Laponi knew then that he did not have a chance. With a shrug of his shoulders he admitted defeat. He dropped the metal box on the table. Rosanna darted forward and snatched it up.
“I might have known you’d be the one to ruin things,” Laponi said bitterly to Penny. “I was afraid of you from the first.”
“Thank you for the compliment,” Penny smiled. “Kindly keep your hands up, Mr. Laponi—if that’s your true name.”
“He’s nothing but an impostor,” Caleb Eckert broke in angrily. “I knew from the moment I set eyes on him that he was no relative of Jacob Winters.”
“I can imagine that,” Penny returned quietly. “But when explanations are in order, I think you’ll need to clear up a few points yourself.”
The old man looked confused. However, before he could answer, footsteps were heard on the stairs. Mrs. Leeds, wrapped in her bath-robe, came hurrying into the room. She had been disturbed by the sound of voices.
“Penny Nichols!” she cried furiously. “What are you doing in my house?”
Then she noticed the revolver and recoiled a step.
“What is the meaning of this?” she demanded. “Mr. Laponi, has this girl lost her senses?”
“Apparently, she has,” the man sneered. “She claims I came here to steal that box while I was only trying to keep Caleb from making off with it.”