Penny Nichols and the Mystery of the Lost Key Part 24

Caleb's face puckered into troubled wrinkles.

"It's too late," he muttered under his breath. "It wouldn't do any good."

"What was that you said?" Penny questioned sharply.

"Nothing. I was just talking to myself. About the picture. I'll see what I can do. Don't count much on getting it though because I doubt if I can locate one for you."

The girls chatted a few minutes longer but Caleb was not very good company. He responded briefly if at all to their conversational sallies and for the most part seemed lost in thought. They soon left him to his fish cleaning and went on toward the house.

"I wonder what got into him all at once?" Rosanna mused. "Perhaps he was offended at the way I spoke to him."

"I don't think he gave it a second thought," Penny responded. "I suspect Caleb rather likes to have folks talk up to him. No, I'm sure it wasn't anything you said that annoyed him. Likely enough it was my request for Mr. Winters' photograph."

"Why should that bother him?"

"That's what I'd like to know. Caleb is a queer one to say the least."

"Do you think he'll ever produce the photo?"

Penny laughed shortly.

"It would be a great surprise to me if he did. And yet from the way he acted, I'm convinced he could get me one if he chose. Like as not he has one in his cabin now."

Penny lapsed into a moody silence. From the day of her arrival at Raven Ridge she had sensed old Caleb's reluctance to help her. While she could not say that he was exactly unfriendly he had made no positive move of a.s.sistance. She had believed for a long time that he knew a great deal more than he would tell regarding Jacob Winters' absence.

The girls entered the house by a side door. They noticed that Mrs. Leeds'

car no longer stood on the driveway and took it for granted that she and her daughter had driven to Andover as was their daily custom.

They glanced casually into the library and noticed that it was empty.

However, Penny's keen eyes traveled to the desk. She observed that the ink bottle had been left uncorked and that a pen had been removed from its holder.

"I wonder what Mrs. Leeds and Laponi were up to?" she speculated. "Oh, well, I'll probably find out soon enough."

"I believe I'll go upstairs for a few minutes," Rosanna excused herself.

"I haven't straightened my things yet this morning."

Left alone, Penny crossed over to the desk and examined the paper in the wastebasket. She looked closely at the blotter, even holding it to the mirror, but it had been used so many times that the words which appeared upon it could not be read. There was not a sc.r.a.p of evidence to show what Mrs. Leeds and Max Laponi had been writing.

In disappointment Penny picked up a book and sat down to read. Presently she heard soft steps in the hallway but paid slight attention thinking that it was Rosanna.

She was on the verge of calling her friend's name when she thought better of it. The sound of the footsteps told her that the person had gone into the living room. And by this time she was convinced that it was not Rosanna.

She waited, listening. She heard a faint metallic click which caused her to lay aside her book and quietly steal to the doorway of the living room.

Max Laponi stood with his back toward her, so absorbed in what he was about that he had not the slightest suspicion that he was being observed.

Penny saw him carefully remove the oil painting from the wall. He deftly opened the panel, exposing the safe. Then, with a sureness of touch which amazed Penny, he began to spin the dials.

CHAPTER XIV A Diamond Ring

"Mr. Laponi, kindly move away from that safe!"

Penny spoke sharply as she quietly stepped into the living room. The man whirled and saw her. Taken by surprise, his hand fell away from the dials and he looked confused.

"You seem to be very much interested in Mr. Winters' valuables," Penny said sternly.

By this time Max Laponi had recovered his composure.

"Why shouldn't I be?" he retorted. "After all, I am Mr. Winters' heir."

"That remains to be seen, Mr. Laponi. You appear to be very handy at opening safes, I notice." Penny crossed the room and after turning the handle to make certain that Laponi had not succeeded in his purpose, closed the panel and returned the oil painting to its former position.

"I suppose you think I was trying to steal," Laponi began after a minute of dead silence. "Nothing was further from my intention."

"No?"

"Ever since I caught Caleb Eckert trying to break into this safe I've been worried. Last night I saw him prowling around the house after dark and it made me uneasy. I was afraid he would make another attempt to steal Mr. Winters' valuables."

"So you thought you would just beat him to it!" Penny retorted sarcastically.

"Certainly not. When you entered the room I was merely inspecting the safe to make certain that it was securely locked."

Penny could not refrain from smiling. She did not believe a word of what Max Laponi was telling her.

"That safe seems to be the real attraction of this house," she remarked.

"I've suspected for some time that it contains Mr. Winters' ivory collection."

If Max Laponi were taken aback he did not disclose it. But he eyed Penny shrewdly.

"You're a smart little girl. Too smart to go around making trouble for yourself. Now if you're wise you'll team up with me and I'll promise you that you'll come out at the top of the heap."

"Just what is your proposition?" Penny asked quickly.

Max Laponi was too alert to place himself in any trap.

"If you're willing to follow my orders I'll promise you that when I come into my fortune you'll be well paid."

"And what are your orders?"

"I'll tell you after you give me your promise."

Penny regarded him coldly.

"I'll promise nothing, Mr. Laponi, except that I intend to see justice done to Rosanna Winters! You and Mrs. Leeds are trying to cheat her out of her rightful inheritance."