“Will the board listen to you, Dad?”
“I rather doubt it. My objections weren’t especially vigorous. Either property will be satisfactory, and Blake’s price is a trifle more attractive.”
With a yawn, Mr. Parker arose and locked the front door.
“It’s after one,” he said. “Let’s get to bed.”
Penny started up the stairway, only to pause as the telephone rang. While her father answered it, she waited, curiously to learn who would be calling at such a late hour. In a moment he replaced the receiver on its hook.
“That was the night editor of the Star,” he explained briefly.
“Has a big story broken, Dad?”
“Another storage barn was burned to the ground about ten minutes ago. The night editor called to ask how I wanted the story handled.”
“Then the depredation was done by the Hoods!”
“It looks that way.”