Police were not compelled to search the Williams’ garage. Before they could act, Sam Burkholder came voluntarily to Central Station, offering to make a clean breast of his part in the Black Market dealings. Both he and Mattie were held as witnesses against the tire thieves.
“Will Mattie be kept in jail long?” Penny asked her father.
“I doubt it,” he replied. “Apparently, Sam acted alone in selling illegal tires. Since he’s showing a disposition to cooperate with police, he’ll probably escape with a heavy fine.”
With the tire theft case soon to come up for trial, Penny was disturbed lest Jerry Livingston fail to return from Canada in time to testify. For many days she tormented herself with wild speculations. Then one afternoon her worries were brought to an end by the arrival of a telegram. Nothing had happened to the young reporter. He had failed to reply to messages only because he had been out of touch with civilization.
In his wire, Jerry stated that he would return to Riverview at once to aid in the search for the publisher.
“Jerry doesn’t know yet that you’ve been found!” Penny said to her father. “We must wire him right away to set his mind at rest.”
The message was sent, and within a few hours a reply arrived, addressed to Penny.
“COMING ANYWAY,” it read. “AM BRINGING YOU A BEAR RUG TOGETHER WITH A NICE BEAR HUG.”
As if pleasant surprises never would end, still another came Penny’s way. Police notified her that among the tires seized at the Johnson Warehouse was a set of five belonging to her stripped car.
“You’re much better off than I,” Mr. Parker teased her. “Your car now is in running order again. Mine will be in the garage for many a day. I’ll have to pay my own repair bill, too.”