The morning passed slowly, and Penny found it difficult to keep her mind on her work. Elda, however, no longer bothered her. With more important problems to worry about, Penny was not the least bit wounded by the little slurring remarks the girl made.
At noon she lunched on a sandwich and chocolate at a corner drugstore close to the Star building. With half an hour to spend, she suddenly was struck by an idea.
“Why don’t I talk to Jason Cordell, the Mirror editor, about Ben?” she thought. “Perhaps their difficulties are based on misunderstanding.”
Crossing the street to the Mirror building, she found Mr. Cordell’s office on the third floor. There, a secretary asked her to wait a few minutes.
Apparently an argument was in progress within the inner room, for she heard angry voices. Then a door slammed. Presently, Penny was told that she might go in.
Mr. Cordell sat at his desk, a scowl on his face. He was busy writing and barely glanced up as she entered. Finally he looked straight at her, demanding: “Well?” in a tone which sapped Penny’s courage.
She wished she might retreat, but it now was too late.
“I—I am Miss Parker,” she stammered. “My father is publisher of the Star.”
“Oh, yes, yes indeed,” the editor now became more friendly, and Penny took heart.
“I came to talk to you about one of your former employes—Ben Bartell.”