“She fired everyone except me. I guess she knew she couldn’t get another cook half as good if she let me go. Right away I struck for more money and she gave it to me without a whimper. But since then she works me like a dog.”
Mrs. Latch clattered the lid of the garbage can into place and turned toward the house. But as Penny once more fell into step with her, she paused and regarded the girl with sudden suspicion.
“Say, why am I telling you all this anyway? Who are you? You’re not one of those sneaking reporters?”
“Do I look like a reporter?” countered Penny.
“Well, no, you don’t,” admitted Mrs. Latch. “But you’re as inquisitive as one. You must be the girl who brought Miss Sylvia’s new dress from the LaRue Shoppe.”
Penny hesitated too long over her reply, and the woman gazed at her sharply.
“You are a reporter!” she exclaimed with conviction. “And you’ve been deliberately pumping me! Of all the tricks! I’ll tell Miss Kippenberg!”
“Wait, I can explain.”
Mrs. Latch paid no heed. With an angry toss of her head she hastened into the house.
“Overstepped myself again,” Penny thought in dismay. “I’ll be getting away from here while the getting is good.”