Part 30 (1/2)
However, the following day found her again at her station in the post office. The task of waiting and watching seemed even more tiresome than before. When she came home late in the afternoon Mrs. Gallup offered scant sympathy.
”I never heard of such a silly thing,” she declared. ”Standing all day in the post office! I don't know why your father permits you to play around at being a detective!”
”If you think it's play just try standing in one spot for eight hours!”
Penny said indignantly.
”I'd have better sense,” Mrs. Gallup retorted. Then she softened. ”I know you're tired, Penny. Sit down and rest while I make you a cup of hot chocolate.”
With a blissful sigh, Penny sank into an upholstered chair. She was looking at a magazine when the housekeeper returned with a pot of chocolate.
”Here is a letter for you,” she mentioned, dropping it into the girl's lap. ”It came this afternoon.”
Noticing that it was postmarked Belton City, Penny quickly tore it open. The envelope contained a brief note from Amy Coulter, who had written to give her new address.
For a long time after she had finished reading the message, Penny sat staring down at it without being aware of her preoccupation.
”I hope it isn't bad news,” Mrs. Gallup said anxiously.
”Oh, no.” Penny folded the message and thrust it into her pocket. ”I was only thinking.”
Her thoughts had not been pleasant. She still liked Amy Coulter despite the girl's strange actions, yet she felt that she could not continue to help her without positive proof of her innocence. If only Amy had explained her connection with George Hoges!
”You haven't been a bit like your usual self, Penny,” Mrs. Gallup said severely. ”You're not sick, are you?”
”Of course not. I'm just tired.”
”You've had too much excitement lately. It seems to me this household is always in turmoil. The past week all I've heard of is robberies, prowlers and more robberies!”
”At least we've had no murder yet,” Penny chuckled. ”By the way, what did Dad say last night when you told him about the man we saw hiding behind the garage?”
”He thought probably it was some crank. But I noticed he examined the ground for footprints.”
”Perhaps the prowler was the same person who broke into Dad's office,”
Penny remarked. ”Only that doesn't seem reasonable either, for what could anyone be after here at the house?”
”Silverware or possibly some of your father's papers.”
”He doesn't keep anything of great value here as far as I know.”
Before Mrs. Gallup could make a response the telephone rang and she went to answer it.
”Can you come, Penny?” she called a moment later. ”It's for you.”
The girl hurried to the adjoining room and was surprised as she took the receiver to hear Mrs. Dillon's voice. The woman was greatly agitated.
”Miss Nichols, you were right about the picture,” she began abruptly.
”I communicated with the museum authorities as I promised and they told me that the painting is a fake!”
”I thought it would turn out that way,” Penny commented in satisfaction.