Hoofbeats on the Turnpike Part 38

Penny nodded wearily. She was glad to know that the _Star_ would scoop every other paper in the country on the flood story and pictures. Still, for some reason she couldn't feel very happy about it. As she turned away, Salt called: "Hey, wait! Your father's on the wire photo phone. He wants to talk to you."

Penny caught up the receiver eagerly.

"That you, Penny?" a blurred voice asked in her ear. "Congratulations!

You came through with flying colors!"

"Guess I was lucky to come through at all," Penny said slowly. "Some weren't so fortunate."

"Just now the important thing is when are you coming home?" Mr. Parker asked. "Can you get here today?"

To Penny, the thought of home and a soft bed was more alluring than any other earthly bliss.

"I'll certainly try, Dad," she promised. "Yes, somehow I'll get there."

After Penny ended the conversation with her father, she and Louise talked to Salt about the prospects of a trip home. Regretfully he explained that with a big story to cover, he probably would not be leaving that day.

"But there are plenty of cars going out of here," he encouraged them.

"Why not go down to the depot and make inquiries."

The idea seemed an excellent one. At the station the girls talked again with Joe Quigley who a.s.sured them he knew of a car that was leaving very shortly.

"Hurry out to Highway 20 and I think you can catch the fellow," he urged.

Hastily saying goodbye not only to Joe but to Mr. and Mrs. Burmaster who remained in the crowded station, the girls went outside. As they rounded a corner of the building a voice fairly boomed at them: "h.e.l.lo, folks!"

Penny and Louise whirled around to see Silas Malcom coming toward them.

Clinging to his arm was a spry little woman in a borrowed coat and hat.

"Mrs. Lear!" gasped the girls in one voice.

"It takes more than a flood to wash me away!" chirped the old lady, bright as a cricket.

Penny and Louise rushed to embrace her. Eagerly they plied her with questions.

"I'm jest like a cat with nine lives," old Mrs. Lear chuckled. "When the flood carried me off, I didn't give up--not me. I was a purty good swimmer as a gal and I ain't so bad even now. I kinda went with the current until I got ahold of a log. There I clung until a Red Cross boat picked me up."

Mrs. Lear's safe arrival at Delta thrilled Penny and Louise. They rushed into the station to bring Mr. and Mrs. Burmaster who shared their great relief over the rescue. And Penny was delighted when Mr. Burmaster repeated to the old lady what he had told her--that he intended to allow his property to revert to the former tenants.

"That's mighty good of you, Mr. Burmaster," the old lady thanked him.

"What we've been through has taught us all a bitter lesson. I'm ashamed of the way I acted."

"You were justified in your att.i.tude," the estate owner acknowledged.

"No, I wasn't. It was childish o' me tryin' to take my spite out on your wife. I'm especially sorry about the way I egged Joe Quigley onto that Headless Horseman trick."

"I was afraid you were behind it," smiled Mr. Burmaster. "Oh, well, it all seems trivial now. We'll forget everything."

"There are some things," said Penny quietly, "that I doubt we'll ever erase from our minds." She turned to the old lady and asked: "Won't you come to Riverview with Louise and me? You'll need a place to stay--"

Mrs. Lear's gaze met hers, challengingly but with a twinkle of humor.

"And what better place could I have than this?" she demanded with quiet finality. "Red Valley is my home, and my home it will be till the end o'

time!"