CHAPTER 6 _A RING OF WHITE GOLD_
Penny waited anxiously, but Mrs. Kippenberg did not come to the outsidedoor. Nor had it occurred to the two servants that the girl was connectedin any way with the photographer.
"On my own," she repeated to herself. "On my own with a vengeance."
Salt had his picture and it was up to her to get a good story. Until nowshe had depended upon his guidance. With all support withdrawn shesuddenly felt uncertain and incompetent.
Penny waited a few minutes before gathering sufficient courage to enterthe long hallway. One glance assured her that the breakfast room wasdeserted.
"Mrs. Kippenberg probably went upstairs to talk with her daughter," shereasoned. "I'd like to hear what they say to each other."
With the guests assembled in the garden, only a few persons lingered inthe house. No one paid heed to Penny as she moved noiselessly up thespiral stairway.
A bedroom door stood slightly ajar. Hearing a low murmur of voices, Pennypaused. Framed against the leaded windows she saw Sylvia Kippenbergtalking with her mother. Despite a tear-streaked face the girl was verylovely. She wore a long flowing gown of white satin and the flowers atthe neckline were outlined with real pearls. Her net veil had beendiscarded. A bouquet of flowers lay on the floor.
"How could Grant do such a cruel thing?" Penny heard her sob. "I justcan't believe it of him, Mother. Surely he will come."
Mrs. Kippenberg held the girl in her arms, trying to comfort her.
"It is nearly three now, Sylvia. The servants have searched everywhere. Aman of his type isn't worthy of you."
"But I love him, Mother. And I am sure he loves me. It doesn't seempossible he would do such a thing without a word of explanation."
"He will explain, never fear," Mrs. Kippenberg said grimly. "But now, wemust think what has to be done. The guests must be told."
"Oh, Mother!" Sylvia went into another paroxysm of crying.
"There is no other way, my dear. Leave everything to me."
Before Penny realized that the interview had ended, Mrs. Kippenbergstepped out into the hall. Her eyes focused hard upon the girl.
"You are a reporter!" she accused harshly. "I remember, you were withthat photographer!"
"Please--" began Penny.
"I'll tell you nothing," the woman cried. "How dare you intrude in myhome and go about listening at bedroom doors!"
"Mrs. Kippenberg, if only you will calm yourself, I may be able to helpyou."
"Help me?" the woman demanded. "What do you mean?"
"I may be able to give you a clue as to what became of Grant Atherwald."
The anger faded from Mrs. Kippenberg's face. She came close to Penny,grasping her arm with a pressure which hurt.
"You have seen him? Tell me!"
"He came over in the same boat."
"How long ago was that?"
"Shortly after one o'clock. He was stopped at the front door by a servantwho handed him a note. Mr. Atherwald read it and walked down toward thegarden."
"I wonder which one of the servants spoke to him? It was at the frontdoor, you say?"
"Yes."
"Then it must have been Gregg. I'll talk with him."
Forgetting Penny, Mrs. Kippenberg hastened down the stairway. She jangleda bell and asked that the manservant be sent to her. Unnoticed, Pennylingered to hear the interview.
The man came into the room. "You sent for me, Mrs. Kippenberg?" heinquired.
"Yes, Gregg. You were at the door when Mr. Atherwald arrived?"
"I was, Madam."
"I understand you handed him a note which he read."
"Yes, Madam."
"Who gave you the note?"
"Mrs. Latch, the cook. She told me it was brought to the kitchen doorearly this morning by a most disreputable looking boy."
"He had been hired to deliver it for another person, I suppose?"
"Yes, Madam. The boy told Mrs. Latch that the message came from a friendof Mr. Atherwald's and should be given to him as soon as he arrived."
"You have no idea what the note contained?"
"No, Mrs. Kippenberg, the envelope was sealed."
Sensing that when the interview ended Mrs. Kippenberg's wrath might againdescend upon her, Penny decided not to tempt fate. While the woman wasstill talking with the servant, she slipped out of the house.
"Atherwald might have had that note sent to himself, but I doubt it," shetold herself. "Either he is still on the estate, or the boatman wouldhave had to take him back across the river."
She walked quickly down to the dock and was elated to find the guestlaunch tied up there. The boatman answered her questions readily. He hadnot seen Grant Atherwald since early in the afternoon. Salt was the onlyperson he had taken back across the river.
"Have you noticed any other boat leaving the estate?" inquired Penny.
"Boats have been going up and down the river all day," the man answeredwith a shrug. "I didn't notice any particular one."
Penny glanced across the water. She could see Salt perched on thedrawbridge waiting for her. But she was not yet ready to leave theestate.
Ignoring his shout to "come on," she turned and walked back toward thehouse. Deliberately, she chose the same path which she and Salt hadfollowed earlier in the afternoon.
A swift walk brought her to the forbidden trail with the barrier sign.Penny glanced around to be certain she was not under observation. Thenshe stepped boldly over the wire.
Passing the place where she and Salt had talked with the gardener, shenoticed his trowel lying on the ground. There was no evidence that he haddone any work.
However, all along the path flowering shrubs were well trimmed andtended.
"So this part of the estate isn't fixed up," Penny mused. "It's muchnicer than the other section in my opinion. I wonder why that gardenertold so many lies?"
The path led deeper into the woods. Rustic benches invited one to linger,but Penny walked rapidly onward.
Unexpectedly, she came to a little clearing, and saw before her a large,circular pool. From a gap in the trees, warm sunshine poured down uponthe bed of flowers which flanked the cement sides, making a circle ofbrilliant color.
"So this is where the path leads," thought Penny. "No mystery here afterall."
She was at a loss to understand why this portion of the estate had beenclosed to visitors for certainly it was the most beautiful part. Yetthere was a quality to the beauty which the girl did not like.
As she stood staring at the pool, she was fully aware of an uneasyfeeling which had taken possession of her. It was almost as if she stoodin the presence of something sinister and unknown. The gentle rustling ofthe tree leaves, the cool river air blowing against her cheek, onlyserved to heighten the feeling.
She drew closer and peered down into the blue depths of the pool. Shecould not see the bottom plainly for the water was choked with a tangleof feathery plants. A few yellow lilies floated on the surface.
Penny absently reached out to pluck one. But as the stem snapped off, shegave a little scream and dropped the flower. She had seen a large,shadowy form slithering through the water beneath her.
Penny backed a step away from the pool. From among the lily pads an uglyhead emerged and a broad snout was raised above the surface for aninstant. Powerful jaws opened and closed, revealing jagged teeth set indeep pits.
"An alligator!" Penny exclaimed aloud. "Such a horrid, ugly creature! Andto think, I nearly put my hand in that water."
She shivered and watched the movements of the alligator. Its head scootedsmoothly over the water for a short distance. Then with a swish of itstail, the reptile submerged and the pool was as placid as before.
"Eight feet long if it's an inch," estimated Penny. "Why would any personin his right mind keep such a creature here? Why, it's dangerous."
She felt enraged, thinking how close she had come to touching thealligator
. Yet justice compelled her to admit that she had only herselfto blame. Deliberately, she had disregarded the warning not to explorethe forbidden trail.
"The Kippenbergs keep nice pets," she thought ironically. "If anyone fellinto that pool it would be just too bad."
Now that her curiosity was satisfied, Penny had not the slightest desireto linger near the lily pool. With another glance down into the murkydepths she turned away, but she had taken less than a dozen steps whenshe paused. Her attention was held by a bright and shiny object which layin the dust at her feet.
With a low cry of surprise she reached down and picked up a plain band ofwhite gold. Obviously, it was a wedding ring.
"Now where did this come from?" Penny turned it over on the palm of herhand.
Startled thoughts leaped into her mind. She felt certain Grant Atherwaldhad taken this same path earlier in the afternoon. It was logical tobelieve that the ring had been his, intended for Sylvia Kippenberg. Hadhe lost the band accidentally or deliberately thrown it away?
Slowly, Penny's gaze roved to the lily pond. She noted that the copingwas so low that one who walked carelessly might easily stumble and fallinto the water. It made her shudder to think of such a gruesomepossibility, yet she could not avoid giving it consideration. For thatmatter, Grant Atherwald might have been lured to this isolated spot. Themysterious message--
Penny delved no deeper into the problem for suddenly she felt someonegrasp her arms. With a terrified cry she whirled about to face herassailant.