“I was only speculating upon it.”
“Reflecting your father’s opinion, no doubt.”
“No, not anyone’s thought but my own.”
“Your father seems to be making quite a story of it,” Mr. Blake resumed. “It will be most unfortunate for the community if he stirs up talk about underground organizations.”
“Why unfortunate?” Penny asked.
“Because it will give the city a bad reputation. I doubt there is anything to this Black Hood talk, but if there should be, any publicity might lead to an investigation by state authorities.”
“A very good thing, I should think.”
“You do not understand,” Mr. Blake said patiently. “Depredation would increase, innocent persons surely would suffer. With Riverview known unfavorably throughout the country, we would gain no new residents.”
Penny did not reply, but opened the door of the photographic room. While Mr. Blake wandered about, inspecting the various equipment, she relayed her father’s instructions to Salt Sommers, one of the staff photographers.
“Better get a good picture of Blake,” she warned him. “He’ll be irritated if you don’t.”