Jerry Livingston, ace reporter for the Star, leaned indolently against the grillwork of the elevator shaft, his finger pressed on the signal button. He and Penny were friends of long standing.
“Oh, hello, Jerry!” Penny greeted him breathlessly. “Guess what? I’ve just come from Dorr Street—Kano’s Curio Shop—and I had the most amazing adventure!”
“I can imagine,” grinned Jerry. “If you breezed through the place the way you do this building, you must have left it in ruins.”
“Just for that, I won’t tell you a thing, not a thing,” retorted Penny. “What sort of a mood is Dad in today?”
“Well, I heard him tell DeWitt that unless the news output improves on this sheet, he aims to fire half the force.”
“Sounds like Dad on one of his bad days,” Penny sighed. “Maybe I should skip home without seeing him.”
“Trouble with the old allowance again?” Jerry asked sympathetically.
“You don’t know the half of it. I’m submerged so deeply in debt that I’ll be an old lady before I get out, unless Dad comes to my rescue.”
“Well, good luck,” chuckled Jerry. “You’ll need it!”
Walking through the newsroom, between aisles of desks where busy reporters tapped on their typewriters, Penny paused before a door marked: Anthony Parker, Editor.