“Louise and I will help you.”
Tossing her head, Mrs. Deline walked out of the cabin, allowing the door to slam behind her. Louise and Penny finished packing the lunch and hastened down the trail in pursuit.
“Maybe we shouldn’t cross her so,” Louise whispered uneasily. “I think she intended to meet someone here!”
“I’m sure of it,” agreed Penny. “We spiked her little plan. I have an idea who she intended to meet too!”
“Who?”
Penny could not answer, for by this time she and Louise were practically at Mrs. Deline’s heels. The widow was walking as fast as she could.
“You’ll have to keep the basket,” she told the girls irritably. “I’m sure I’ll never carry it back to the hotel.”
All the way to the Parker camp Mrs. Deline ignored Penny and Louise. And as they bade her goodbye, she barely responded.
“Can’t we drive you down to the hotel in the car?” Penny offered, feeling slightly ashamed of her actions.
“Thank you, no,” the widow answered icily. “You’ve done quite enough for one day.” She vanished down the darkening road.