“Today is the twenty-seventh of the month,” thought Penny. “This message must have been several hours delayed.”
The telegram had provided little information. Evidently the woman who had refused to tell her name was Mrs. Lennie Botts. Regretting that she had opened the message, Penny tossed it carelessly on the table.
Footsteps sounded on the floor directly above. Penny had taken no pains to be quiet. Nevertheless, her pulse quickened as she heard someone pad to the head of the stairway. A muffled voice called: “Who’s there?”
Penny’s heart leaped for she was sure she recognized the tones. Fairly trembling with excitement, she darted to the foot of the circular staircase. On the top landing in the heavy shadows stood a man whose face she could not see.
“Dad!” she cried. “I’m Penny.”
“Penny?” the man demanded impatiently as if the name meant nothing to him. “Where is Mrs. Botts?”
“Why, she went away.”
“And how did you get into the house?”
“Through a cellar window.”
“I thought so! Young lady, I don’t know what you’re doing here in Mrs. Bott’s absence. Unless you leave at once I’ll summon the police.”