“Why, that clock struck thirteen times instead of twelve!”
“Bunk and bosh!”
“Oh, but it did!” Penny earnestly insisted. “I counted each stroke distinctly.”
“And one of them twice,” scoffed her father. “Or are you spoofing your old Dad?”
“Oh, I’m not,” Penny maintained. As the car moved ahead, she craned her neck to stare up at the stone tower. “I know I counted thirteen. Why, Dad, there’s a green light burning in one of the windows! I never saw that before. What can it mean?”
“It means we’ll have a wreck unless you watch the road!” Mr. Parker cried, giving the steering wheel a quick turn. “Where are you taking me anyhow?”
“Out to Toni’s.” Reluctantly Penny centered her full attention upon the highway. “It’s only a mile into the country.”
“We won’t be home before one o’clock,” Mr. Parker complained. “But since we’re this far, I suppose we may as well keep on.”
“Dad, about that light,” Penny said thoughtfully. “Did you ever notice it before?”
Mr. Parker turned to gaze back toward the stone tower.