Voice from the Cave

  CHAPTER 23 _NIGHT ADVENTURE_

  As Jerry made the startling announcement, Penny glanced anxiously at herfather. In the excitement of the moment she had not thought how much of ashock it might be to him to learn that Mrs. Deline was an agent employedby a foreign country. To her astonishment, he looked neither surprisednor dismayed.

  "So you have the proof, Jerry!" Mr. Parker exclaimed. "That's fine! Butwhat's all this about a code? How did you stumble onto it?"

  "No time for details now," Jerry answered tersely. "Penny turned thetrick--she and Louise saw Mrs. Deline bury a package in the sand."

  "And Mrs. Deline brought that package from the lighthouse," Pennyinterposed eagerly. "Mr. McCoy must have given it to her."

  "What's the plan of action?" Mr. Parker demanded. "Army men already havegone to the lighthouse to search that place thoroughly."

  "Our job is to keep watch of the dune where the package was buried.Naturally we have no way of knowing what time anyone will show up there.It may be an all night wait."

  "I'll be with you in a minute," Mr. Parker declared. "Just as soon as Iget an overcoat."

  He started toward the elevator, then came back to the group.

  "What about Mrs. Deline?" he asked. "She's here in the hotel. Went to herroom only a few minutes ago."

  "She'll be placed under arrest," Jerry said. "Better call her on thetelephone and get her down here. Don't let her suspect that you thinkanything is wrong."

  Mr. Parker vanished into the nearest telephone booth.

  "I can't understand it," Penny murmured to Jerry. "I was sure Dad washead over heels in love with Mrs. Deline. Why, it didn't even seem toruffle him when he learned the truth about her."

  Jerry grinned. "Maybe," he drawled, "that was because he knew all thetime."

  Penny was dumbfounded. "You mean--" she stammered, "You mean that Dad'sbeen acting a part? Pretending to admire Mrs. Deline while actually hedidn't?"

  "Something like that. You see, your Dad became interested in the outlawradio station and the men who operate it. By making inquiries before heleft Riverview, he obtained information that made him think Mrs. Delinemight be involved in some way. He knew she never had been in China butspent many years in Japan. He learned also that instead of being anewspaper correspondent, she had carried on secret work for variousgovernments."

  "Dad knew all that! And he never let on to me!"

  "He couldn't very well, Penny. If you had guessed the truth, you'd havegiven it away by your manner--no matter how much you tried to actnatural."

  "What a little nit-wit I've been!"

  "You have not," Jerry denied warmly. "Anyone else would have acted thesame. Without knowing it, you helped your father a lot. You turned upevidence he never could have obtained alone."

  "Where do you fit into the picture, Jerry? Did Dad send for you?"

  "You don't send for anyone in the Army," Jerry explained, grinning. "Bypure luck I was assigned here on a special mission. Your father learned Iwas coming, so we united forces."

  "Then you've both known from the first about Mrs. Deline?"

  "We've had a dark brown suspicion, Penny. But no proof until tonight."

  Penny drew a deep breath. Before she could ask another question, herfather came hurrying down the hotel corridor.

  "Mrs. Deline's not in her room!" he reported. "She doesn't answer."

  "She went upstairs only a few minutes ago," Penny recalled.

  "Yes, she did, but she's not there now."

  "Maybe she's asleep," Jerry said, "and failed to hear the 'phone. We'llhave to check."

  Without explaining why the matter was urgent, Mr. Parker arranged withthe desk clerk to have one of the hotel maids go to Mrs. Deline's room.While the trio waited in the upstairs corridor, the woman rapped severaltimes on the bedroom door, and failing to get a response, unlocked itwith her master key.

  "Mrs. Deline!" she called, softly at first, then in a louder voice.

  There was no answer.

  The maid then snapped on the light. "Why, there's no one here!" shecried. "The bed's not been slept in!"

  "That's what I was afraid of," muttered Mr. Parker.

  With Jerry and Penny, he entered the bedroom. Everything was in perfectorder. However, Mrs. Deline's suitcase was gone and all her belongingshad been removed from the closet.

  "She's skipped without paying her room rent!" the maid exclaimed. "I'llcall the manager!"

  Penny was peering into the waste paper basket beside the desk.

  "Look!" she drew the attention of her father and Jerry. "Burned lettersand papers!"

  Digging into the basket, she brought up several charred sheets of paper.They were unreadable and crumpled in her hand.

  "This was a bad break for us--Mrs. Deline getting away!" Jerry exclaimedin disgust. "Evidently her work at Sunset Beach is finished. She's movingon to another pasture."

  "But she can't be far away," Penny reasoned. "After all, we know when shecame to her room."

  "There still may be a chance to nab her," Mr. Parker said. "We'll notifythe police to guard all the roads and the airport. I'll report to MajorGregg too."

  Without awaiting the arrival of the hotel manager, the trio hastened tothe lobby. There Jerry and Mr. Parker made several telephone calls.

  "Now let's be on our way up the beach," Jerry urged anxiously. "We'vekilled too much time as it is."

  Penny half expected that her father would refuse permission for her to goalong. To her delight he merely said:

  "I suppose there's no keeping you here, Penny. Well, come with us. Iguess you've earned the right by your good work."

  It was a dark night, warm but misty. No lights were showing outside thehotel, though far up the beach the powerful lighthouse beacon cut swathesacross the black sea.

  "What's the plan?" Mr. Parker asked Jerry.

  "The entire coast for fifty miles is being watched. I thought just on achance we might keep vigil at the place where Mrs. Deline buried thepackage of explosives. Someone may show up there. On the other hand,Penny tipped off the fact that she knew where the bundle was buried."

  "Mrs. Deline watched Louise and me through a spy glass," Penny recalledruefully. "She knew we didn't find the package though."

  "That's our assignment anyhow," Jerry said. "To keep watch of thatparticular place until relieved by Army men."

  The Parker car was on the hotel lot close by. Getting it, the trio tookthe beach road but stopped some distance from the lighthouse. Not wishingthe car to attract the attention of any passer-by, it was left parked ona private driveway. Jerry, Penny and her father then crossed the dunesafoot and proceeded up the beach until they came to their station.

  "Think this is the place?" Penny asked skeptically.

  "I know it is," Jerry replied. "Remember what I told you about takingobservations? Let's see if the package is still here?"

  He began digging in one of the dunes. Almost at once he came upon the boxof explosives.

  "Exactly as we left it," he reported, replacing the sand. "No one's beenhere."

  "I doubt anyone will come," Mr. Parker commented. "Probably afraid."

  High overhead and out of sight, Penny heard the drone of planes oncoastal patrol. She stared up into the dark sky and then toward the sea.The tide was coming in and long rolling waves washed the beach, dashedthemselves on the shoreline and retreated.

  "We'll have to get down out of sight," Jerry warned. "Mustn't be seenfrom the road or the ocean either one."

  "How about this spot?" Mr. Parker suggested, pointing to a hollow betweentwo giant dunes.

  The place seemed exactly right, so the trio flattened themselves on thesand. Jerry looked at the luminous dial of his watch.

  "One fifteen," he announced. "No sign of activity."

  "And no sign of any soldiers," Mr. Parker added. "I hope that whoever isto take over here shows up before long."

  "I don't," Pe
nny said, snuggling close between her father and Jerry. "I'mhaving fun!"

  "If anything should develop, it's apt to be serious business," Jerrywarned. "I'm inclined to think that we tipped our hand and nothing willhappen."

  An hour elapsed. During that time there was no sound save the roar of therestless sea. The warm sand made a comfortable couch, and despite herbest intentions, Penny caught herself dozing. She had all she could do tokeep awake.

  "What time is it now?" she presently asked.

  "Two thirty-five," Jerry answered. "It doesn't look as if there's to beany activity, but then the night's young."

  "The night may be, but I'm not," Mr. Parker grumbled, shifting into amore comfortable position. "Wonder when our relief is to show up?"

  "Must be some mix up on orders. We're probably stuck here for the night."

  "In that case, Penny should return to the hotel."

  "Oh, no. Dad! Anyway, if I left now I might attract the attention ofanyone watching this place."

  "You thought that one up!" her father chuckled. "Except for ourselves,there's no person within a quarter of a mile of this place."

  "You're wrong about that," murmured Jerry, stiffening to alert attention.

  "What's up, Jerry?" Mr. Parker said quickly. "You act as if you wereseeing things!"

  "I am, Chief! Look to the right--between us and the lighthouse!"

  Mr. Parker and Penny gazed intently in the direction indicated.

  "Can't see a thing," Mr. Parker whispered. "Your eyes must be trickingyou, Jerry."

  "Wait just a minute."

  Even as Jerry spoke, a shadowy figure emerged from the mists. The mancame swiftly down the beach, making no sound as he walked. When he wasvery close, the revolving beacon of the lighthouse singled him out for afleeting instant. Brief as was the moment of illumination, Pennyrecognized the man.

  "George Emory!" she whispered tensely. "What's he doing here?"