She pointed to a large oak which shaded the rear porch of the Nichols' home. Its swaying boughs did produce grotesque silhouettes upon the path near the lilac bushes.
"You may be right," Susan admitted reluctantly. "Only I was almost positive I saw someone."
"I think your nerves are a tiny bit on edge to-night," Penny laughed. Even so she was not quite sure Susan was mistaken.
She drove the sedan into the dark garage. As she was preparing to close the heavy double doors she thought she heard a step on the gravel path.
"Is that you, Mrs. Gallup?" she called.
There was no answer.
"I was right," Susan whispered tensely. "Someone is prowling about the grounds."
"There's no one about," Penny maintained after peering carefully around. "Probably I imagined that I heard footsteps. Come on, let's go to the house."
It was reassuring to see a light burning in the kitchen. The window shades had not been drawn and from the outside, Mrs. Gallup could be observed washing dishes. As the girls came in she greeted them in obvious relief.
"I'm so glad you're back, Penny. I was beginning to be afraid that something had happened to you."