CHAPTER 13 AN EXTRA STROKE

With all the windows and the door of the shop locked, Penny did not know how to free the imprisoned child. However, as she considered the problem, Seth McGuire appeared on the porch of the cottage.

“Good morning,” he greeted her pleasantly.

“Oh, Mr. McGuire!” Penny exclaimed. “Did you know there is a child locked inside your shop?”

“A child!” the old man exclaimed, coming quickly down the steps. “Why bless me! How can that be?”

“I don’t understand how she got inside, but she’s there! Officials of the Riverview Orphans’ Home have been searching for Adelle Hanover since last night.”

“Wait until I get my key,” the old man said in an agitated voice. “I hope you don’t think I locked the child into the shop!”

Knowing Mr. McGuire as she did, Penny entertained no such thought. Waving encouragingly to Adelle through the window, she waited for the old man to return.

“I locked the door about eleven o’clock last night,” he explained, fumbling nervously with the key. “The little girl must have stolen in there sometime between six o’clock and that hour.”

The old man’s hand shook so that he could not unlock the door. Taking the key, Penny did it for him. Adelle, her hair flying wildly about her face, stumbled out of the shop.

“I’m hungry,” she sobbed. “It was cold in there, and a big rat kept running around. Why did you lock me inside?”

“Why, bless you,” Mr. McGuire murmured, “I never dreamed anyone was inside the shop! How did you get in there?”

“I went inside last night and hid,” Adelle explained in a calmer voice. “It was cold outside and I had to have some place to sleep.”

“You never should have run away from the Home,” Penny reproved. “Why did you do it?”

“Because I don’t like it there,” the child answered defiantly. “I’ll never be adopted like the other children.”

“Why, how silly!” Penny answered. “Of course someone will adopt you.”

Adelle shook her head. “Miss Anderson says I won’t be—I heard her tell the matron. It’s on account of a nervous ’fliction. I’m afraid of things, ’specially cars.”

“That’s very natural, everything considered,” Penny replied, thinking of the story Miss Anderson had told her. “Now I’ll take you to the Home.”

Adelle drew away, and as if seeking protection, crowded close beside Mr. McGuire.

“I’m never going back, even if I freeze and starve!” she announced. “I’ll find me a cave and live on berries. It would be more fun than being an orphan.”

Penny gazed despairingly at the old bell maker. With a chuckle, he took the child by the hand and led her toward the cottage.

“We’ll have lunch and talk things over,” he proposed. “How will that be?”

“I’m awful hungry,” Adelle admitted, smiling up at him. “But you won’t give me any old boiled potatoes, will you? We have ’em every single day at the Home.”

“No potatoes,” he laughed. “We’ll have the very nicest things I can find in the icebox, and maybe a stick of candy to top it off.”

While Mr. McGuire pottered about the kitchen preparing a warm meal, Penny washed Adelle and combed her tangled hair. Afterwards, she telephoned officials of the Home, telling them that the child had been found.

“I’ll bring her there within an hour,” she promised. “Just as soon as she has had her lunch.”

Adelle was ravenous. She was not a pretty child, but her face had an elfin quality when she smiled. Her brown eyes, roving about the spick and span little dinette, took in every detail.

“This is almost as nice as it was at our home,” she remarked. “I mean my real home, when Daddy and Mother were alive.”

“You’ll have a nice place again when you are adopted,” Penny assured her kindly.

“I’d like to stay here,” Adelle said, looking thoughtfully at the old man. “Would your wife let me?”

“Why, bless you, I haven’t a wife,” he answered in embarrassment. “I’m a bachelor.”

“Wouldn’t you like a little girl?” Adelle persisted. “I could do your dishes for you and sweep the floor. I’d be real good.”

“Well, now I’ve often thought I would like a nice little girl,” he replied, smiling.

“Then you can have me!” Adelle cried, jumping up from her chair. “You can tell the Home I won’t be back!”

“Not so fast, not so fast,” Mr. McGuire said hastily. “I’d like a little girl, but I am afraid I can’t afford one. You see, I don’t make much money any more and there are other reasons—”

“Oh, I won’t eat much,” Adelle promised. “Please keep me, Mr. McGuire.”

The old man was so distressed that Penny tried to come to his rescue. However, despite repeated explanations, Adelle refused to understand why she could not immediately become Mr. McGuire’s little girl.

“If I had my old job back, I’d be tempted, sorely tempted,” the old man said to Penny. “I’ve always wanted someone that was near and dear to me.” He drew a deep sigh. “As things are, I don’t see how it could be worked out.”

“Won’t you keep thinking about it?” Adelle pleaded. “Anytime you want me, I’ll come right away.”

“Yes, I’ll think about it,” Mr. McGuire promised soberly. “I really will.”

An hour later Penny took a very depressed Adelle back to the Riverview Orphans’ Home. Leaving her there, she drove on into town, chancing to see her chum, Louise Sidell on the street. Signalling her with a toot of the horn, Penny swung wide the door.

“On your way home, Lou?” she inquired.

“No, just wandering around in a daze trying to do a bit of shopping,” Louise answered, sharing the seat. “The stores here never have anything I want.”

“Then why not go to Claymore?” Penny proposed suddenly.

“I would if I could get there.”

“I’ll take you,” Penny offered. “I need to go to Claymore on special business, and I’d like to have someone ride along.”

“Well, I don’t know,” Louise replied dubiously. “I doubt Leaping Lena would stand such a long trip.”

“Oh, I’ll take the other car.”

“In that case the answer is ‘yes,’” Louise replied instantly.

Penny drove directly home to exchange cars and tell Mrs. Weems where she was going.

“Louise and I may not be back until very late,” she warned. “It’s barely possible we’ll attend the theatre while we’re at Claymore. There’s a new play on, and everyone says it’s grand.”

“If you drive after night, be very careful,” the housekeeper responded uneasily. “There are so many accidents these days.”

A brief stop was made at the Sidell residence, and then the girls took to the road. Deliberately, Penny selected the same route which she and Jerry had followed the previous night.

“Is that why we’re going to Claymore?” Louise inquired curiously, as she heard the story of what had happened to the Davis truck. “You intend to trace those stolen melons?”

“I haven’t much hope of doing that,” Penny answered. “I want to visit the telegraph office and get an original message which was sent to Dad. His life has been made miserable by a pest who keeps sending him telegrams, and I’m out to catch the rascal.”

“You jump around from one thing to another so fast I can’t keep track of your enterprises,” Louise sighed.

“I concentrate on the ones which offer a prospect of ready cash,” Penny rejoined with a laugh. “If I catch Mr. Ben Bowman it means exactly one hundred dollars to me!”

Upon reaching Claymore, the girls spent two hours shopping at the large department stores. Penny then made a tour of the telegraph offices, finally locating the one from which Mr. Bowman’s message had been sent. After explaining why she wished it, she was allowed to inspect and keep the original copy which bore the sender’s signature.

“I’ll turn this handwriting over to the police,” she explained to Louise. “They may be able to trace Ben Bowman by means of it.”

“Providing the man ever comes to Riverview,” Louise said skeptically. “It seems like a forlorn hope to me.”

Before leaving the office, Penny inquired of the clerk who had handled the message if a description of Ben Bowman could be provided.

“I really don’t remember him,” the young woman answered. “In general I should say he was well-dressed—probably about thirty-five years of age.”

“Not much to go on,” Penny said regretfully. “Thanks anyhow.”

“Where now?” Louise asked in a weary voice as they finally left the telegraph office. “Shall we buy tickets to the play?”

“Not yet,” said Penny. “I’d like to wander around the market district a bit.”

For the next hour they did exactly that, selecting a section of the city where farmers brought their produce to sell in open stalls. Penny went from one counter to another, inspecting cantaloupes, hoping to find one which bore the Davis stamp.

“I’m getting tired of pawing vegetables!” Louise presently complained. “When do we eat?”

“All right, we may as well call it a day,” Penny replied reluctantly.

In the downtown section of the city, the girls found a small cafe which advertised a deluxe dinner for one dollar. Treating themselves to the best, they enjoyed a leisurely meal, and then bought theatre tickets.

“Penny, do you realize what all this is costing us?” Louise began to worry belatedly.

“Oh, I’ll soon make it up,” Penny joked. “Wait until I capture Ben Bowman! With my profit from him we’ll paint the town red!”

“You’re nothing if not optimistic,” Louise said pityingly.

The play was an excellent one and when the curtain fell at eleven, neither girl begrudged the money paid for tickets.

“It’s been a grand day,” Louise sighed contentedly as they left the theatre. “Let’s get home now as quickly as we can.”

The drive to Riverview consumed nearly an hour. As the girls approached the Hubell Tower, they noted by the illuminated clock face that the hands pointed to twelve o’clock.

“The witching hour of midnight,” Louise remarked. “Do you still think that mechanical creature has supernatural powers?”

“Quiet!” Penny commanded, idling the car as the big clock began to strike. “I’m going to count the strokes.”

“I’ll do it too, just so you can’t pull a fast one on me. That’s two now.”

As each slow note sounded, Louise counted it aloud. Reaching twelve, she paused, but the clock did not. There was a slight break, then another stroke.

“Why, it did strike thirteen!” she gasped. “Or perhaps I became mixed up!”

“You made no mistake,” Penny declared, easing the car to a standstill by the curb. “It struck thirteen, and that last stroke wasn’t like the others!”

“It did seem to have a slightly different tone. I wonder why?”

“Someone may have struck the bell an extra tap!” Penny answered with conviction. “Louise, don’t you see! It must be a signal!”