The Penny Parker Megapack: 15 Complete Novels (30 page)

“No,” the actress denied, “but your guess is fairly warm. I do have a nice figure for displaying clothes. No doubt that was why I was given the job.”

“Who is your employer, Miss Miller? Someone connected with the hotel?”

The waiter had brought a loaded tray to the table, and the actress used his arrival as a pretext for not answering Penny’s question. After the man went away she began to chat glibly about other subjects. However, with the serving of dessert, she once more switched to the topic of her wardrobe.

“You were asking me about my fur coat, dearie,” she said. “Would you like to have one like it?”

“Who wouldn’t? What must I do to acquire one—rob a bank?”

Miss Miller laughed in a forced way. “You will have your little joke. From what you’ve told me, I imagine your father has plenty of money.”

“I don’t remember saying anything about it,” responded Penny dryly. “As a matter of fact, my father isn’t wealthy.”

“At least your family is comfortably fixed or you wouldn’t be at this expensive winter resort,” Miss Miller went on, undisturbed. “Now would you be able to pay as much as a hundred dollars for a coat?”

“I hadn’t even thought of buying one,” replied Penny, trying not to disclose her astonishment. “Can you really get a good fur coat for as little as a hundred dollars?”

“You could through my friend.”

“Your friend?” asked Penny bluntly. “Do you mean your new employer?”

“Well, yes,” the actress admitted with a self-conscious laugh. “He is a fur salesman. You’ve been very nice to me and I might be able to get a coat for you at cost.”

“That’s most kind,” remarked Penny dryly. “Where could I see these coats?”

“My employer has a salesroom here at the hotel,”Miss Miller declared. “I can arrange an appointment for you. Say tomorrow at two?”

“I haven’t enough money with me to buy a coat even if I wanted one.”

“But if you liked the furs you could wire your parents for more,” the actress wheedled. “It is a wonderful opportunity. You’ll never have another chance to buy a beautiful coat at cost.”

“I’ll have to think it over,” Penny returned. “I suppose you get a commission on every garment sold?”

“A small one. In your case, I’ll not take it. I truly am interested in seeing you get your coat, dearie. You have just the figure for it, you’re so slim and svelte.”

Penny was not deceived by the flattery. She knew very well that the actress had treated her to dinner for the purpose of making her feel under obligation and as a build-up to the suggestion that she purchase a fur coat.

Glancing at the bill she was relieved to see that she had enough money to pay for her share of the meal.

“No, no, I won’t hear of it,” Miss Miller protested grandly.

Summoning the waiter, she gave him a twenty dollar bill.

“Let me know if you decide you would like to see the coats,” she said to Penny as they left the dining room together. “It won’t cost you anything to look, you know.”

“I’ll think it over. Thanks for the dinner.”

Penny looked about the crowded lobby for Ralph Fergus or Harvey Maxwell, but neither man was to be seen. While at the hotel she would have liked to acquire a little more information about the Green Room. With the actress hovering at her elbow it was out of the question.

She considered speaking of the matter to Miss Miller, and then abandoned the idea. However, it had occurred to her that the mysterious room of the hotel might have some connection with the actress’ present employment, and so she ventured one rather direct question.

“Miss Miller, you’re not by chance working for Ralph Fergus or the hotel?”

“Dear me, no!” the actress denied. “Whatever put such an idea in your head?”

“It just occurred to me. Well, good-bye.”

Penny left the hotel and ventured out into the cold. After so much cigarette smoke, the pure air was a pleasant relief. She broke off a long icicle from the doorway, and stood thoughtfully chewing at it.

“Miss Miller must be working for some dishonest outfit,” she mused. “Her talk about getting a fur coat at cost doesn’t fool me one bit. If I were in her shoes I’d be more than a little worried lest I tangled with the law.”

A remark by the actress to the effect that the Canadian border was close by had set Penny’s active mind to working. It was not too fantastic to believe that Miss Miller might be employed by an unscrupulous man whose business concerned the sale of furs obtained duty free. She had even dared hope that Ralph Fergus or Harvey Maxwell might be implicated in the dishonest affair. What a break that would be for her father if only she could prove such a connection! But the actress’ outright denial that either man was her employer had put an end to such pleasant speculation.

Penny bent down to pick up her skis which had been left at the side of the hotel building. As she leaned over, she noticed a small object lying on top of the snow in the square of light made from one of the windows. It appeared to be a small piece of colored cardboard.

Curiously, Penny picked it up and carried it closer to the window. The card was green. Her pulse quickened as she turned it over. On its face were six engraved words:

“Admit Bearer Through The Green Door.”

CHAPTER 13

AN UNKIND TRICK

Penny all but executed a clog dance in the snow. She knew that she had picked up an admittance ticket to the Green Room of the Fergus hotel which some person had lost. With no effort upon her part she would be able to learn the answer to many of the questions which had plagued her.

“At last I’ll find out what lies behind that Green Door,” she thought in high elation. “If this isn’t the most wonderful piece of luck!”

Debating a moment, Penny decided that it probably was too late to gain admittance that evening. Mrs. Downey no doubt was worried over her long absence from the lodge. She would return there, and then revisit the hotel early the next day.

Pocketing the precious ticket, Penny set off up the mountain. It was dark before she had covered half the distance, but there were stars and a half moon to guide her.

Mrs. Downey showed her relief as the girl stomped into the kitchen.

“I was beginning to worry, Penny,” she declared. “Whatever made it take you so long?”

“I stopped at the Fergus hotel and had dinner with Miss Miller.”

“Were you able to get the newspapers?”

“Only one which I had to buy at the Fergus hotel. Mrs. Downey, it’s queer about those papers. Benny Smith told me there weren’t any to be had, and then a few minutes later I met the airplane pilot who told me he had brought them in the same as usual. Also, the Fergus hotel received its usual quota.”

“Well, that’s odd.”

“It looks to me as if the Fergus outfit has made some arrangement with the paper boy. They may be buying up all the papers.”

“As a means of annoying me,” nodded Mrs. Downey grimly. “It would be in line with their tactics. But what can I do?”

“I don’t know,” admitted Penny. She pulled off her heavy boots and set them where they would dry. “We haven’t any proof they’re doing anything like that. It’s only my idea.”

The door opened and Jake came into the kitchen. He dropped an armload of wood behind the range.

“I started work on the bob-sled run this afternoon,” he remarked to Mrs. Downey. “Got a crew of boys coming first thing tomorrow. We ought to have her fixed up by noon.”

“And the sleds?”

“They seem to be in good condition, but I’ll check everything.”

After the workman had gone, Penny glanced questioningly at Mrs. Downey.

“Have you decided to use the run after all?”

“Yes, I started thinking about it after we talked together. We do need more entertainment here at the lodge. After you left I ordered Jake to start work on the track. But I still am in need of experienced drivers for the sled.”

“You spoke of Sara.”

“I thought I would ask her, but I doubt if her Grandfather will give his consent.”

“I’ll ski down there tomorrow and talk with her if you would like me to,” offered Penny.

“I would appreciate it,” said Mrs. Downey gratefully. “I hate to spare the time myself.”

Early the next morning Penny paid a visit to the bob-sled run where a crew headed by Jake was hard at work. There was a stretch of straightaway and a series of curves which snaked down the valley between the pines. At the point of the steepest curve, the outer snow walls rose to a height of eighteen feet.

“A sled could really travel on that track,” observed Penny. “Does it hurt to upset?”

“It might,” grinned Jake. “We’ve never had an upset on Horseshoe Curve. If a sled went over there, you might wake up in the hospital.”

Penny watched the men packing snow for awhile. Then buckling on her skis, she made a fast trip down the mountain to the Jasko cabin. This time, having a definite mission, she went boldly to the door and rapped.

There was no response until the window of the loft shot up.

“Hello, Penny,” called down Sara. “I thought you had forgotten your promise. The key’s in the same place.”

“Isn’t your grandfather here?”

“No, he went down to Pine Top. Isn’t it glorious skiing weather? Hurry and get the key. I’ve been cooped up here half an hour already.”

Penny went reluctantly to the woodshed and returned with the key. She unfastened the trapdoor which gave entrance to the loft and Sara quickly descended.

“Didn’t your grandfather say anything about last time?” Penny inquired anxiously.

“Oh, he raved because someone had trespassed. But it never occurred to him I had gone away. Where shall we ski today?”

“I only stopped to deliver a message, Sara. I am on my way down to the Fergus hotel.”

“Oh,” said the girl in disappointment. “A message from whom?”

“Mrs. Downey. She is starting up her bob-sled run again and she wants you to help out.”

Sara’s eyes began to sparkle.

“I wish I could! If only Grandfather weren’t so strict.”

“Is there a chance he’ll give his consent?”

“Oh, dear, no. But I might be able to slip away. Grandfather plans to chop wood every day this week.”

“I doubt if Mrs. Downey would want you to do that.”

“Need you tell her?” queried Sara coolly. “I’ll fix myself a rope ladder and get out the window. That will save you the trouble of coming here to let me in and out.”

“And what will your grandfather say if he learns about it?”

“Plenty! But anything is better than being shut up like a prisoner. You tell Mrs. Downey I’ll try to get up to the lodge tomorrow morning, and we’ll try out the track together, eh Penny?”

“I don’t know anything about bob-sledding.”

“I’ll teach you to be my brake boy,” Sara laughed. “How long will you stay at the Fergus hotel?”

“I haven’t any idea.”

“Then I suppose I’ll have to crawl back into my cave,” Sara sighed dismally. “Can’t you even ski with me for half an hour?”

“Not this morning,” Penny said firmly. “I have important work ahead.”

She shooed Sara back into the loft and returned the key to the woodshed. The Jasko girl watched from the window, playfully shaking her fist as her friend skied away.

“Sara is as stimulating as a mountain avalanche,” chuckled Penny, “but she’s almost too headstrong. Sooner or later her stunts will involve me in trouble with Peter Jasko.”

In the valley below, smoke curled lazily from the chimneys of the Fergus hotel. Making directly for it, Penny felt in her pocket to be certain she had not lost the green ticket which she had found the previous evening.

“This is going to be my lucky day,” she told herself cheerfully. “I feel it in my bones.”

Reaching the hotel, Penny stripped off her skis and entered the hotel lobby. Maxine Miller was not in evidence nor did she see any other person who likely would question her presence there. She did notice Harvey Maxwell sitting in the private office. His eyes were upon her as she crossed the room. However, Penny felt no uneasiness, realizing that if he noticed her at all he recognized her only as a guest at the Downey lodge.

“Second floor,” she said quietly to the elevator boy.

Penny was the sole passenger, but as she stepped from the cage, she was dismayed to run directly into Francine Sellberg.

The reporter greeted her with a suspicious stare.

“Why, hello, Penny Parker. What are you doing here?”

“Oh, just moseying around.”

“I can see you are!”

“Your room isn’t on this floor, is it?” Penny inquired.

“No, on the fourth,” Francine answered before she considered her words.

“Looking for someone?” remarked Penny with a grin. “Or should I say
something
?”

An elevator stopped at the landing. “Going down,” the attendant called, opening the door. He gazed questioningly at the two girls.