“Aren’t you glad?” Louise demanded, staring at her companion.
“Yes, I’m glad,” Penny said slowly. “I truly am. But the opening of the road means that within a very little while every news service in the country will have men here.”
“And you’ve lost your chance to send an exclusive story to the Star.”
“I’ve let Dad down,” Penny admitted. “He depended upon me and I failed him dismally.”
CHAPTER
23
TOLL LINE TO RIVERVIEW
Penny and Louise trudged slowly on toward the railroad tracks. They were too discouraged for much conversation, and avoided speaking of Mrs. Lear or the Burmasters. Sleepy Hollow had been washed away, but no one could tell them what had happened to the unfortunate ones caught in the valley.
“It doesn’t matter now,” Penny said dispiritedly, “but I know who masqueraded as the Headless Horseman. Joe Quigley.”
“The station agent!”
“Yes, he told me about it last night. Of course Mrs. Lear let him use her horse, and no doubt she encouraged him in the idea.”
“They did it to plague the Burmasters?”