CHAPTER 9 A SOCIETY BAZAAR

“You see, Penny,” said Mr. Parker sympathetically, “wealthy people have a way of being inaccessible to the press. They surround themselves with servants who have been trained to allow no invasion of their privacy. They erect barriers which aren’t easily broken down.”

“If only I could have reached Miss Kippenberg I feel sure she would have wished to learn about the ring,” returned Penny. “Oh, well, let Jerry cover the story. I’ve lost interest.”

All that morning the girl went about the house in a mood of deep depression. She felt completely out of sorts and would scowl at her own reflection whenever she passed a mirror. Nothing seemed to go right.

“I declare, I wish you would forget that silly wedding,” Mrs. Weems said wearily. “Why don’t you try working out your resentment on a tennis ball?”

“Not a bad idea,” admitted Penny. “Only I have no partner. Louise is going away somewhere today to a charity bazaar.”

“Here in Riverview?” inquired Mrs. Weems with interest.

“No, it’s to be held at Andover, twenty miles from Corbin. Louise is going with an aunt of hers. She invited me several days ago, but I didn’t think it would be any fun.”

“You might enjoy it. Why don’t you go?”

“I wonder if it isn’t too late?” Penny glanced at the clock.

A telephone call to the Sidell home assured her that she would have ample time to get ready for the trip. She quickly dressed and was waiting when Louise and her aunt, Miss Lucinda Frome, drove up to the door.

“What sort of an affair is it?” Penny inquired as they traveled toward the distant town.

Miss Frome explained that the bazaar was being sponsored by members of the D.A.R. organization and would be held at one of the fashionable clubs of the city. As Miss Frome belonged to the Riverview chapter she and her guests would have an entry.

“I look forward to meeting a number of prominent persons today,” the woman declared. “The Andover chapter has a very exclusive membership.”

Louise winked at Penny, for it was a source of amusement to her that her aunt stood in awe of society personages. Neither she nor her chum suffered from social ambition or a feeling of inferiority.

At Andover, Miss Frome drove the car to the City Club and parked it beside a long row of other automobiles, many of which were under the charge of uniformed chauffeurs.

“Oh, dear,” remarked Miss Frome nervously, “I didn’t realize how shabby my old coupe looks. I do hope no one notices.”

“Now don’t start that, Aunty,” Louise said, taking her by the arm. “Your car is perfectly all right. And so are you.”

They went up the steps of the stone building and mingled with the other women. So many persons were present that the three newcomers attracted no attention. Miss Frome was reassured to see that she was as well dressed as anyone in the room.

Several long tables were covered with various articles offered for sale. Penny and Louise wandered about examining objects which struck their fancy. Miss Frome bought a vase and an imitation ivory elephant, but the girls considered the prices too high for their purses.

Presently, Penny’s gaze was drawn to a young woman who stood behind one of the tables at the far end of the room. She stopped short and stared.

“See someone you know?” inquired Louise.

“Why, that young woman with the dark hair and the lace dress, Louise! She is Sylvia Kippenberg!”

“Really? I must say she has courage to come here today after all that happened!”

The young woman did not realize that she was being subjected to scrutiny. However, she seemed fully aware that she was a general object of curiosity, for her lips were frozen in a set smile and her face was pale despite the rouge on the smooth cheeks.

“I suppose she must be on the bazaar committee,” Louise went on. “But my, if anyone had jilted me, I would not have come here today.”

“Jerry must have missed his interview after all,” Penny murmured, half to herself.

“Jerry?”

“Yes, Dad assigned him to the Kippenberg story. I suppose he drove to Corbin today in the hope of seeing Miss Sylvia.”

“And she may have come here just to escape reporters.”

“For two cents I’d try to interview her myself,” Penny said.

“Do you think she would talk with you?”

“Not if she realizes I am a reporter. But at least I can try.”

“Don’t create a scene whatever you do,” Louise warned uneasily. “Not that I would mind. But Aunt Lucinda would die of mortification.”

“I’ll try to be careful,” Penny promised.

She sauntered forward, gradually working toward the table where the young woman served. Selecting an article at random from the display, she inquired its price.

“Ten dollars,” Miss Kippenberg answered mechanically.

Penny loitered at the table until two elderly women had moved on. She was now alone with Sylvia Kippenberg. She would have no better opportunity to speak with her.

“Miss Kippenberg,” she began.

“Yes?” The young woman really gazed at the girl for the first time. Penny saw that her eyelids were red and swollen from recent tears.

“I should like to talk with you alone, please.”

“Do I know your name?” Miss Kippenberg asked coldly.

“Penny Parker.”

“Parker—Parker,” the young woman repeated and her eyes hardened. “Oh, yes, you are the girl who came to our place yesterday with that photographer! And you telephoned again this morning.”

“Yes,” Penny admitted reluctantly, “but—”

The young woman did not allow her to finish.

“I’ll not talk with you or any other reporter. You have no right to come here and annoy me.”

“Please, I’m not really a reporter, Miss Kippenberg. I have something to show you.”

Miss Kippenberg had closed her ears to Penny’s words. She turned abruptly and fled in the direction of the powder room.

Penny hesitated, remembering her promise to create no scene. Still, she could not allow Miss Kippenberg to elude her so easily. Determinedly, she followed.

“Please, Miss Kippenberg, you must listen to me,” she pleaded.

Observing that her words had not the slightest effect upon the girl, she suddenly opened her purse and took out the white gold ring. She thrust it in front of Miss Kippenberg.

“I only wish to show you this.”

The young woman stopped short, gazing down at the ring.

“Where did you get it?” she asked in a low tone.

“Then you do recognize it?”

“Of course. Grant showed it to me the night before we were to have been married. Tell me, how did it come into your hands?”

“We can’t talk here.”

Miss Kippenberg glanced quickly about and observing that many eyes were focused upon them, led the girl into the deserted powder room. They sat down on a sofa in a secluded corner.

“I didn’t mean to be so rude before,” Miss Kippenberg apologized. “It was only because I must protect myself from reporters and photographers. You have no idea how I have been annoyed.”

“I do understand,” said Penny, “and I wish to help you. That was why I was so insistent upon talking with you. I think this ring may be a clue to Mr. Atherwald’s disappearance.”

“Then you believe as I do that he did not go away purposely?”

“My theory is that Mr. Atherwald was a victim of a plot. Did he have any known enemies?”

“Oh, no, everyone liked Grant. Tell me about the ring. Who gave it to you?”

“No one. I found it while I was exploring a path on the estate, the trail which is blocked off.”

“You shouldn’t have gone there, but no matter. Just where did you pick up the ring?”

“I found it near the lily pool.”

Miss Kippenberg stared at Penny with expressionless, half-glazed eyes.

“Oh!” she murmured. Her head dropped low, her body sagged and she slumped down on the sofa in a faint.