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Read Ebook: Penny Nichols and the Mystery of the Lost Key by Clark Joan
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Ebook has 1667 lines and 41240 words, and 34 pages
"And the worst of it was that he escaped," Penny acknowledged. "Of course, he may be caught here in the building but I doubt it."
In the excitement, she had completely forgotten her package at the jewelry counter. The girls would have left the store without it had not the clerk come running after them with the purchase.
"Thank you so much for calling out the alarm," she told Penny gratefully. "If the thief isn't caught I may lose my job."
"Oh, I hope not."
"So do I, but I shouldn't have broken a store rule. I was completely taken in by the man's appearance."
"I don't wonder at that," Penny said. "He certainly looked anything but a crook. Was the ring a valuable one?"
"It was priced to sell at eight hundred dollars. I don't see how I could have been so stupid."
Penny felt sorry for the salesgirl, particularly so when the floorwalker came up and began to question her sharply.
"It really wasn't the clerk's fault," Penny insisted. "I feel certain that man was a professional jewel thief."
"Did you notice his appearance?" the floorwalker asked.
"Yes, he was dressed in a gray tweed suit. I'd say he was approximately six feet in height, dark hair and eyes. His face was long and angular."
The store official noted down the description and took Penny's address in case she might be needed later on to identify the crook if he were captured.
"We're watching all the lower floor exits," the floorwalker informed, "but the chances are the man got away by means of one of the fire escapes."
The store rapidly was clearing of shoppers. Penny and her companions lingered a few minutes longer and then they too were politely requested to leave.
"I'd like to know if the store detective caught that man," Penny declared as they paused for an instant on the street. "I suppose now we'll have to find out by reading our newspapers."
Rosanna Winters turned as if to leave the girls.
"Thank you again for saving my pocketbook," she said to Penny. "My ankle is much better now so I'll just take a streetcar home."
Penny caught her by the elbow.
"You'll do no such thing. Why, I can see that it hurts you every step you take. It isn't more than a block or two out of my way to drive you home."
Despite Rosanna's protests, she urged the girl into the roadster which was parked at the curbing. Penny was very proud of her car. Although it was not a new model it ran very well and she spent most of her spare time keeping it washed and polished.
Since the Altman residence was close by, Penny dropped her chum off before taking Rosanna home. During the ride to Sixty-fifth Street, the Winters girl spoke scarcely a word. Several times Penny cast a curious glance in her direction.
Rosanna was the quiet type, she decided. A striking brunette with a thoughtful, almost sad face.
"I live at the next house," the girl said as they turned a corner. "The one on the right."
It was a modest but not unattractive boarding house. The porch was clean and the yard more orderly than the majority in the neighborhood.
"I'm only staying here a few days until I can find another place," Rosanna mentioned, feeling that some explanation was due her companion.
"You are a stranger in Belton City?" Penny guessed.
"Yes, I came here looking for work. But now that won't be necessary." Rosanna hesitated, and then, because Penny had seemed so very friendly, decided to offer additional information. "I am an orphan, Miss Nichols. Until this week I had begun to think that fortune had turned against me."
"And now you've had a piece of good luck?"
"Yes," Rosanna's face glowed as she opened her purse and took out the letter which Penny had picked up from the escalator. "If you hadn't saved this for me, I should have lost everything."
"Then I'm glad I snatched it up in time," Penny smiled.
She could not imagine the contents of the mysterious letter. It was all she could do to keep from asking questions.
"I'd like to have you read it if you care to," Rosanna said a trifle timidly. "I'm anxious to learn the opinion of another person."
"Why, I'll be glad to look at it if you wish," Penny returned, a little surprised at the request. "And as far as advice is concerned, I love to offer it."
She accepted the envelope which Rosanna proffered. As she took out the folded letter a key dropped out into her lap.
"What's this?" Penny demanded.
Rosanna laughed nervously. "If what the letter says is true, it seems to be the key to my inheritance! But read the letter for yourself."
Unfolding the paper, Penny noticed that the message had been written under the letterhead: "J.C. Elfhedge, attorney, Brookport." The communication stated briefly that Rosanna Winters was the sole heiress of the late Jacob Winters, her uncle, and that she had inherited his mountainside estate at Raven Ridge. A key to the property was enclosed. She was urged to inspect the estate at her earliest convenience.
"Well, what do you think of it?" Rosanna questioned as Penny studied the letter in silence.
"Why, it's fine," Penny returned after a slight hesitation. "Did you know Jacob Winters well?"
"I didn't know him at all. In fact I never even met him."
"Oh! Then the inheritance must have come as a surprise."
"It did. Even now I can't help thinking there must be some mistake. Did you ever hear of Raven Ridge?"
"Yes, indeed," Penny told her. "It is a lovely spot near Snow Mountain."
"I must go there as soon as I can," Rosanna said. "Will the car fare be very much do you think?"
"Probably not more than ten dollars."
"That's a large sum for me," Rosanna smiled ruefully. "Of course, now that I've actually inherited Uncle Jacob's estate, I suppose I shouldn't worry about money."
"Well, I shouldn't spend lavishly until I was certain there would be no slip-up about getting the property," Penny advised bluntly. "Perhaps I shouldn't say it, but there's a certain tone to this letter that I don't like."
"What do you mean?" Rosanna questioned.
Penny found it difficult to explain.
"Brookport is only a few miles from here and yet I've never heard of a lawyer by the name of Elfhedge. It seems a trifle strange too that he should enclose a key to the property."
"It struck me that way too at first," Rosanna admitted unwillingly. "Of course, I do have an uncle named Jacob Winters--my mother often spoke of him. He was always considered queer."
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