“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 car
rying 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 chewin
g 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.
The Penny Parker Megapack: 15 Complete Novels Page 21