The Secret Pact

  CHAPTER 21 _ELLIS SAAL'S CUSTOMER_

  Penny followed the reporter, quickly overtaking him. Their poundingfootsteps were heard by the two men who abruptly ceased their desperatestruggles. Observing the pair, they turned and fled, one toward theriver, the other toward the road.

  "Well, we broke that up in a hurry!" exclaimed Jerry. "Wonder what madethem run?"

  "They must have been afraid we would recognize them," answered Penny."Didn't you think that one man looked like Peter Fenestra?"

  "I never have seen him to my knowledge. He was the fellow who ran alongthe river?"

  "No, the other. Fenestra's farmhouse is across the fields." Penny pointedtoward a light shining dimly from a window.

  "They've both disappeared now," Jerry commented, moving to the riverbank. "Wonder how the row started anyway?"

  "Fenestra has been threatened," revealed Penny. "Yesterday Anchor Joeleft a drawing of an octopus on his doorstep."

  "What was the idea?"

  "It must have been intended as a warning of some sort. Anchor Joe, andother men, too, keep watch of the house."

  "How did you learn that, Penny?"

  "I've made observations. Besides, Tillie Fellows, who worked there, toldme what she had seen. Fenestra is afraid for his life."

  "Maybe it was Anchor Joe who attacked him tonight."

  "It may have been. I wish we could have seen those men at close range."

  Penny walked on to the clearing where the pair had fought. Grass had beenbeaten down over a large area, indicating that the struggle had not beena brief one. A shiny object gleamed in the moonlight. Penny picked it up,then called softly to Jerry who had remained by the river bank.

  "What is it?" he asked, coming quickly to her side.

  "I've found a key, Jerry! It was lying here on the ground."

  "One of the men must have lost it from his pocket."

  "This may have been what they were fighting over, Jerry!"

  "What makes you think that?"

  "Doesn't the key look as if it belonged to a padlock?"

  "Yes, it does, Penny."

  "Then I am convinced this key will fit the lock on Peter Fenestra's stormcellar! His attacker was trying to get it away from him!"

  "Just a minute," remonstrated Jerry. "You're traveling too fast for me.Explain the storm cellar part."

  "You'll promise not to use anything I tell you for the _Star_?"

  "That's fair enough."

  Satisfied that Jerry would keep his promise, Penny told him everythingshe had learned at the Fenestra farm. The reporter asked many questionsabout the storm cave.

  "So you believe this key may unlock the door?" he mused.

  "I'd like to try it, at least."

  "Now?"

  "There never will be a better time. Mrs. Weems thinks that Fenestra isgetting ready to leave Riverview."

  Jerry hesitated only briefly. "All right, I'm with you," he said. "Leadthe way."

  They were leaving the river when both were startled to hear thesuspension bridge creak beneath human weight. As they paused, listening,a familiar voice called:

  "Jerry! Hey, Jerry!"

  "Here!" responded the reporter.

  A figure emerged from the trees, and they recognized Salt Sommers, the_Star_ photographer.

  "Say, I've been lookin' everywhere for you," he complained. "You'rewanted back in Riverview."

  "What is this, a gag?" Jerry asked suspiciously.

  "It's no gag. The Fulton Powder Company just blew up. Joe, and Gus, andPhilips are already on their way. DeWitt sent me to get you."

  "The Fulton Powder Plant!" Jerry exclaimed, falling into step with Salt."That's a big story!"

  "It sure is, and we're late! Get a move on, brother."

  Jerry glanced toward Penny, remembering that she too had a "story" to becovered.

  "We'll go to Fenestra's place tomorrow," he promised hurriedly.

  Knowing that Penny might try to investigate the cave alone, he hooked hisarm through hers, pulling her along.

  "Back you go to camp," he said. "This is no place for a little girl atnight."

  Penny's protests went unheeded. Jerry and Salt marched her between themto the cottage. Unceremoniously turning her over to her father, theyleaped into a press car, and were gone.

  Hours later the picnic came to an end. Riding home with her father aftertaking Horney to the _Times_ building, Penny was startled to observe alight in an upstairs window of the Parker house.

  "Why, that's in Mrs. Weems' room!" she exclaimed. "She can't be home!"

  Penny was mistaken. Upon hastening upstairs to investigate, she was metat the bedroom door by the housekeeper.

  "Why, Mrs. Weems! I thought you intended to stay on the farm untiltomorrow!"

  "I decided a few hours would make no difference. Penny, the place wasunbearable."

  "How did you get home?"

  "By taxicab."

  "Oh, I wish you had stayed one day longer," sighed Penny. "Did you learnanything since I saw you last?"

  "Nothing of value. Fenestra came home a short time before I left. He wasin a dreadful temper."

  "Had he been in a fight?" Penny asked quickly.

  "There was a black and blue mark across his cheek."

  "Then I was right!" exclaimed Penny triumphantly. "I wish I knew forcertain who attacked him."

  Questioned by Mrs. Weems, she described the scene witnessed at the river,and proudly displayed the key.

  "Why, it does resemble one I've seen Fenestra use," declared thehousekeeper.

  "Then it must unlock the cave! Tomorrow I'll go there and find out!"

  "You'll do no such thing," replied Mrs. Weems firmly. "That is, notwithout your father's permission."

  "But you know Dad won't be in favor of it," groaned Penny. "I simply mustgo there and get a scoop for the _Weekly_."

  "No, Penny, you need to be protected from your own recklessness. Yourfather must be consulted before you visit the farm again."

  "Either he'll say I can't go, or if he thinks there's anything to thestory, he'll turn it over to a _Star_ reporter. Whichever he does, Ilose."

  "Penny, I am in no mood to listen to your pleadings," Mrs. Weems saidwearily. "If you'll excuse me, I'll go to bed."

  Grumbling at the decision, Penny went to her own room. She did not feelequal to a spirited discussion with her father that night.

  "Here, I'm on the verge of solving a great mystery," she grieved."Perhaps the most stupendous of my life! And now I'm told I must stayaway from Fenestra's farm. It's enough to turn my hair gray."

  Penny overslept the next morning, barely awakening in time to reachschool by nine o'clock. A surprise oral history quiz caught hercompletely unprepared. She missed three questions in succession, and wastold that she must remain after school for a special study session.

  Released at four-thirty, Penny hastened to the _Star_ office. Neither herfather nor Jerry were there, nor could anyone tell her when they wouldreturn. Discouraged, she sought Louise who as usual was working at the_Times_ plant.

  "Such luck as I am having," Penny complained. "Mrs. Weems says I can't goto Fenestra's farm without Dad's permission, and he's hiding from me."

  "I wish you would forget that storm cave and the octopus tattoo," saidLouise unsympathetically. "Maybe then we could get out another issue ofthis old paper."

  Penny gazed at her rather queerly. "You're sick of it, aren't you?" sheasked.

  "No," Louise denied, "it's been fun, and we've learned a lot. But there'sso much work. It never ends."

  "It will soon," replied Penny quietly. "Our advertisers are dropping offone by one. Sales are falling, too."

  "We always can quit," said Louise cheerfully.

  "No, we can't," Penny's mouth drew into a tight line. "Fred Clousky wouldtaunt me to my dying day. I'll never close the plant except in a blaze ofjournalistic glory!"

  "But you just said we're failing
--"

  "What the _Weekly_ needs and must have is a tremendous story! Somehow I'mgoing to get it!"

  "You're nothing if not persistent," said Louise admiringly. "Oh, before Iforget it, Old Horney has been up here several times inquiring for you."

  "More bad news I suppose."

  "He didn't say why he wished to talk with you. I thought he seemed ratherdisturbed, though."

  "I'll see what he wants."

  Penny sought Horney in the composing department and pressroom, and evenventured into the basement. The old man was not to be found. Concludingthat he had left the building, she gave up the search.

  She helped Louise read proof until six o'clock, and then telephoned hometo inquire if her father were there. Learning from Mrs. Weems that he didnot expect to come until later, she decided to remain downtown for herown dinner.

  "Why don't you stay with me, Lou?" she invited. "Afterwards, I'll takeyou on a little adventure."

  "Not to Fenestra's?" her chum demanded suspiciously.

  "Unfortunately, no. I shall do a bit of spade work by watching EllisSaal's shop. This is Thursday, you know."

  "It will be a long, tedious wait."

  "I'll consider it well worth the time if I learn the identity of Saal'scustomer. You don't care to come?"

  "On the contrary, I do. I'll telephone Mother."

  The girls dined at a cafe not far from the _Weekly Times_ and soonthereafter stationed themselves a half block from Ellis Saal's shop. Anhour elapsed. Several times they became hopeful as persons paused to gazeat the exhibits in the show window, but no one entered. A cold wind madetheir vigil increasingly uncomfortable.

  "If we don't get action in another fifteen minutes I am going home,"chattered Louise.

  A clock struck eight-thirty. Five minutes later Penny observed a familiarfigure coming briskly down the street. She touched her chum's arm.

  "It's Peter Fenestra," Louise murmured. "You don't think he's the one?"

  "We'll soon see."

  Fenestra was too far away to notice the girls. As they watched, he walkedto the doorway of Ellis Saal's shop. Quickly he glanced about as if toascertain that the street was deserted. Then he slipped into the shop,closing the door behind him.