a master key into the lock. + +"There's one thing more I'm rather curious about," said Penny quickly. +"It's this Green Room I hear folks mentioning." + +The maid gazed at her suspiciously again. "I don't know anything about +any Green Room," she replied. + +Entering the bedroom with her cleaning paraphernalia, she closed the door +behind her. + +"Went a bit too far that time," thought Penny, "but at least I learned a +few facts of interest." + +Turning, she retraced her steps to Room 27, but she was afraid to linger +there lest Ralph Fergus should discover her loitering in the hall. Miss +Miller had not put in an appearance when she returned to the elevators. +She decided not to wait. + +Scribbling a brief note of explanation, Penny left the paper in a corner +of the sofa and hobbled down the stairway to the first floor. She let +herself out the back way without attracting undue attention. Safely in +the open once more she retreated to her bench under the ice-coated trees. + +"I need to give this whole problem a good think," she told herself. "Here +I have a number of perfectly good clues but they don't fit together. I'm +almost as far from getting evidence against Fergus and Maxwell as I was +at the start." + +Penny could not understand why the hotel would have need for teletype +machine service. Such machines were used in newspaper offices, for +railroad communication, brokerage service, and occasionally in very large +plants with widely separated branch offices. Suddenly she recalled that +her father had once told her Mr. Maxwell kept in touch with his chain of +hotels by means of such a wire service. Surely it was an expensive and +unnecessary means of communication. + +The cleaning woman's information that messages came through in +unintelligible form convinced Penny a code was being used--a code to +which she had the key. But why did Maxwell and Fergus find it necessary +to employ one? If their messages concerned only the routine operation of +the various hotels in the chain, there would be no need for secrecy. + +The one message she had interpreted--"No Train Tomorrow"--undoubtedly had +been received by teletype transmission. But Penny could not hazard a +guess as to its true meaning. She feared it might be in double code, and +that the words did not have the significance usually attributed to them. + +"If only I could get into Room 27 and get my hands on additional code +messages I might be able to make something out of it," she mused. "The +problem is how to do it without being caught." + +Penny had not lost interest in the Green Room. She was inclined to +believe that its mystery was closely associated with the communication +system of the hotel. But since, for the time being at least, the problem +of penetrating beyond the guarded Green Door seemed unsolvable, she +thought it wiser to center her sleuthing attack elsewhere. + +"All I can do for the next day or so is to keep an eye on Ralph Fergus +and Harvey Maxwell," she told herself. "If I see a chance to get inside +Room 27 I'll take it." + +Penny arose with a sigh. She would not be likely to have such a chance +unless she made it for herself. And in her present battered state, her +mind somehow refused to invent clever schemes. + +The walk back up the mountain road was a long and tiring one. Finally +reaching the lodge after many pauses for rest, Penny stood for a time +watching the skiers, and then entered the house. + +Mrs. Downey was not in the kitchen. Hearing voices from the living room, +Penny went to the doorway and paused there. The hotel woman was talking +with a visitor, old Peter Jasko. + +"Oh, I'm sorry," Penny apologized for her intrusion. She started to +retreat. + +Peter Jasko saw her and the muscles of his leathery face tightened. +Pushing back his chair he got quickly to his feet. + +"You're the one who has been trespassing on my land!" he accused, his +voice unsteady from anger. "You've been helping my granddaughter disobey +my orders!" + +Taken by surprise, Penny could think of nothing to say in her own +defense. + +After his first outburst, Peter Jasko ignored the girl. Turning once more +to Mrs. Downey he said in a rasping voice: + +"You have my final decision, Ma'am. I shall not renew the lease." + +"Please, Mr. Jasko," Mrs. Downey argued quietly. "Think what this means +to me! If I lose the ski slopes I shall be compelled to give up the +lodge. I've already offered you more than I can afford to pay." + +"Money ain't no object," the old man retorted. "I'm against the whole +proposition." + +"Nothing I can say will make you reconsider?" + +"Nothing, Ma'am." + +Picking up his cap, a ridiculous looking affair with ear muffs, Peter +Jasko brushed past Penny and went out the door. + + + + + CHAPTER + 19 + _PETER JASKO SERVES NOTICE_ + + +After the old man had gone, Penny spoke apologetically to Mrs. Downey. + +"Oh, I'm so sorry! I ruined everything, coming in just when I did." + +Mrs. Downey sat with her hands folded in her lap, staring out the window +after the retreating figure of Peter Jasko. + +"No, it wasn't your fault, Penny." + +"He was angry at me because I've been helping Sara get in and out of the +cabin. I never should have done it." + +"Perhaps not," agreed Mrs. Downey, "but it would have made no difference +in regard to the lease. I've been expecting Jasko's decision. Even so, it +comes as a blow. This last week I had been turning ideas over in my mind, +trying to think of a way I could keep on here. Now everything is +settled." + +Penny crossed the room and slipped an arm about the woman's shoulders. + +"I'm as sorry as I can be." + +With a sudden change of mood, Mrs. Downey arose and gave Penny's hand an +affectionate squeeze. + +"Losing the lodge won't mean the end of the world," she said lightly. +"While I may not be able to sell the place for a very good price now that +the ski slopes are gone, I'll at least get something from Mr. Maxwell. +And I have a small income derived from my husband's insurance policy." + +"Where will you go if you leave here?" + +"I haven't given that part any thought," admitted Mrs. Downey. "I may do +a little traveling. I have a sister in Texas I might visit." + +"You'll be lonesome for Pine Top." + +"Yes," admitted Mrs. Downey, "this place will always seem like home to +me. And I've lived a busy, useful life for so many years it will be hard +to let go." + +"Possibly Peter Jasko will reconsider his decision." + +Mrs. Downey smiled and shook her head. "Not Peter. I've known him for +many years, although I can't say I ever became acquainted with him. Once +he makes a stand nothing can sway him." + +"Is he entirely right in his mind?" Penny asked dubiously. + +"Oh, yes. He's peculiar, that's all. And he's getting old." + +Despite Mrs. Downey's avowal that no one was responsible for Peter +Jasko's decision, Penny considered herself at fault. She could not blame +the old man for being provoked because she had helped his granddaughter +escape from the cabin. + +"If I went down there and apologized it might do some good," she thought. +"At least, nothing will be lost by trying." + +Penny turned the plan over in her mind, saying nothing about it to Mrs. +Downey. It seemed to her that the best way would be to wait for a few +hours until Peter Jasko had been given an opportunity to get over his +anger. + +The afternoon dragged on slowly. Toward nightfall, finding confinement +intolerable, Penny ventured out-of-doors to try her skis. She was +thrilled to discover that she could use them without too much discomfort. + +Going to the kitchen window, she called to Mrs. Downey that she intended +to do a little skiing and might be late for dinner. + +"Oh, Penny, you're not able," the woman protested, raising the sash. +"It's only your determination which drives you on." + +"I'm feeling much better," insisted Penny. "I want to go down the +mountain and see Sara." + +"It will be a hard climb back," warned Mrs. Downey. "And the radio +reported another bad storm coming." + +"That's why I want to go now," answered Penny. "We may be snowbound by +tomorrow." + +"Well, if you must go, don't overtax your strength," cautioned Mrs. +Downey. + +Penny wrapped a woolen scarf tightly about her neck as a protection +against the biting wind. Cautiously, she skied down the trail, finding +its frozen surface treacherous, and scarcely familiar. In the rapidly +gathering dusk nothing looked exactly the same as by daylight. Trees +towered like unfriendly giants, obscuring the path. + +Before Penny had covered half the distance to Jasko's cabin, snowflakes, +soft and damp, began to fall. They came faster and faster, the wind +whirling them directly into her face. She kept her head down and wished +that she had remained by the crackling log fire at the Downey lodge. + +Swinging out of the forest, Penny was hard pressed to remember the trail. +As she hesitated, trying to decide which way to go, she felt her skis +slipping along a downgrade where none should have been. Too late, she +realized that she was heading down into a deep ravine which terminated in +an ice-sheeted river below. + +Throwing herself flat, Penny sought to save herself, but she kept +sliding, sliding. A stubby evergreen at last stayed her fall. She clung +helplessly to it for a moment, recovering her breath. Then she tried to +pull herself up the steep incline. She slipped and barely caught hold of +the bush to save herself from another bad fall. Sharp pains shot through +her side. + +"Now I've fixed myself for sure," she thought. "How will I ever get out +of this hole?" + +The ravine offered protection from the chill wind, but the snow was +sifting down steadily. Penny could feel her clothing becoming thoroughly +soaked. If she should lie still she soon would freeze. + +Again Penny tried to struggle up the bank, and again she slid backwards. +From sheer desperation rather than because she cherished a hope that +anyone would hear, Penny shouted for help. + +An answering halloo echoed to her through the trees. + +Penny dared not hope that the voice was other than her own. "Help! Help!" +she called once more. + +Her heart leaped. The cry which came back definitely belonged to a man! +And as she marveled at the miracle of a rescue, a dark figure loomed up +at the rim of the ravine. + +A gruff voice called to her: "Hold on! Don't try to move! I'll get a rope +and be back!" + +The man faded back into the darkness. Penny clung to the bush until it +seemed her arms would break. Snow fell steadily, caking her hood and +penetrating the woolen suit. + +Then as the girl lost all awareness of time, she caught the flash of a +lighted lantern. Her rescuer appeared again at the top of the ravine and +lowered a rope. She grasped it, wrapping it tightly about her wrist, and +climbed as best she could while the man pulled from above. + +At last Penny reached the top, falling in an exhausted heap on the snow. +Raising her head she stared into the face of her rescuer. The man was +Peter Jasko. + +He recognized her at the same instant. + +"You!" he exclaimed. + +For one disturbing moment Penny thought the old man meant to push her +back down into the yawning ravine. In the yellow glow of the lantern, the +expression of his face was terrifying. + +Gaining control of himself, Peter Jasko demanded gruffly: "Hurt?" + +"I've twisted my ankle." Penny pulled herself up from the ground, took a +step, and recoiled with pain. + +"Let me have a look at it." + +Jasko bent down and examined the ankle. + +"No bones broken," he said. "You're luckier than you deserve. Any fool +who doesn't know enough to keep off skis ought to be crippled for life!" + +"Such a cheerful philosophy," observed Penny ironically. "Well, thanks +anyhow for saving me. Even if you are sorry you did it." + +The old man made no immediate reply. He stood gazing down at Penny. + +"Reckon I owe you something," he said grudgingly. "Sara told me how you +kept the bob-sled from going off the track. Injured yourself, too, didn't +you?" + +"Yes." + +"You had no business helping Sara go against my will," the old man said, +his anger rising again. "I told you to stay away, didn't I?" + +"You did. I was sorry to disobey your orders, Mr. Jasko, but I think you +are unjust to your granddaughter." + +"You do, eh?" + +"And you're not being fair to Mrs. Downey either," Penny went on +courageously. "She's struggled for years to make her lodge profitable, +fought against overwhelming odds while the Fergus interests have done +everything they can to put her out of business. Unless you renew her +lease, she'll be forced to leave Pine Top." + +"So?" inquired the old man, unmoved. + +"She's fighting with her back to the wall. And now you've dealt her the +final blow." + +"No one asked Mrs. Downey to come here in the first place," replied Peter +Jasko. "Or them other hotel people either. Pine Top can get along without +the lot of 'em. The sooner they all clear out the better I'll like it." + +"I'm sure of that," said Penny. "You don't care how much trouble you +cause other folks. Because of your own son's death you have taken an +unnatural attitude toward skiing. You hate everything remotely connected +with the sport. But it isn't fair. Your granddaughter has a right to a +certain amount of freedom." + +Peter Jasko listened to the girl's words in silence. When she had +finished he said in a strangely shaken voice: + +"My son met his death going on ten years ago. It was on this trail--" + +"I'm sorry," Penny said contritely. "I shouldn't have spoken the way I +did. Actually, I was on my way down the mountain to tell you I deeply +regret helping Sara to go against your will." + +"My granddaughter is headstrong," the old man replied slowly. "I want +what's best for her. That's why I've tried to protect her." + +"I'm sure you've done what you thought was right," Penny returned. "Why +don't you see Mrs. Downey again and--" + +"No!" said the old man stubbornly. "You can't say anything which will +make me change my mind. Take my arm and see if you can walk!" + +Penny struggled forward, supported by Jasko's strong arm. Although each +step sent a wracking pain through her leg she made no sound of protest. + +"You can't make it that way," the old man declared, pausing. "I'll have +to fix up a sled and pull you." + +Going back for Penny's skis which had been left at the top of the ravine, +he lashed them together. She lay full length on the runners, and he towed +her until they came within view of the cabin. A light glowed in the +window. + +On level ground, Penny tried walking again, and managed to reach the +cabin door. + +"You go on inside," the old man directed. "I'll hitch up the bob-sled and +take you home." + +Penny pushed open the door only to hesitate on the threshold. The room +was filled with tobacco smoke. Two men sat at the table, and directly +behind them stood Sara Jasko. + +The girl came swiftly to the door. She gave Penny a warm smile of +welcome, not noticing that she had been hurt, and said anxiously to Mr. +Jasko: + +"Grandfather, you have visitors. Mr. Fergus and Mr. Maxwell are waiting +to see you. I think it's about the lease." + +"I've nothing to say to them," returned the old man grimly. + +Nevertheless, he followed the two girls into the room, closing the door +against the wind and snow. + +The situation was an awkward one for Penny. Ralph Fergus and Harvey +Maxwell both stared at her with undisguised dislike and suspicion. Then, +the former arose, and ignoring her entirely, stepped forward to meet the +old man, his hand extended. + +"Good evening, sir," he said affably. "Mr. Maxwell and I have a little +business to discuss with you, if you can spare us a moment." + +Peter Jasko ignored the offered hand. + +"I haven't changed my mind since the last time we talked," he said. "I'm +not signing any lease!" + +Penny scarcely heard the words for she was staring beyond Ralph Fergus at +his overcoat which hung over the vacated chair. The garment was light +brown and the top button, a large one of the same color, had been torn +from the cloth. + +Shifting her gaze, Penny glanced at Sara. The girl nodded her head slowly +up and down. She, too, had made the important observation, and was +thinking the same thought. There could be little doubt of it--Ralph +Fergus was the man who had weakened the brake rod of their bob-sled! + + + + + CHAPTER + 20 + _VISITORS_ + + +"May we see you alone, Mr. Jasko?" requested Ralph Fergus. + +"I don't reckon there's any need for being so all-fired private," the old +man retorted, his hand on the doorknob. "If you want to talk with me +speak your piece right out. I got to hitch up the team." + +Mr. Fergus and his companion, Harvey Maxwell, glanced coldly toward Penny +who had sunk down into a chair and was massaging her ankle. They were +reluctant to reveal their business before her but there was no other way. + +"We can't talk with you very well while you're poised for flight, Mr. +Jasko," Ralph Fergus said placatingly. "My friend, Maxwell, has prepared +a paper which he would like to have you look over." + +"I'm not signin' anything!" + +"Good for you, Grandfather!" muttered Sara under her breath. + +The two men pretended not to hear. Mr. Maxwell took a folded document +from his pocket and spread it out on the kitchen table. + +"Will you just read this, please, Mr. Jasko? You'll find our terms are +more than generous." + +"I ain't interested in your terms," he snapped. "I'm aimin' to keep every +acre of my land." + +"We're not asking you to sell, only to lease," Mr. Fergus interposed +smoothly. "Now we understand that your deal with Mrs. Downey has fallen +through, so there's no reason why you shouldn't lease the ski slopes to +us. We are prepared to offer you twice the amount she proposed to give +you." + +Mr. Jasko stubbornly shook his head. + +"You're taking a very short-sighted attitude," said Ralph Fergus, +beginning to lose patience. "At least read the paper." + +"No." + +"Think what this would mean to your granddaughter," interposed Harvey +Maxwell. "Pretty clothes, school in the city perhaps--" + +"Don't listen to them, Grandfather," spoke Sara quickly. "I have enough +clothes. And Pine Top school suits me." + +"You're wastin' your time and mine," said Peter Jasko. "I ain't leasing +my land to anybody." + +"We're only asking you to sign a three-year lease--" Mr. Fergus argued. + +"Can't you understand plain language?" the old man cried. "You think +money will buy everything, but you got another guess coming. I've seen +enough skiing at Pine Top and I aim to put a stop to it!" + +"It's no use," said Harvey Maxwell resignedly to his companion. + +Ralph Fergus picked up the paper and thrust it into his overcoat pocket. +"You're an old fool, Jasko!" he muttered. + +"Don't you dare speak that way to my grandfather!" Sara cried, her eyes +stormy. "You had your nerve coming here anyway, after that trick you +tried!" + +"Trick?" + +"You deliberately weakened the brake rod of our bob-sled." + +Ralph Fergus laughed in the girl's face. "You're as touched as your +grandfather," he said. + +"Perhaps you can explain what became of the top button of your overcoat," +suggested Penny coming to Sara's support. "And don't try to tell us it's +home in your sewing basket!" + +Ralph Fergus' hand groped at the vacant spot on his coat. + +"What does a button have to do with the bob-sled accident?" inquired +Harvey Maxwell. + +"It happens that we found a large brown button in the tool house at the +Downey lodge," replied Penny. "Also a little additional evidence which +rather suggests Mr. Fergus is the one who tampered with the bob-sled." + +"Ridiculous!" protested the hotel man. "I've not even been near Mrs. +Downey's lodge in weeks." + +"I know that's a lie," said Peter Jasko. "I saw you goin' up that way +Friday night." + +"And you went there to damage the bob-sled!" Sara accused. "You didn't +care how many persons might be injured in an accident!" + +Ralph Fergus' face was an angry red. "What reason would I have for doing +anything like that?" he demanded. + +"Guests were being drawn from your hotel because bob-sledding was +increasing in popularity," said Penny quietly. "Nothing would please you +more than to put Mrs. Downey out of business." + +"Aren't you drawing rather sweeping conclusions?" inquired Harvey Maxwell +in an insolent tone. "A button isn't very certain evidence. So many +persons wear buttons, you know." + +"I lost this one from my coat weeks ago," added Ralph Fergus. + +"It was your button we found," Sara accused. + +Peter Jasko had been listening intently to the argument, taking little +part in it. But now, with a quick movement which belied his age, he moved +across the kitchen toward the gun rack on the wall. + +"Let's be getting out of here," muttered Harvey Maxwell. + +He and Ralph Fergus both bolted out of the door. Their sudden flight +delighted Sara who broke into a fit of laughter. + +"Why don't you shoot once or twice into the air just to give 'em a good +fright?" she asked her grandfather. + +The old man, shotgun in hand, had followed the two men to the door. But +he did not shoot. + +"Grandfather wouldn't hurt a flea really," chuckled Sara. "At least, not +unless it was trying to make him sign something." + +"Ralph Fergus acted guilty, all right," declared Penny, bending down to +massage her injured ankle. "But it may have been a mistake for us to +accuse him." + +"I couldn't help it," answered Sara. "When I saw that button missing from +his coat, I had to say something about it." + +Peter Jasko put away his shotgun, turning once more to the door. "I'll +hitch up the team," he said. "Sara, get some liniment and see what you +can do for Miss Parker's ankle." + +"Your ankle?" gasped Sara, staring at Penny. "Have you hurt yourself +again?" + +"I managed to fall into the ravine a few minutes ago. Your grandfather +saved me." + +Sara darted to the stove to get a pan of warm water. She stripped off +Penny's woolen stockings and examined the foot as she soaked it. + +"I suppose this will put me on the shelf for another day or so," Penny +observed gloomily. "But I'm lucky I didn't break my neck." + +"The ankle is swollen," Sara said, "I'll wrap it with a bandage and that +may make it feel better." + +With a practiced hand she wound strips of gauze and adhesive tape about +the ankle. + +"There, how does it feel now?" + +"Much better," said Penny. "Thanks a lot. I--I feel rather mean to put +your grandfather to so much trouble, especially after the way I've +crossed him." + +"Oh, don't you worry about Grandfather," laughed Sara. "He likes you, +Penny." + +"He _likes_ me?" + +"I could tell by the way he acted tonight. He respects a person who +stands up to him." + +"I said some rather unnecessary things," Penny declared regretfully. "I +was provoked because he wouldn't sign a lease with Mrs. Downey. After +hearing what he said to Fergus and Maxwell I realize nothing will sway +him." + +Sara sighed as she helped her friend put on her shoe again. + +"I'm afraid not. I'll do what I can to influence him, but I can tell you +now he'll never listen to me. Grandfather is just the way he is, and one +can't budge him an inch." + +Peter Jasko soon had the team hitched to the bob-sled. He and Sara helped +Penny in, wrapping blankets around her so that she would be snug and warm +during the ride up the mountain. + +"Come down again whenever you can," invited Sara. "Only the next time +don't try it after dark if you're on skis." + +Penny glanced at the old man, but his face showed no displeasure. +Apparently, he no longer regarded her as an interloper. + +"I'll come as soon as I can," she replied. + +Peter Jasko clucked to the horses, and the sled moved away from the +cabin. Sara stood in the doorway until it was out of sight. + +During the slow ride up the mountain side, the old man did not speak. But +as they came at last to the Downey lodge, and he lifted her from the +sled, he actually smiled. + +"I reckon it won't do any good to lock Sara up after this," he said. +"You're both too smart for an old codger like me." + +"Thank you, Mr. Jasko," answered Penny, her eyes shining. "Thank you for +everything." + +The door of the lodge had opened, and Mrs. Downey, a coat thrown over her +shoulders, hurried out into the snow. Not wishing to be drawn into a +conversation, Jasko leaped back into the sled, and with a curt, "Good +evening," drove away. + +With Mrs. Downey's help, Penny hobbled into the house, and there related +her latest misadventure. + +"I declare, you'll be in the hospital yet," sighed the woman. "I feel +tempted to adopt Mr. Jasko's tactics and lock you up in your room." + +"I'll stay there without being locked in," declared Penny. "I've had +enough skiing to last me until Christmas at least." + +In the morning she felt so stiff and battered that she could barely get +out of bed. However, her ankle was somewhat better and when occasion +demanded, she could hobble across the room without support. + +"You ought to be all right in a day or so if only you'll stay off your +foot and give it a chance to get well," declared Mrs. Downey. + +"It's hard to sit still," sighed Penny. "There are so many things I ought +to be doing." + +From the kitchen window she could see the Fergus hotel far down in the +valley. She was impatient to pay another visit there, although she +realized that after the previous evening's encounter with Ralph Fergus +and Harvey Maxwell, it would be more difficult than ever to gain +admittance. + +"Somehow I must manage to get into Room 27 and learn what is going on +there," she thought. "But how? That is the question!" + +Ever an active, energetic person, Penny became increasingly restless as +the day dragged on. During mid-afternoon, observing that Jake had hitched +up the team to the sled, she inquired if he were driving down to Pine +Top. + +"Yes, I am sending him after supplies," explained Mrs. Downey. "And the +newspapers--if there are any." + +"I wish I could go along for the ride." + +Mrs. Downey regarded Penny skeptically. + +"Oh, I wouldn't get out of the sled," Penny said. + +"Is that a promise?" + +"I'll make it one. Nothing less than a fire or an earthquake will get me +out." + +Jake brought the sled to the door, and helped the girl into it. The day +was cold. Snow fell steadily. Mrs. Downey tucked warm bricks at Penny's +feet and wrapped her snugly in woolen blankets. + +The ride down the mountainside was without event. Penny began to regret +that she had made the trip, for the weather was more unpleasant than she +had anticipated. She burrowed deeper and deeper into the blankets. + +Jake pulled up at a hitching post in front of Pine Top's grocery store. + +"It won't take me long," he said. + +Penny climbed down in the bottom of the sled, rearranging her blankets so +that only her eyes and forehead were exposed to the cold. She had been +sitting there for some minutes when her attention was drawn to a man who +was approaching from far down the street. Recognizing him as Ralph +Fergus, she watched with interest. + +At the drugstore he paused. As if by prearrangement, Benny Smith came out +of the building. Penny was too far away to hear their exchange of words, +but she saw the boy give all of his newspapers to Ralph Fergus. In +return, he received a bill which she guessed might be of fairly high +denomination. + +"Probably five dollars," she thought. "The boy sells all his papers to +Fergus because he can make more that way than by peddling them one by +one. And he's paid to keep quiet about it." + +Penny was not especially surprised to discover that the hotel man was +buying up all the papers, for she had suspected he was behind the trick. + +"There's no law against it," she told herself. "That's the trouble. +Fergus and Maxwell are clever. So far they've done nothing which could +possibly get them into legal trouble." + +Presently Jake came out of the grocery store, carrying a large box of +supplies which he stowed in the sled. + +"I'll get the papers and then we'll be ready to start." + +"Don't bother," said Penny. "There aren't any. I just saw Ralph Fergus +buy them all from the boy." + +"Fergus, eh? And he's been puttin' it out that the papers never caught +the plane!" + +"It was just another one of his little tricks to make Mrs. Downey's +guests dissatisfied." + +"Now we know what he's about we'll put a stop to it!" + +"Yes," agreed Penny, "but he'll only think of something new to try." + +As they started back toward the Downey lodge, she was quiet, turning over +various matters in her mind. Since Mrs. Downey had decided to sell her +business, it scarcely seemed to matter what Ralph Fergus did. + +The sled drew near the Jasko cabin and passed it, turning a bend in the +road. Suddenly Penny thought she heard her name called. Glancing back she +was startled to see Sara Jasko running after the sled. + +"Wait, Jake!" Penny commanded. "It's Sara! Something seems to be wrong!" + + + + + CHAPTER + 21 + _OLD PETER'S DISAPPEARANCE_ + + +"Whoa!" shouted Jake, pulling on the reins. + +The horses brought the heavy sled to a halt at the side of the road. +Sara, breathless from running so fast, hurried up. + +"I'm worried about Grandfather," she gasped out. + +"He isn't sick?" Penny asked quickly, + +"No, but I haven't seen him since early this morning. He went to chop +wood at Hatter's place up the mountain. He expected to be back in time +for lunch but he hasn't returned." + +"He'll likely be along soon," said Jake. + +"Oh, you don't know Grandfather," declared Sara, her forehead wrinkling +with anxiety. "He always does exactly as he says he will do. He never +would have stayed away this long unless something had happened. He's +getting on in years and I'm afraid--" + +"Jake, couldn't we go up to Hatter's place, wherever it is?" Penny urged. + +"Sure. It's not far from Mrs. Downey's." + +"Let me ride with you," Sara requested. "I'm sorry to cause you any +trouble, but I have a feeling something is wrong." + +"Jump in," invited Jake. + +Sara climbed into the back of the sled, snuggling down in the blankets +beside Penny. + +"Grandfather may have hurt himself with the ax," she said uneasily. "Or +he could have suffered a stroke. The doctor says he has a touch of +heart-trouble, but he never will take care of himself." + +"We'll probably find him safe and sound," Penny declared in a comforting +way. + +Jake stirred the horses to greater activity. In a short while the sled +passed the Downey grounds and went on to the Hatter farm. Sara sprang out +to unlock the wooden gate which barred entrance to a narrow, private +road. + +"I see Grandfather's sled!" she exclaimed. + +Without waiting for Jake to drive through the gate, she ran on down the +road. Hearing her cry of alarm, the man urged his horses on. + +Reaching the clearing, Penny and Jake saw Sara gazing about in +bewilderment. Peter Jasko's team had been tied to a tree and the sled box +was half filled with wood. An ax lay in the deep snow close by. But there +was no sign of the old man. + +"Where is grandfather?" Sara asked in a dazed voice. + +She called his name several times. Hearing no answer, she ran deeper into +the woods. Jake leaped from the sled and joined in the search. Penny +could not bear to sit helplessly by. Deciding that the emergency was +equal to an earthquake or a fire, she eased herself down from the sled. + +Steadily falling snow had obliterated all tracks save those made by the +new arrivals. There was no clue to indicate whether Peter Jasko had left +the scene of his own free will or had been the possible victim of +violence. + +Jake and Sara searched at the edge of the woods and returned to the +clearing to report no success. + +"Maybe your granddad went up to Hatter's place to get warm," the man +suggested. + +"He never would have left his horses without blanketing them," answered +Sara. "But let's go there and inquire. Someone may have seen +Grandfather." + +They drove the bob-sled on through the woods to an unpainted farm house. +Claud Hatter himself opened the door, and in response to Sara's anxious +question, he told her that he had seen Peter Jasko drive into the place +early that morning. + +"You didn't see him go away?" Sara asked. + +"No, but come to think of it, I noticed a car turn into the road. Must +have been about ten o'clock this morning." + +"What sort of car?" + +The man could give no additional information, for he had not paid +particular attention to the automobile. However, he pulled on his heavy +coat and boots, offering to help organize a searching party. + +Sara and Penny remained at the farm house, but as it became evident that +the old man would not be found quickly, Jake returned and took the girls +down the mountain to the Downey lodge. + +"What could have happened to Grandfather?" Sara repeated over and over. +"I can't believe he became dazed and wandered away." + +"I wish we knew who came in the car," said Penny. "That might explain a +lot." + +"You--you think Grandfather met with violence?" + +"I hope not," replied Penny earnestly. "But it seems very queer. Did your +grandfather have enemies?" + +"He antagonizes many folks without meaning to do so. However, I can't +think of anyone at Pine Top who could be called an actual enemy." + +By nightfall the searching party had grown in size. Nearly every male +resident of Pine Top joined in the hunt for Peter Jasko. Even the Fergus +hotel sent two employes to help comb the mountainside for the missing old +man. + +Sara, nearly in a state of collapse, was put to bed by Mrs. Downey, who +kept telling the girl over and over that she must not worry. In speaking +with Penny, the woman was far from optimistic. She expressed a doubt that +Peter Jasko ever would be found alive. + +"He may have wandered off and fallen into a crevasse." + +"I am inclined to think he may have been spirited away by whoever came up +the private road in that car," commented Penny. + +"I can't imagine anyone bothering to kidnap Peter Jasko," returned Mrs. +Downey. "He has no money." + +"It does sound rather fantastic, I admit. Especially in broad daylight. +You didn't notice any automobile on the main road this morning did you?" + +"Only the Fergus hotel delivery truck. But I was busy. A dozen might have +passed without my noticing them." + +At nine o'clock Jake came to the lodge with a discouraging report. No +trace of Peter Jasko had been found. The search would continue throughout +the night. + +"Which way are you going?" Penny inquired as the man started to leave the +house again. "Up the mountain or down?" + +"Down," he returned. "I'm joining a party at Jasko's own place. We aim to +start combing the woods on his farm next." + +"May I ride with you?" she requested. "I want to go down to the Fergus +hotel." + +"Penny, your ankle--" protested Mrs. Downey. + +"I can get around on it," Penny said hurriedly. "See!" She hobbled across +the floor to prove her words. "And this is important. I want to see +someone at the hotel." + +"So late at night?" + +"It really is important," Penny declared. "Please say I may go." + +"Very well," agreed Mrs. Downey reluctantly. + +Jake took Penny all the way to the hotel. "Shall I help you inside?" he +asked. + +"Oh, no," she declined hurriedly. "I'll make it fine from here." + +After Jake had driven back up the road, Penny limped around to the back +entrance of the hotel. She stood for several minutes staring up at the +dark windows of the second floor. + +"I believe Ralph Fergus and Harvey Maxwell know plenty about Jasko's +disappearance," she thought. "But how to prove it?" + +On the parking lot only a few steps away stood the Fergus hotel delivery +truck. Penny hobbled over to it, and opened the rear door. She swept the +beam of her flashlight over the floor. + +At first glance the car appeared to be empty save for several cardboard +boxes. Then she saw a heavy, fleece-lined glove lying on the floor half +hidden by the containers. She picked it up, examined it briefly and +stuffed it into the pocket of her snowsuit. + +"I remember Peter Jasko wore a glove very much like this!" she thought. + +Softly closing the truck door, Penny went back to the rear of the hotel. +The lower hall was deserted so she slipped inside, and followed the +stairway to the second floor. She tried the door of Room 27 and +discovered it was locked. + +"I was afraid of this," Penny muttered. + +Hesitating a moment she went on down the hall. Opening another door, the +one which bore no number, she saw that she was to be blocked again in her +investigation. The familiar guard sat at his usual post beside the door +of the Green Room. + +Retreating without drawing attention to herself, Penny debated her next +action. Unless she found a way to enter one of those two rooms of +mystery, her night would be wasted. + +Moving softly down the hall, she paused to test the door to the right of +Room 27. To her astonishment, it swung open when she turned the knob. The +room was dark and deserted. + +Penny stepped inside, closing the door behind her. Her flashlight beam +disclosed only a dusty, bare bedroom, its sole furnishing a thickly +padded carpet. + +Going to the window, Penny raised it and gazed at the wide ledge which +she had noted from below. If she had perfect balance, if the window of +Room 27 were unlocked, if her lame ankle did not let her down, she +_might_ be able to span the distance! It would be dangerous and she must +run the risk of being observed by persons on the grounds of the hotel. +Penny gazed down at the frozen yard far below and shuddered. + +"I've been pretty lucky in my falls so far," she thought. "But I have a +feeling if I slip this time it will be my last." + +Penny pulled herself through the window. As the full force of the wind +struck her body, threatening to hurl her from her precarious perch, she +nearly lost her courage. She clung to the sill for a moment, and then +without daring to look down, inched her way along the ledge. + +Reaching the other window in safety, she tried to push it up. For a +dreadful instant, Penny was certain she could not. But it gave so +suddenly she nearly lost her balance. Holding desperately to the sill, +she recovered, and raised the window. + +Penny dropped lightly through the opening into the dark room. Pains were +shooting through her ankle, but so great was her excitement she scarcely +was aware of any discomfort. + +She flashed her light about the room. As she had suspected, there were +two teletype machines, neither of which was in operation. A chair had +been pulled up to a direct-keyboard machine similar to one Penny had seen +in her father's newspaper office. Save for a wooden table the room +contained nothing else. + +Penny went over to the machines and focused her light upon the paper in +the rollers. It was blank. + +"This is maddening!" she thought. "I take a big risk to get in here and +what do I find--nothing!" + +Footsteps could be heard coming down the hallway. Penny remained +perfectly still, expecting the person to pass on. Instead, the noise +ceased altogether and a key grated in the door lock. + +In panic, Penny glanced frantically about. She could not hope to get out +the window in time to escape detection. The only available hiding place +was a closet. + +Switching off her light, Penny opened the door. Stepping inside, she +closed it softly behind her. + + + + + CHAPTER + 22 + _THE SECRET STAIRS_ + + +In the darkness, Penny felt something soft and covered with fur brush +against her face. She recoiled, nearly screaming in terror. Recovering +her poise and realizing that she had merely touched a garment which hung +in the closet, she flattened herself against the wall and waited. + +The outside door opened and soft footsteps approached the wall switches. +Lights flashed on. A tall, swarthy man in a gray business suit blinked at +the sudden flood of illumination. After a moment he stepped over to the +teletype machines, and throwing a switch, started them going. + +Sitting down to the keyboard he tapped out a message. Then he lit a +cigarette and waited. In a few minutes his answer came, typed out from +some distant station. The man ripped the copy from the machine and read +it carefully. Its contents seemed to please him for he smiled broadly as +he arose from the chair, leaving the teletypes still running. + +Penny froze with fear when she heard the man stride toward the closet +where she had hidden herself. Instinctively, she burrowed back behind the +fur garments which her groping hands encountered. + +The door was flung open and light flooded into the closet. However, the +teletype attendant seemed to have no suspicion that anyone might be +hiding there. He pressed a button on the wall and then heaved against the +partition with his shoulder. The section of wall, suspended on a pivot, +slowly revolved. After the man had passed through, it swung back into its +original position. + +Penny waited several minutes and then came out of her hiding place. She +flung open the closet door to admit more light. + +"Just as I thought!" she muttered. + +The closet, a long narrow room, was hung solidly with fur coats! + +"So Maxine Miller was working for the hotel interests after all," Penny +told herself. "I've stumbled into something big!" + +Groping along the wall of the storage room, she found a switch and +pressed it. Again the partition revolved, revealing a flight of stairs +leading downward. She slipped through and the wall slid into place behind +her. + +The stairway was lighted with only one weak electric bulb. Penny's body +cast a grotesque shadow as she cautiously descended. There were so many +steps that she decided they must lead to a basement in the hotel. + +She reached the bottom at last and followed a narrow sloping tunnel, past +a large refrigerated vault which she reasoned must contain a vast supply +of additional furs, and kept on until a blast of cool air struck her +face. Penny drew up sharply. + +Directly ahead, at a bend in the tunnel, sat an armed guard. He was +reading a newspaper in the dim light, holding it very close to the +glaring bulb above his chair. + +Penny dared go no farther. Quietly retreating the way she had come, she +stole back up the long stairway. At the top landing she found herself +confronted with a blank wall. After groping about for several minutes, +her hand encountered a tiny switch similar to the one on the opposite +side of the partition. She pressed it, and the wall section revolved. + +Letting herself out of the storage closet, Penny started toward the door, +only to pause as she heard one of the teletypes thumping out a message. +She crossed over to the machine and stood waiting until the line had been +finished and a bell jingled. The words were unintelligible in jumbled +typewriting, and Penny had no time to work out the code. + +Tearing the copy paper neatly across, she thrust it in the pocket of her +jacket. + +Fearing that at any moment the printer attendant might return, Penny +dared linger no longer. She went to the door but to her surprise it would +not open. + +"Probably a special trick catch which automatically locks whenever +closed," she thought. "The only way to get in or out is with a key, and I +haven't one. That means I'll have to risk my neck again." + +Going to the window she raised it and looked down. All was clear below. +Two courses lay open to her. She could return the way she had come +through the hotel, or she might edge along the shelf past two other +windows to the fire escape, and thence to the ground. Either way was +fraught with danger. + +"If I should happen to meet Ralph Fergus or Harvey Maxwell, I might not +get away with my information," Penny decided. "I'll try the fire-escape." + +Closing the window behind her, she flattened herself along the building +wall, and moved cautiously along the ledge. She passed the first room in +safety. Then, as she was about to crawl past the second, the square of +window suddenly flared with light. + +For a dreadful moment Penny thought that she had been seen. She huddled +against the wall and waited. Nothing happened. + +At last, regaining her courage, she dared to peep into the lighted room. +Two men stood with their backs to the window, but she recognized them as +Harvey Maxwell and Ralph Fergus. + +Penny received a distinct shock as her gaze wandered to the third +individual who sat in a chair by the bed. The man was old Peter Jasko. + +A low rumble of voices reached the girl's ears. Harvey Maxwell was +speaking: + +"Well, Jasko, have you thought it over? Are you ready to sign the lease?" + +"I'll have the law on you, if I ever get out of here!" the old man said +spiritedly. "You're keepin' me against my will." + +"You'll stay here, Jasko, until you come to your senses. We need that +land, and we mean to have it. Understand?" + +"You won't get me to sign, not if you keep me here all night," Mr. Jasko +muttered. "Not if you keep me a year!" + +"You may change your mind after you learn what we can do," said Harvey +Maxwell suavely. + +"You aim to starve me, I reckon." + +"Oh, no, nothing so crude as that, my dear fellow. In fact, we shall +treat you most kindly. Doctor Corbin will be here presently to examine +you." + +"Doctor Corbin! That old quack from Morgantown! What are you bringing him +here for?" + +Harvey Maxwell smiled and tapped his head significantly. + +"To give you a mental examination. You are known to the good people of +Pine Top as a very peculiar fellow, so I doubt if anyone will question +Doctor Corbin's verdict." + +"You mean, you're aimin' to have me adjudged insane?" Peter Jasko asked +incredulously. + +"Exactly. How else can one explain your fanatical hatred of skiing, your +blind rages, your antagonism to the more progressive interests? While it +will be a pity to bring disgrace upon your charming granddaughter, there +is no other way." + +"Not unless you decide to sign," added Ralph Fergus. "We're more than +reasonable. We're willing to pay you a fair price for the lease, more +than the land is worth. But we want it, see? And what we want we take." + +"You're a couple of thievin', stealin' crooks!" Peter Jasko shouted. + +"Not so loud, and be careful of your words," Harvey Maxwell warned. "Or +the gag goes on again." + +"Which do you prefer," Fergus went on. "A tidy little sum of money, or +the asylum?" + +Peter Jasko maintained a sullen silence, glaring at the two hotel men. + +"The doctor will be here at ten-thirty," said Harvey Maxwell, looking at +his watch. "You will have less than a half hour to decide." + +"My mind's made up now! You won't get anyone to believe your cock and +bull story. I'll tell 'em you brought me here and held me prisoner--" + +"And no one will believe you," smiled Maxwell. "We'll give out that you +came to the hotel and started running amuck. Dozens of employes will +confirm the story." + +"For that matter, I'm not sure you don't belong in an asylum," muttered +Fergus. "Only a man who isn't in his right mind would turn down the +liberal proposition we've made you." + +"I deal with no scoundrels!" the old man defied them. + +Harvey Maxwell looked at his watch again. "You have exactly twenty-five +minutes in which to make up your mind, Jasko. We'll leave you alone to +think it over." + +Fergus trussed up the old man's hands and placed a gag in his mouth. Then +the two hotel men left the room, turning out the light and locking the +door behind them. + + + + + CHAPTER + 23 + _RESCUE_ + + +After the door had closed there was no further sound for a moment. Then +in the darkness Penny heard a choked sob. + +Moving closer to the window she tried to raise it. Failing, she tapped +lightly on the pane. Pressing her lips close to the glass she called +softly: + +"Don't be afraid, Mr. Jasko! Keep up your courage! I'll find a way to get +you out!" + +The old man could not answer so she had no way of knowing whether or not +he heard her words. Moving back along the ledge she reached another +window, and upon testing it was elated to find that it could be raised +up. + +She climbed through, lowered it behind her and hastened to the door. +Quietly letting herself out, she went down the deserted hall to the next +door. Without a key she could not hope to get inside. For a fleeting +instant she wondered if she were not making a mistake by delaying in +starting after the authorities. + +"I never could get back here in time," she told herself. "Maxwell will +return in twenty-five minutes with the doctor, possibly earlier. Jasko +may sign the paper before help could reach him." + +Penny was at a loss to know how to aid the old man. As she stood +debating, the cleaning woman whom she had seen upon another occasion, +came down the hall. The girl determined upon a bold move. + +"I wonder if you could help me?" she said, going to meet the woman. "I've +locked myself out of my room. Do you have a master key?" + +"Yes, it will unlock most of the bedrooms." + +"The doors on this floor?" + +"All except number 27." + +Penny took a two dollar bill from her jacket pocket and thrust it into +the woman's hand. + +"Here, take this, and let me have the key." + +"I can't give it to you," the woman protested. "Show me your room and +I'll unlock it for you." + +"We're standing in front of it now. Number 29." + +The woman stared. "But these rooms aren't usually given out, Miss." + +"I assure you number 29 is very much occupied," replied Penny. "Unlock +it, please." + +The woman hesitated, and finally inserted the key in the lock. + +"Thank you," said Penny as she heard the latch click. "No, keep the two +dollars. You are welcome to it." + +She waited until the maid had gone on down the hall before letting +herself into the dark room. Groping for the electric switch, she turned +it on. + +"Mr. Jasko, you know me," she whispered as the old man blinked and stared +at her almost stupidly. "I'm going to get you out of here." + +She jerked the gag from his mouth, and unfastened the cords which bound +his wrists. + +"We don't dare go through the hotel lest we be seen," she told him. "I +think we may be able to get out by means of the fire escape. If luck is +only with us--" + +Making certain that the coast was clear, Penny led the old man down the +hall to a room which she knew would be opposite the fire escape. She was +afraid it would be locked, but to her intense relief it had not been +secured. + +Only a minute was required to cross the room, raise the window and help +Peter Jasko through it. + +"I can't come with you," she said. "I have something else to do. Now +listen closely. I want you to go to Pine Top as fast as you can and bring +the sheriff or the police or whoever it is that would have authority to +arrest Fergus and Maxwell." + +"I aim to do that on my own account," the old man muttered. "I've got a +debt to square with them." + +"We both have," said Penny. "Now this is what I want you to do. If I'm +not in evidence when you get back, bring the police to the Green Room." + +"Where's that?" + +"It's on this same floor. You go down the hall to the left, enter an +unmarked door into another corridor, and finally through a green door +which may be guarded. If necessary, force an entrance." + +"I don't know what it's all about," the old man muttered. "But I'll do as +you say." + +"And hurry!" Penny urged. + +She watched anxiously from the window until Peter Jasko had reached the +bottom of the fire escape in safety. He ran across the yard, gaining the +roadway without having been observed. + +Returning once more to the main corridor, Penny glanced anxiously up and +down. Hearing someone moving about at the far end of the hall, she went +to investigate, certain that it was the cleaning woman putting away her +mops and broom. + +"You ain't locked out again?" the maid asked as she saw Penny standing +beside her. + +"No, but I have another request. How would you like to earn some more +money?" + +"How?" inquired the woman with quick interest. + +"Do you have an extra costume?" + +"Costume?" + +"Dress, I mean. Like one you're wearing." + +"Not here." As the maid spoke she divested herself of an old pair of +shoes, and setting them back against the closet wall, slipped on a pair +of much better looking ones. "I'm changing my clothes now to go home." + +"I'll give you another two dollars if you'll lend me the outfit for the +evening." + +"Is it for a party?" the maid asked. + +"A masquerade," said Penny. "I want to play a little joke on some +acquaintances of mine." + +She waved another bill before the woman's eyes, and the temptation of +making easy money was too great to resist. + +"All right, I'll do it," the maid agreed. "Just wait outside until I get +my clothes changed." + +Penny waited, watching the halls anxiously lest she be observed by +someone who would recognize her. Soon the maid stepped from the closet, +and handed over a bundle of clothing. + +"And here is your money," said Penny. "Don't mention to anyone what we've +done--at least not until tomorrow." + +"Don't worry, Miss, I won't," replied the woman grimly. "I might lose my +job if they caught me." + +After the maid had gone away, Penny slipped into the closet and quickly +changed into the costume. Pulling off her cap, she rumpled her hair and +rubbed a streak of dirt across her face. The shoes were a trifle too +large for her, and their size, together with the painful ankle, made her +walk in a dragging fashion. + +Snatching up a feather duster, she went hurriedly down the hall toward +the corridor which led to the Green Room. As always, the guard sat in his +chair by the door. But this time Penny had high hopes of gaining +entrance. + +Boldly, she walked over to him and said: "Good evening. I was sent to +tell you you're wanted in the office by Mr. Maxwell." + +"Now?" he inquired in surprise. + +"Yes, right away." + +"Someone ought to stay here." + +"I'll wait until you get back." + +"Don't let anyone inside unless they have passes," the guard instructed. + +Penny barely could hide her excitement. It had been almost too easy! At +last she was to penetrate beyond the Green Door! And if she found what +she expected, the entire mystery would be cleared up. She would gain +evidence against Ralph Fergus and Harvey Maxwell which would make her +case iron-clad. + +From within the room, Penny could hear the low murmur of voices. She +waited until the guard had disappeared, and then, summoning her courage, +opened the green door and stepped inside. + +Penny found herself in an elegantly furnished salon, its chairs, +davenports, carpet and draperies decorated in soft shades of green and +ivory. A little dark-haired man she had never seen before, who spoke with +an artificial French accent, stood talking with three women who were +trying on fur coats. A fourth woman, Maxine Miller, sat in a chair, her +back turned to Penny. + +"Now Henri, I want you to give my friends a good price on their coats," +she was saying in a chirpy voice. + +"_Oui_" he agreed, bobbing his head up and down. "We say one hundred and +ninety-two dollars for zis beautiful sealskin coat. I make you a special +price only because you are friends of Mademoiselle Miller." + +The opening of the outside door had drawn Henri's attention briefly to +Penny. As she busied herself dusting, he paid her no heed, and Maxine +Miller did not give the girl a second glance. + +Penny wandered slowly about the room, noting the long mirrors and the +tall cases crowded with racks of sealskin coats. + +"These are smuggled furs," she thought. "This Green Room is the sales +salon, and Henri must be an employee of Ralph Fergus and Harvey Maxwell. +I believe I know how they get the furs over the Canadian border, too, +without paying duty!" + +Satisfied that she could learn no more by lingering, Penny turned down +the long corridor leading to the door which opened on the main hallway. +She knew that the guard would soon discover he had been tricked and +expose her. And while she had been inside the salon less than five +minutes, already she had waited a moment too long. + +As she opened the door she saw Harvey Maxwell and the guard coming down +the corridor toward her. Retreat was out of the question. + +"There she is now!" said the guard, accusingly. "She told me you wanted +me in the office." + +Harvey Maxwell walked angrily toward Penny. + +"What was the big idea?" he began, only to stop short. "Oh, so it's +_you_? My dear little girl, I am very much afraid, you have over-played +your hand this time!" + + + + + CHAPTER + 24 + _HENRI'S SALON_ + + +Penny sought to push past the two men, but Harvey Maxwell caught her +roughly by the arm. + +"Unfortunately, my dear Miss Parker, you have observed certain things +which you may not understand," he said. "Lest you misinterpret them, and +are inclined to run to your father with fantastic tales, you must be +detained here. Now I have a great distaste for violence. I trust it will +not be necessary to use force now." + +"Let me go," Penny cried, trying to jerk away. + +"Take her, Frank," instructed the hotel man. "For the time being put her +in the tunnel room. I'll be down as soon as I talk with Ralph." + +Before Penny could scream, a hand was clapped over her mouth. The guard, +Frank, held her in a firm grip from which she could not free herself. + +"Get going!" he commanded. + +But Penny braced her feet and stood perfectly still. From the outside +corridor she had heard a low rumble of voices. Then Ralph Fergus spoke +above the others, in an exasperated, harassed tone: + +"This old man is crazy, I tell you! We never kept him a prisoner in our +hotel. We have a Green Room, to be sure, but it is rented out to a man +named Henri Croix who is in the fur business." + +Penny's pulse quickened. Peter Jasko had carried out her order and had +brought the police! + +Harvey Maxwell and the guard well comprehended their danger. With a quick +jerk of his head the hotel man indicated a closet where Penny could be +secreted. As the two men tried to pull her to it, she sunk her teeth into +Frank's hand. His hold over her mouth relaxed for an instant, but that +instant was enough. She screamed at the top of her lungs. + +The outside door swung open. Led by Peter Jasko, the sheriff and several +deputies filed into the corridor. Ralph Fergus did not follow, and Penny +saw him trying to slip away. + +"Don't let that man escape!" she cried. "Arrest him!" + +Peter Jasko himself overtook Fergus and brought him back. + +"I've got a score to settle with you," he muttered. "You ain't a good +enough talker to get out of this." + +"Gentlemen--" It was Harvey Maxwell who spoke, and his tone was +irritated. "What is the meaning of this intrusion?" + +"We've had a complaint," said the sheriff. "Jasko here says you kept him +a prisoner in the hotel, trying to make him sign a paper." + +"The old fellow is right in a way," replied Mr. Maxwell. "Not about the +paper. We did detain him here for his own good, and he managed to get +away. I regret to say he went completely out of his mind, became violent, +threatened our guests, and it was necessary to hold him until the doctor +could arrive. We've already sent for Doctor Corbin." + +"That's just what I was telling them," added Ralph Fergus. + +"Now let me speak my piece," said Penny. "Peter Jasko was held a prisoner +here because Fergus and Maxwell wanted him to sign a paper leasing his +ski slopes to the hotel. That was only one of their many little stunts. +Fergus and Maxwell are the heads of a gigantic fur smuggling business, +and they use their hotels merely as a legitimate front." + +"Your proof?" demanded Harvey Maxwell sarcastically. "The real truth is +that I am suing this girl's father for libel. He sent her here to try to +dig up something against me. She's using every excuse she can find to +involve me in affairs about which I know nothing." + +"If you want proof, I'll furnish it," said Penny. "Just step into the +Green Room where Henri Croix, a phony Frenchman, is engaged in selling +fur coats to three ladies." + +"There's no crime in that," declared Ralph Fergus angrily. "Mr. Croix +pays the hotel three hundred dollars a month for the use of this wing. So +far as we know his business is legitimate. If for any reason we learn it +is not, we will be the first to ask for an investigation." + +"Not quite the first," smiled Penny, "for I've already made the request. +To go on with my proof, it might be well to investigate Room 27 on this +same floor." + +"Room 27 is given over to our teletype service," interrupted Maxwell. +"Our guests like to get the stock reports, you know, and that is why we +have the machines." + +"In Room 27 you will find a storage vault for furs," Penny went on, +thoroughly enjoying herself. "A panel revolves, opening the way to a +secret stair which leads down into the basement of the hotel. I'm not +certain about the rest--" + +"No?" demanded Maxwell ironically. + +"There are additional storage vaults in the basement," Penny resumed. "A +man is down there guarding what appears to be a tunnel. Tell me, is this +hotel close to the old silver mine?" + +"About a quarter of a mile from the entrance," replied the sheriff. "Some +of the tunnels might come right up to the hotel grounds." + +"I understand the hotel bought out the mine, and I believe they may be +making use of the old tunnels. At least, the place will bear an +investigation. Oh, yes, this paper came off one of the teletype +machines." + +Penny took the torn sheet from her pocket and gave it to the sheriff. + +"I can't read it," he said, frowning. + +"Code," explained Penny. "If I had a typewriter I could figure it out. +Suppose we go to Room 27 now. I'm positive you'll learn that my story is +not as fantastic as it seems." + +Leaving Peter Jasko and two deputies to guard Fergus and Maxwell and to +see that no one left the Green Room, Penny led the sheriff and four other +armed men down the hall. In her excitement she failed to observe Francine +Sellberg standing by the elevator, watching intently. + +"Here are the teletype machines," Penny indicated, pausing beside them. +"Now let me have that message. I think I can read it." + +Studying the keyboard of the teletype for a moment, she wrote out her +translation beneath the jumbled line of printing. It read: + +"Train Arrives approximately 11:25." + +"What does that mean?" the sheriff inquired. "We have no trains at Pine +Top." + +"We'll see," chuckled Penny. + +She showed the men the vault filled with furs, and pressed the spring +which opened the wall panel. + +"Be careful in descending the stairway," she warned. "I know they have +one guard down there and possibly others." + +Sheriff Clausson and his men went ahead of Penny. The guard, taken +completely by surprise, was captured without a shot being fired. + +"Now what have we here?" the sheriff inquired, peering into the dimly +lighted tunnel. + +As far as one could see stretched a narrow, rusted track with an extra +rail. + +"A miniature electric railway!" exclaimed the sheriff. + +"How far is it from here to the border?" inquired Penny thoughtfully. + +"Not more than a mile." + +"I've been told Harvey Maxwell has a hotel located in Canada." + +"Yeah," nodded the sheriff, following her thought. "We've known for years +that furs were being smuggled, but we never once suspected the outfit was +located here at Pine Top. And no wonder. This scheme is clever, so +elaborate a fellow never would think of it. The underground railroad, +complete with drainage pumps, storage rooms and electric lights, crosses +the border and connects with the Canadian hotel. Fergus and Maxwell buy +furs cheap and send them here without paying duty." + +"And teletype communication is maintained just as it is on a real +railroad," added Penny. "Fergus and Maxwell must have bought up the old +mine just so they could make use of the tunnels. And they wanted to get +rid of Mrs. Downey's Inn so there would be no possible danger of a leak. +How large do you suppose the smuggling ring is, Mr. Clausson?" + +"Large enough. Likely it will take weeks to get all of the guilty persons +rounded up. But I'm satisfied we have the main persons." + +"If I interpreted the code message right, a fur train should be coming in +about eleven-thirty." + +"My men will be waiting," the sheriff said grimly. "I'll get busy now and +tip off the Canadian authorities, so they can close in on the gang from +the other end of the line." + +"What about Fergus and Maxwell?" asked Penny. "There's no chance they can +trump up a story and get free?" + +"Not a chance," returned the sheriff gruffly. "You've done your work, and +now I'll do mine." + +Penny started to turn away, then paused. "Oh, may I ask a favor?" + +"I reckon you've earned it," the sheriff answered, a twinkle in his eye. + +"There's one person involved in this mess who isn't really to blame. An +actress named Maxine Miller. She's only been working for the hotel a few +days, and I doubt if she knows what it's all about." + +"We'll give her every benefit of the doubt," promised the sheriff. "I'll +remember the name. Miller." + +In a daze of excitement Penny rushed back up the stairway to the Green +Room. Fergus and Maxwell, Henri Croix, and Maxine Miller were in custody, +all angrily protesting their innocence. The commotion had brought many +hotel guests to the scene. Questions were flying thick and fast. + +Penny drew Peter Jasko aside to talk with him privately. + +"I think you ought to go to Mrs. Downey's lodge as soon as you can," she +urged. "Sara is there, and she's dreadfully worried about you." + +"I'll go now," the old man said, offering his gnarled hand. "Much obliged +for all you done tonight." + +"That's quite all right," replied Penny. "I was lucky or I never would +have discovered where those men were keeping you." + +The old man hesitated, obviously wishing to say something more, yet +unable to find the words. + +"I done some thinkin' tonight," he muttered. "I reckon I been too strict +with Sara. From now on maybe I'll let her have a looser rein." + +"And ski all she likes," urged Penny. "I really can't see the harm in +it." + +"I been thinkin' about that lease, too," the old man added, not looking +directly at the girl. "When I see Mrs. Downey tonight I'll tell her I'm +ready to sign." + +"Oh, I'm so glad!" Penny exclaimed. "With the Fergus-Maxwell hotel out of +the running, she ought to have a comfortable time of it here on Pine Top +mountain." + +"Thanks to you," grinned Peter Jasko. He offered his hand again and Penny +gave it a firm pressure. + +"I must hurry now," she said. "This is a tremendous story, and I want to +telegraph it to Dad before Francine Sellberg beats me to the jump." + +"Sellberg?" repeated the old man. "She ain't that girl reporter that's +been stayin' here at the hotel?" + +Penny nodded. + +"Then you better step," he advised. "She's on her way to the village +now." + +"But how could Francine have learned about it so soon?" Penny wailed in +dismay. + +"I saw her talking with one of the deputies. She was writing things down +in a notebook." + +"She couldn't have learned everything, but probably enough to ruin my +story. When did Francine leave, Mr. Jasko?" + +"All of fifteen minutes ago." + +"Then I never can overtake her," Penny murmured. "This is absolutely the +worst break yet! Francine will reach the telegraph office first and hold +the wire so I can't use it. After all my work, her paper will get the big +scoop!" + + + + + CHAPTER + 25 + _SCOOP!_ + + +Penny knew that she had only one chance of getting her story through to +Riverview, and that was by means of long distance telephone. At best, +instead of achieving a scoop as she had hoped, she would have only an +even break with her rival. And if connections could not be quickly made, +she would lose out altogether. + +Hastily saying goodbye to Peter Jasko, Penny raced for the stairway. She +did not have a word of her story written down. While she could give the +facts to a rewrite man it would take him some time to get the article +into shape. + +"Vic Henderson writes such colorless stories, too," she moaned to +herself. "He'll be afraid some fact isn't accurate and he'll jerk it out. +This is the one yarn I want to write myself!" + +Penny ran full tilt into Sheriff Clausson. She brought up shortly, +observing that he had a prisoner in custody. + +"Miss Parker, we caught this fellow down in the tunnel," he said. "Can +you identify him?" + +"I'm not sure of his name. He works for Fergus and Maxwell as a teletype +attendant. He may be George Jewitt." + +Penny started to hasten on, and then struck by a sudden idea, paused. +Addressing the prisoner she demanded: + +"Isn't it true that there is a direct wire connection between this hotel +and the one in Riverview?" + +The man did not speak. + +"You may as well answer up," said the sheriff. "It's something which can +be checked easily." + +"Yes, there is a direct connection," answered the attendant. + +"And if I know anything about leased wires," continued Penny with +mounting excitement, "it would be possible to have the telephone company +switch that wire right over to the _Riverview Star_ office. Then I'd have +a direct connection from here to the newspaper. Right?" + +"Right except for one minor detail," the man retorted sarcastically. "The +telephone company won't make a switch just to oblige a little girl." + +Penny's face fell. "I suppose they wouldn't do it," she admitted. "But +what a whale of an idea! I could send my story directly to the newspaper, +and get my scoop after all. As it is, the _Record_ is almost certain to +beat me." + +"Listen!" said the sheriff. "Maybe the telephone company couldn't make +the switch on your say-so, but they'll pay attention to an order from me. +You get busy writing that story, young lady, and we'll see what can be +done." + +Sheriff Clausson turned his prisoner over to a deputy, and returned to +find Penny busily scribbling on the back of an envelope, the only writing +paper available. Together they went to the long distance telephone, and +in a quicker time than the girl had dared hope, arrangements were made +for the wire shift to be made. + +"Now get up to Room 27 and start your story going out," the sheriff +urged. "Will you need the attendant to turn on the current for you?" + +"No, I know how it's done!" Penny declared. "You're sure the connection +has been made?" + +"The telephone company reports everything is set. So go to it!" + +Penny hobbled as fast as her injured ankle would permit to Room 27. She +switched on the light, and turned on the current which controlled the +teletype machines. Sitting down at a chair in front of the direct +keyboard, she found herself trembling from excitement. She had practiced +only a few times and was afraid she might make mistakes. Every word she +wrote would be transmitted in exactly that form to a similar machine +stationed in the _Star_ office. + +She could picture her father standing there, waiting, wondering what she +would send. He had been warned that a big story was coming. + +Penny consulted her envelope notes and began to tap the keys. Now and +then she had moments of misgiving, wondering if her work was accurate, +and if it were going through. She finished at last, and sat back with a +weary sigh of relief. Her story was a good one. She knew that. But had it +ever reached the _Star_ office? + +A machine to her right began its rhythmical thumping. Startled, Penny +sprang to her feet and rushed over to see the message which was slowly +printing itself across the copy paper. + +"STORY RECEIVED OK. WONDERFUL STUFF. CAN YOU GET AN INTERVIEW WITH +SHERIFF CLAUSSON?" + +Penny laughed aloud, and went back to her own machine to tap out an +answer. Her line had a flippant note: + +"I'LL HAUL HIM UP HERE AS SOON AS THE 11:30 TRAIN COMES IN. LET ME TALK +TO DAD." + +There was a little wait and then the return message came in over the +other teletype. + +"YOU'VE BEEN TALKING WITH HIM. AM SENDING SALT SOMMERS BY PLANE TO GET +PICTURES. SORRY I DIDN'T TAKE YOU SERIOUSLY WHEN YOU WROTE MAXWELL WAS +INVOLVED IN ILLEGAL BUSINESS AT PINE TOP. THIS OUGHT TO MOP UP HIS SUIT +AGAINST THE PAPER. GREAT STUFF, PENNY! WHO UNCOVERED THE STORY?" + +Chuckling to herself, Penny went back to her keyboard and tapped: + +"DON'T ASK ME. I'M TRYING TO BE MODEST." + +She waited eagerly for the response and it came in a moment. + +"I WAS AFRAID OF IT. ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?" + +Thoroughly enjoying the little game of questions and answers, Penny once +more tapped her message. + +"FINE AS SILK. WHEN ARE YOU COMING TO PINE TOP? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO +GIVE ME FOR XMAS? IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING GOOD AFTER THIS." + +Soon Mr. Parker's reply appeared on the moving sheet of paper. + +"SOON. PERHAPS SOMETHING WITH FOUR WHEELS AND A HORN." + +Penny scarcely could control herself long enough to send back: + +"OH, YOU WONDERFUL DAD! I COULD HUG YOU! PLEASE MAKE IT MAROON WITH +MOHAIR UPHOLSTERY. AND HANG A WREATH ON LEAPING LENA." + +Sinking back in her chair, Penny gazed dreamily at the ceiling. A new +car! It was almost too good to believe. She knew that her father must +have been swayed by excitement or else very grateful to offer such a +magnificent Christmas present as that. What a night of thrills it had +been! Within a few hours Pine Top would be crowded with reporters and +photographers, but she had uncovered the story, and had saved her father +from a disastrous lawsuit. + +As Penny waited, her thoughts far away, one more message came through on +the teletype. She tore it from the roller of the machine, and smiled as +she read her father's final words: + +"PRESSES ROLLING. FIRST EDITION ON THE STREET AHEAD OF THE RECORD. THE +STAR SCORES AGAIN. THIS IS ANTHONY PARKER SIGNING OFF FOR A CUP OF +COFFEE." + + THE END + + + + + Transcriber's Notes + + +--Replaced the list of books in the series by the complete list, as in + the final book, "The Cry at Midnight". + +--Silently corrected a handful of palpable typos. + +--Conforming to later volumes, standardized on "DeWitt" as the name of + the city editor. + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Behind the Green Door, by Mildred A. 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