Ghost Beyond the Gate

  CHAPTER 13 _A BLACK MARKET_

  Ten minutes later Louise was at the front door with the Sidell familycar. She tooted the horn until Penny put on her coat and went outside.

  "Jump in and I'll take you to the place of mystery," Louise greeted her."On second thought, you'd better drive. I hate icy roads."

  Penny slid behind the steering wheel. "But where are we going?" sheprotested. "Honestly, Lou, I haven't much time--"

  "Mattie Williams' garage is the place that sells the tires! Now, are youinterested?"

  "Am I? Why, we stopped there with Salt Sommers!"

  "We did indeed. Remember the big truck?"

  "Lou, you may have stumbled into something really important!"

  "Glad you think so, chum. But you're not interested in Black Markets."

  "I've changed my mind! I want to talk to Mattie Williams right away!"

  Penny started the car. Driving with a mechanical, unthinking efficiencyborn of many years' practice, she questioned Louise as to the source ofher information. The girls were deep in a discussion when they heardsomeone shout. Salt Sommers had hailed them from the curb.

  "Why, hello," Penny greeted him, stopping the car with a jerk. "Anytrouble at the _Star_?"

  "Not from Schirr," grinned Salt. "I'm hot-footing it to the Ladies Clubto mug some dames pouring tea! For the society page."

  "Poor Salt!" smiled Penny, knowing how he hated trivial assignments.

  "On your way to the office?" the photographer questioned.

  Penny hesitated, then decided to confide in Salt. She repeated whatLouise had told her about the Mattie Williams' garage.

  "Well, can you beat that!" the photographer exclaimed. "I don't knowMattie and her partner well, but I always supposed they were honest. Sothey're dealing in stolen tires!"

  "We don't know for sure," Penny said hastily. "Our information is mostlyfounded on rumor."

  "And the tires may not be stolen ones," contributed Louise. "I only heardthey can be bought there."

  Penny added that she would not take time to run down the Black Marketstory save that her father's disappearance might have a connection withthe tire-thief gang.

  "I aim to learn the names of those men Dad intended to expose," she saidearnestly.

  Somewhat startled by the grim note of Penny's voice, Salt warned her thatshe might be venturing on dangerous ground.

  "We all admire your courage," he said, "but you mustn't take foolishrisks. Your father would turn thumbs down on that idea."

  "It's because of Dad that I must investigate every angle of thetire-theft racket."

  "Quite an ambitious assignment," Salt said dryly. "Now as soon as Jerrygets back from Canada--"

  "We can't wait! Something has to be done right away!"

  "I know how you feel," responded Salt, "but there's such a thing as beingtoo courageous."

  "I'm not courageous," Penny denied. "Last night at the cemetery I wasscared half to death. And then when I saw the ghost--"

  "What ghost?" interrupted Louise.

  Penny had not intended to speak of what she had seen at the Harrisonestate. The slip of tongue made it necessary to tell of the path by thegate, the retreating figure, and the mysterious light.

  "That's funny," commented the photographer, regarding her with a peculiarexpression. "Since I've been on duty at the observation tower I've neverseen any activity at the estate."

  "I don't believe in ghosts, but I saw one all that same!" Penny insisted."Just watch some night and see for yourself!"

  Annoyed by Salt's smile, she shifted gears and drove on down the street.Turning to Louise, she asked earnestly: "You believe I saw somethingwandering about the estate last night, don't you?"

  "Well," Louise hesitated, unwilling to offend her chum. "You must havebeen quite upset after failing to meet that woman at the cemetery. Underthe circumstances...."

  "I was as calm as I am now," Penny cried indignantly. "I saw it, I tellyou!"

  "Of course you did, dear," Louise soothed. "Do please watch your drivingmore carefully, or I'll have to take over."

  Penny suddenly relaxed. "Okay, have it your own way," she shrugged. "Iwouldn't believe Mose Johnson, so why should you believe me? It's justone of those things."

  For a long while they rode in silence. Few cars were on the road andthere was little business activity at Kamm's Corner. Penny parked infront of the Mattie Williams' garage.

  "What excuse will we have for questioning her?" Louise asked dubiously.

  "I'm not going to make an excuse," said Penny. "I'll just come right outand ask her if she sells tires without a special order."

  The girls entered the warm little office, stamping snow from theirgaloshes.

  "Just a minute," called a voice which belonged to Mattie Williams.

  The garage owner was busy with a customer. Soon however, she came in fromthe main part of the building, wiping her oily hands on a piece of waste.

  "What can I do for you?" she inquired briskly.

  "You remember us, don't you?" asked Penny, leading into the subject oftires as gradually as possible. "We're friends of Salt Sommers."

  "Oh, sure!" the woman's face lighted. "You came in with him the night ofthe bad storm."

  "My car had been stripped of its tires. Ever since, I've been wonderinghow to get new ones."

  A slightly guarded expression came over Mattie Williams' face. She saidnothing.

  "I was told I might obtain some here," Penny plunged on.

  "You can," said Mattie. "Provided you have an order from your RationBoard."

  "Not without it?"

  Mattie gazed at Penny with undisguised scorn. "What sort of a place doyou think we run here?" she demanded. "Of course we don't sell tireswithout an order."

  "But we were told--"

  "Well, you were told wrong," snapped Mattie. "Sorry. I can't help you."

  Picking up a wrench from the desk top, the woman left the office.

  "I guess I didn't approach her the right way," remarked Penny sadly."Either that, or our information was incorrect. Louise, are you sure--"

  "Oh, I am!" her chum insisted. "The two women I overheard, distinctlysaid Mattie Williams' garage. Of course, they might have been wrong aboutit."

  Before Penny and Louise could leave the office, a middle-aged man withglasses came in through the street door.

  "Sam Burkholder here?" he demanded, warming himself by the stove.

  Penny started to say that she did not know. Just then Mattie Williams'partner came in the other door.

  "Hi, Sam!" the stranger greeted him. "I've got the car parked aroundback. Are you ready to put on that tire?"

  Sam frowned, darting a quick glance at the two girls.

  "Oh, the one I patched for you!" he returned. "Sure, it's fixed. Driveyour car in the back entrance and I'll take care of it."

  Both men went out into the main part of the garage. Just beyond the doorthey paused for a whispered conference, then separated.

  "Shall we go?" inquired Louise, glancing at her chum.

  "Not just yet," replied Penny. "I'm curious to see that patched tire.Let's kill a little more time here."

  Pretending to warm themselves by the stove, they waited ten minutes.Then, without attracting attention, they sauntered out onto the maingarage floor. Mattie Williams was busy washing a car and did not seethem.

  The garage workroom was divided into sections, separated by a double doorwhich was closed. Penny strolled over and pushed it open just enough tosee through the crack.

  Sam Burkholder was working on the stranger's car. He had removed an oldtire and wheel, and was replacing it with one whose tread appeared new.

  "A patched tire, my left eye!" Penny whispered to Louise. "It's just aswe thought! This garage must be a Black Market place!"