“I’ll walk with you to the boundaries of the grounds,” she said quickly. “Tell me what happened.”
“Just what you would expect,” Sally shrugged. “They asked me a lot of questions in the personnel office. I told the truth—that I knew nothing about that putrid piece of brass that turned up in my locker! Then they gave me a nice little lecture, and said they were sorry but my services no longer were required. Branded as a thief!”
“Don’t take it so hard, Sally,” Penny said kindly. “Someone probably planted the brass in your locker.”
“Of course! But I can’t prove it.”
“Why not appeal to Mr. Gandiss? He likes you and—”
“No,” Sally said firmly, kicking at a piece of gravel on the driveway, “I’ll ask no favors of Mr. Gandiss. He would have me reinstated, no doubt, but it would be too humiliating.”
“Do you know of anyone in the factory who dislikes you?”
Sally shook her head. “That’s the funny part of it. I’m not acquainted with anyone. I just started in.”
“How about Joe the Sweeper?”
“Oh, him!” Sally was scornful. “He caught me in the hall the other day and tried to get fresh. I slapped his face!”