“You’ll have to obey instructions or no one can help you,” Penny said severely. “Would you prefer that those cruel men carry out their threat? They’ll spirit Sylvia away and try to force the truth from her.”
“I’ll do as you say.”
“Then tell your captor that the gold is hidden in a specially constructed vault lying beneath the lily pool.” Penny had resolved to act upon her hunch that there was a trapdoor on the bottom of the pool. Now as she issued instructions she wished that she might have found some way of examining the pool to see if she were right. However, she had to take a chance on there being a vault beneath the pool.
Atherwald protested mildly. “He would never believe such a fantastic story.”
“It is not as fantastic as it sounds,” replied Penny. “You must convince him that it is true.”
“I will try.”
“Make the men understand that to get the gold they must drain the pool and raise a trapdoor in the cement bottom. Ask to be taken with the men when they go there tonight and demand that you be given your freedom as soon as the gold is found.”
“They will never let me go alive. An identification from me would send them all to prison for life.”
“Do you know the men?”
“The ringleader is Aaron Dietz. At one time he was employed by Mr. Kippenberg.”