Part 32 (2/2)

”My pearls,” Mrs. Marborough whispered after a moment. ”They're gone.”

Penny thought little of the remark, deciding that the widow was not entirely rational.

”Oh, you have the necklace,” she said soothingly. ”Don't you remember? We found it yesterday.”

”Gone--” Mrs. Marborough repeated. ”It gave me such a shock--I had hidden the pearls in the teapot. This morning--”

Penny bent closer, suddenly realizing that the old lady was in possession of her faculties and was trying to disclose something of great importance.

”I went there this morning,” Mrs. Marborough completed with difficulty.

”The pearls were gone. They've been stolen. Now I have nothing.”

CHAPTER 22 _THE MISSING NECKLACE_

Penny tried to quiet the old lady by a.s.suring her that the pearl necklace must be somewhere in the house.

”No--no, it is gone,” Mrs. Marborough insisted. ”A thief entered the house during the night. The shock of it brought on this attack.”

Spent by the effort required to speak, the widow closed her eyes, and relaxed. Thinking that she had gone to sleep, Penny left the bedside for a moment. A quick glance a.s.sured her that the kitchen window was open, and far more alarming, the screen had been neatly cut from its frame. An empty China teapot stood on the kitchen table.

”It must be true!” Penny thought with a sinking heart. ”The pearls have been stolen, and the shock of it nearly killed Mrs. Marborough! But who could have known that she had the necklace here in the house?”

Louise and Rhoda were beyond suspicion, and for a moment she could think of no others who had knowledge of the pearls. Then, with a start, it came to her that the story had been told the previous night at the Breens.

”Ted knew about it and he was interested!” she thought. ”But I can't believe he would do such a contemptible thing--even if he did once steal a chicken.”

Penny's unhappy reflections were broken by the arrival of Rhoda with Doctor Hamilton. For the next half hour the girls were kept more than busy carrying out his instructions.

”Mrs. Marborough, in a way you have been very fortunate,” the doctor said as he finally prepared to leave the house. ”Your attack has been a light one and with proper care you should be on your feet again within a week or two. I'll arrange to have you taken to the hospital at once.”

The widow tried to raise up in bed. ”I won't go!” she announced.

”Hospitals cost money--more than I have to spend.”

”It won't cost you anything, Mrs. Marborough. I'll arrange everything.”

”I refuse to be a charity patient,” the widow declared defiantly. ”I'll die first! Go away and take your pills with you!”

”Then if you refuse hospital care, I must arrange for a nurse.”

”I can't afford that either,” the old lady snapped. ”Just go away and I'll get along by myself. I'm feeling better. If I could only have a cup of tea--”

”I'll make it for you,” Rhoda offered eagerly.

Penny signaled to the doctor, indicating that she wished him to follow her into another room. Once beyond the hearing of the old lady, she outlined a plan.

”Mrs. Marborough likes Rhoda very much,” she said to the doctor. ”I think she might be perfectly satisfied to be looked after by her.”

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