CHAPTER 3 _TRAVELING COMPANIONS_
Francine Sellberg paid for her ticket and turned so that her gaze fellsquarely upon Penny and Louise. Abruptly, she crossed over to where theysat.
"Hello, girls," she greeted them breezily. "What brings you to theairport?"
As always, the young woman reporter's manner was brusque andbusiness-like. Without meaning to offend, she gave others an impressionof 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 withquickening 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 Francinewas quizzing her.
"Penny is going to Pine Top for the skiing," declared Louise, neverguessing that her chum preferred to withhold the information.
"Pine Top!" The smile left Francine's face and her eyes roved swiftlytoward the two men who sat at the opposite side of the room.
"We are to be traveling companions, I believe," remarked Pennyinnocently.
Francine's attention came back to the younger girl. Her eyes narrowedwith 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 theapron, and passengers were beginning to leave the waiting room. The twomen who had attracted Penny's attention, arose and without appearing tonotice the three girls, went outside.
"You don't deceive me one bit, Penny Parker," said Francine with a quickchange of attitude. "I know very well why you are going to Pine Top, andit's for the same reason I am!"
"You seem to have divined all my secrets, even when I don't know themmyself," responded Penny. "Suppose you tell me why I am going to Pine Topmountain?"
"It's perfectly obvious that your father sent you, But I am afraid heover-estimates your journalistic powers if he thinks you have had enoughexperience to handle a difficult assignment of this sort. I'll warn youright 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 therewill 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 amoment 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, whypose, Penny? This innocent act doesn't go over worth a cent."
Louise broke indignantly into the conversation. "Penny isn't posing! It'strue 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 hadput an end to the little game with Francine.
The reporter stared at the two girls, scarcely knowing whether or not tobelieve them.
"Why not break down and tell me the identity of our two fellowpassengers?" suggested Penny.
"So you really don't know their names?" Francine flashed a triumphantsmile. "Fancy that! Well, you've proven such a clever little reporter inthe past, I'll allow you to figure it out for yourself. See you in PineTop."
Turning away, the young woman went back to the desk to speak once morewith the ticket man.
"Doesn't she simply drip conceit!" Louise whispered in disgust. "Did Imake 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 missit?"
The huge streamliner stood warming up on the ribbon of cement, longtongues of flame leaping from the exhausts. Nearly all of the passengersalready 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 getahead of you!"
"Not if I can help it," laughed Penny.
Francine had left the waiting room and was walking with a brisk steptoward the plane. Not wishing to be the last person aboard, Penny steppedquickly into the cabin. All but two seats were taken. One was at the farend of the plane, the other directly behind the two strange men.
Penny slid into the latter chair just as Francine came into the cabin. Asshe went down the aisle to take the only remaining seat, the reportershot the younger girl an irritated glance.
"She thinks I took this place just to spite her!" thought Penny. "Howsilly!"
The stewardess, trim in her blue-green uniform, had closed the heavymetal door. The plane began to move down the ramp, away from thestation's canopied entrance. Penny leaned close to the window and waved alast good-bye to Louise.
As the speed of the engines was increased, the plane raced faster andfaster over the smooth runway. A take-off was not especially thrilling toPenny who often had made flights with her father. She shook her head whenthe stewardess offered her cotton for her ears, but accepted a magazine.
Penny flipped carelessly through the pages. Finding no story worthreading, she turned her attention to her fellow passengers. Beside her,on the right, sat the over-painted woman, her hands gripping the armrests so hard that her knuckles showed white.
"We--we're in the air now, aren't we?" she asked nervously, meetingPenny'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 nodanger."
"Just the same I never would have taken a plane if it hadn't been theonly way of reaching Pine Top."
Penny turned to regard her companion with new interest. The woman was inher early forties, though she had attempted by the lavish use of make-upto appear younger. Her hair was a bleached yellow, dry and brittle fromtoo frequent permanent waving. Her shoes were slightly scuffed, and atight-fitting black crepe dress, while expensive, was shiny from longuse.
"Oh, are you traveling to Pine Top, too?" inquired Penny. "Half thepassengers 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 themountain side, and try a little skiing."
"This is strictly a business trip with me," confided the woman. She hadrelaxed now that the transport was flying at an even keel. "I am goingthere to see Mr. Balantine--David Balantine. You've heard of him, ofcourse."
Penny shook her head.
"My dear, everyone in the East is familiar with his name. Mr. Balantinehas a large chain of theatres throughout the country. He produces his ownshows, too. I hope to get a leading part in a new production which willsoon 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 answeredproudly. "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," theactress admitted with an embarrassed laugh. "'At liberty' is a word weshow people use when we're temporarily out of work. The movies havepractically ruined the stage."
"Yes, I know."
"For several weeks I have been trying to get an interview with Mr.Balant
ine. His secretaries would not make an appointment for me. Thenquite by luck I learned that he planned to spend two weeks at Pine Top. Ithought if I could meet him out there in his more relaxed moments, hemight give me a role in the new production."
"Isn't it a rather long chance to take?" questioned Penny. "To go so farjust in the hope of seeing this man?"
"Yes, but I like long chances. And I've tried every other way to meethim. 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 whichwould be worse. If I stay at Pine Top more than a few days I'll neverhave money enough to get back here. They tell me Pine Top ishigh-priced."
"I don't know about that," answered Penny.
As the plane winged its way in a northwesterly direction, the actresskept the conversational ball rolling at an exhausting pace. She toldPenny all about herself, her trials and triumphs on the stage. As first,it was fairly interesting, but as Miss Miller repeated herself, the girlbecame increasingly bored. She shrewdly guessed that the actress neverhad been the outstanding stage success she visioned herself.
Penny paid more than ordinary attention to the two men who sat in frontof her. However, Miss Miller kept her so busy answering questions thatshe could not have overheard their talk, even if she had made an effortto do so.
Therefore, when the plane made a brief stop, she was astonished to haveFrancine 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 youlistening hard enough."
"Eavesdropping isn't my method," replied Penny indignantly. "It's stupidand 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 sideof the lunch room. A moment later the two men, who had caused the youngwoman reporter such concern, entered and sat down at a counter nearPenny, 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 waynow."
"You're not forgetting Mrs. Downey's place?"
"We'll soon take care of _her_," the other boasted. "That's why I'm goingout to Pine Top with you, Ralph. I'll show you how these little affairsare handled."