The Clock Strikes Thirteen Part 9

"You can pick 'em out yourself if you want to," Mrs. Davis offered.

Setting down the water bucket, she led the way through a gate to a melon patch behind the cabin. Her suspicions not entirely allayed, she demanded: "Sheriff Daniels didn't send you out here?"

"Indeed not," Penny a.s.sured her. "I haven't seen him since last night."

"It's all right then," Mrs. Davis said in a more friendly tone. She stooped to examine a ripe melon. "I figured maybe he sent you to find out what became of my husband."

"Oh, no! Didn't Mr. Davis return home last night?"

"Not on your life!" the woman answered grimly. "And he won't be back either--not while Sheriff Daniels is looking for him."

From Mrs. Davis' manner of speaking, Penny was convinced that she had been in communication with her husband since the sheriff's visit. Trying to keep her voice casual, she observed:

"Don't you think it would be wise for your husband to give himself up? By hiding, he makes it appear as though he actually did set fire to the Preston barn."

"Clem would be a fool to give himself up now! Why, they'd be sure to hang the fire onto him, even though he wasn't within a mile of the Preston place."

"Then couldn't he prove it?"

"Not a chance," the woman said with a short, hard laugh. "Clem was framed. He never rode the horse last night, and that black hood was planted in the stable."

"Does your husband have any enemies?"

"Sure, he's got plenty of 'em."

"Then perhaps you can name a person who might have tried to throw blame on your husband."

"I could tell plenty if I was a mind to," the woman said significantly.

"I'd do it in a minute, only it would make things worse for Clem."

Penny started to reply, then remained silent as she saw that Mrs. Davis'

gaze had focused upon a section of cornfield which fringed the melon patch. The tall stalks were waving in an agitated manner, suggesting that someone might be moving among them.

"Here are your melons," Mrs. Davis said nervously, thrusting three large ones into Penny's hands. "That will be a quarter."

As the girl paid her, she abruptly turned and hurried toward the house.

"Just a minute, Mrs. Davis," Penny called. "If you'll only talk to me I may be able to help your husband."

The woman heard but paid no heed. Picking up the water bucket, she entered the cabin, closing the door behind her.

"Well, we gained three melons, and that's all," Louise shrugged. "What's our next move?"

"I think Mrs. Davis was on the verge of telling us something important,"

Penny declared, her voice low. "Then she saw someone out there in the corn field and changed her mind."

"I don't see anyone now," Louise said, staring in the direction her chum had indicated. "The stalks aren't even moving."

"They were a moment ago. Clem Davis may be hiding out there, Lou! Or it could be some of Sheriff Davis' men watching the cabin."

"Or an Indian waiting to scalp us," teased Louise. "Let's go back to the car."

Penny shook her head and started toward the corn patch. Reluctantly, Louise followed, overtaking her at the edge of the field.

"Sheriff Daniels!" Penny called through cupped hands.

There was no answer, only a gentle rippling of the corn stalks some distance from them.

"Whoever the person is, he's sneaking away," Penny whispered. "Come on, let's stop him!"

"Don't be foolish--" Louise protested, but her chum had vanished into the forest of tall corn.

After a moment of indecision she, too, entered the field. By that time there was no sign of Penny, no sound to guide her. Wandering aimlessly first in one direction, then another, she soon became hopelessly lost.

"Penny!" she shouted frantically.

"Here!" called a voice not far away.

Tracing the sound, and making repeated calls, Louise finally came face to face with her chum.

"Such a commotion as you've been making," chided Penny. "Not a chance to catch that fellow now!"

"I don't care," Louise retorted crossly. Her hair was disarranged, stockings matted with burs. "If we can get out of this dreadful maze I want to go to the car."

"We're at the edge of the field. Follow me and I'll pilot you to safety."

Emerging a minute later at the end of the corn row, Penny saw the stable only a few yards away. Impulsively, she proposed to Louise that they investigate it for possible clues.

"I've had enough detective work for one day," her chum complained.

"Anyway, what do you hope to discover in an old barn?"

"Maybe I can induce the horse to talk," Penny chuckled. "Sal must know all the answers, if only she could speak."

"You'll have to give her the third degree by yourself," Louise decided with finality. "I shall go to the car."

Taking the melons with her, she marched stiffly down the lane and climbed into Leaping Lena. Carefully she rearranged her hair, plucked burs, and then grew impatient because her chum did not come. Fully twenty minutes elapsed before Penny emerged from the stable.

"Sorry to keep you waiting so long, Lou," she apologized as she reached the car. "See what I found!"

Penny held up a bright silver object which resembled a locket, save that it was smaller.

"What is it?" Louise inquired with interest.

"A man's watch charm! It has a picture inside too!"

With her fingernail, Penny pried open the lid. Flat against the cover had been fastened the photograph of a boy who might have been ten or twelve years of age.

"Where did you get it, Penny?"