Chapter XV: The Missing Letters

"What makes you think he has lost the letters?" Susan whispered to her chum. "Didn't he tell Herman Crocker that he would positively deliver them next Thursday night?"

"Yes," nodded Penny, "but obviously he had to say that. I thought he acted very uneasy as if he might not have the evidence in his possession."

The girls did not peep into the barn again for they were afraid that Herman Crocker might see them. Quietly they stole back to the woods and started for the cottage.

"Well, Penny, you were right about Old Herman being a mysterious character," Susan commented as they walked along.

"I feel a little disappointed though," Penny returned. "Now that everything is explained so nicely we'll not have any more fun."

"There are a great many things I don't understand."

"I'm not clear on every point," Penny admitted, "but in general I have an idea of the trouble."

"Then I wish you'd explain it to me."

"Well, from the conversation we overheard, it's evident that Walter Crocker is trying to blackmail his uncle. Only legally I suppose it wouldn't be blackmail because Walter is entitled to the entire fortune."

"Then you believe Herman Crocker really did cheat him out of the money?" Susan asked.

"Mr. Crocker practically admitted it, didn't he? I gathered that sometime during his life he had received letters from his sister, Jenny, and another woman--letters which probably mentioned the boy, Walter. Herman made a bad mistake when he kept those communications."

"But what became of Walter after Jenny's death?" Susan questioned in deep perplexity. "Why didn't his claim to the fortune come up at that time? And how did he get the letters?"

"In some manner Old Herman must have kept Walter in ignorance," Penny replied thoughtfully. "I have no idea how he finally learned the truth. As for the letters, I believe they were stored in the trunk of the cottage attic."

"Think what an opportunity you missed!" Susan exclaimed.

"I'm not sure how long the letters have been there. I remember that several days ago Old Herman came to the cottage and went to the attic. At the time I couldn't imagine what he was after. Now I feel certain he was alarmed because Walter Crocker had attempted to extort money from him. Undoubtedly, he came to find the letters which he knew would stand as damaging evidence against him."

"You think the letters already had been taken?" Susan questioned.

"Herman didn't find what he was after, I know. You remember he accused Walter of stealing the letters."

"Yes, but he denied the charge."

"Walter might have been lying, but he acted sincere," Penny said slowly. "Anyway, when I looked in the trunk--that was after Herman had visited the cottage--a package of letters was still there. However, I doubt that it was the right packet or Herman would have taken it with him."

"Yet you told me that when you went to the attic the second time, the letters were gone," Susan reminded her chum.

"That is right. If the letters wouldn't stand as damaging evidence against Herman I don't see who would want them."

"Mightn't it have been that man who tried to break into your cottage at night?"

"It could have been all right," Penny admitted, "but I didn't hear the fellow in the attic. I was under the impression that he had just entered the cottage when I awoke."

"It seems to me that there is a great deal which isn't explained."

"The part about the letters is still a deep mystery," Penny acknowledged. "But we do know that Old Herman cheated his nephew out of a fortune, and that fate has caught up with him at last."

"I suppose the old man deserves everything he gets," Susan commented. "I don't like him a bit, but for that matter there's something about Walter Crocker that gives me the creeps too. He has such a snakey look!"

The girls emerged from the woods close to the Nichols' cottage. Observing that an automobile stood by the fence, they both halted.

"Why, that is Walter Crocker's car!" Susan exclaimed in an undertone.

"He must have driven straight over here from Herman's place," Penny added. "Now what do you suppose he wants?"

The girls walked slowly on. As they drew near the automobile, Walter Crocker alighted and tipped his hat politely.

"How do you do, Miss Nichols," he said with a forced smile. "I'm not sure if you remember me or not."

"I remember you perfectly," replied Penny, hiding her uneasiness.

She was afraid that the man might have seen Susan and herself peeping through the window of the barn.

"I feel very grateful for the ride which you and your father gave me some nights ago," said Walter Crocker. "I must apologize for running off the way I did without thanking you. I was in such a hurry to reach my uncle's home."

Penny and Susan drew a breath of relief. They were glad that the man did not intend to question them concerning their latest actions.

"Oh, that was quite all right," Penny replied. "We assumed that you had gone on to Mr. Crocker's place."

The young man shifted his weight uneasily. "Oh, by the way," he said, "I don't suppose you found a package of letters in the rumble seat?"

"Letters?" repeated Penny.

"I thought perhaps they might have dropped from my pocket while I was riding with you."

"Were they valuable?" asked Penny very innocently.

"Only to me," answered Walter Crocker shortly. "But I must have them back. Do you mind if I look in the back end of your car?"

"You'd be welcome to search if it were here."

"Where is the car?" demanded the man, in his anxiety forgetting to be polite.

"I couldn't say right now, Mr. Crocker. My father has the automobile."

"When will he return?"

"Probably not before evening," Penny replied, thinking quickly. "You might drop back after supper. He should be here by then."

"Thank you," said Walter Crocker shortly.

He climbed into the car and drove away.

"That's a good one!" laughed Penny, highly amused. "He has lost the Crocker letters all right, and he thinks they may be in our car!"

"Don't you expect your father home before night?" asked Susan.

"Of course I don't know exactly when he'll come," chuckled Penny. "But I'd not be surprised to see him driving in any minute. I wanted to give myself plenty of time to examine the car before Mr. Crocker returns."

"What would you do if you found the letters, Penny?"

"I haven't thought that far," Penny admitted. "But the chance that they're in our car is a very slim one."

The girls stationed themselves on the front porch so that they would not miss Mr. Nichols when he drove in. Two hours later they glimpsed the car coming up Knob Hill.

Penny meant to tell her father everything that had happened during the day, but the detective seemed to have important matters on his mind. When the girls ran down to the car to meet him, he responded absent-mindedly to their greetings and went on into the cottage.

"Penny!" exclaimed Susan. "There's another auto coming up the hill!"

"And it looks like Walter Crocker's car!" Penny cried in alarm. "Quick! We've no time to lose!"

The girls darted to Mr. Nichols' automobile and lifted up the rumble seat. While Susan anxiously watched the road, Penny climbed up and peered into the bottom of the car.

"Susan, they're here!" she squealed in delight.

"And so is Walter Crocker," Susan muttered in an undertone. "He's looking right this way."

With her back turned to the approaching automobile, Penny deftly slipped the package of letters into the front of her dress. She pretended to keep on searching in the bottom of the car.

"Act as if everything is perfectly natural," she warned Susan in a whisper.

Mr. Crocker stopped his car with a jerk and sprang out. He glanced suspiciously at the girls as he came toward them.

"Oh, how do you do, Mr. Crocker," Penny said, climbing slowly down from the rumble. "Dad just drove in a minute ago. I was looking for your letters."

"Are they there?" the man asked sharply.

"Perhaps you ought to look," Penny replied, avoiding Susan's glance. "I had just started to search when you drove up."

Walter Crocker climbed up on the step and made a careful examination of the interior of the automobile. Penny and Susan stood watching him with perfectly innocent faces. They knew that he would not find the letters.

The man did not like to give up.

"They may have been pushed up forward out of sight," he said. "Do you have a flashlight?"

"I'll get one from the garage," Penny offered.

She and Susan went into the building, lingering there while they enjoyed a good laugh at the expense of Walter Crocker.

They were just ready to return with the flashlight when Penny suddenly placed a restraining hand on Susan's arm.

"Wait!" she whispered.

Unaware that the girls were in the garage, Mrs. Masterbrook came hurrying from the cottage. She went directly toward Walter Crocker, her face convulsed with anger.

"Why did you come here?" she demanded. "You should have known better!"

"I had to come," retorted the man in an undertone. He cast an anxious glance toward the garage. "Now get away from here unless you want to give everything away!"

"I didn't know anyone was around," the housekeeper muttered. She turned and fled into the house.

Penny and Susan waited a minute or two before emerging from the garage with the flashlight.

"Sorry I was so long," apologized Penny.

"It doesn't matter," replied Walter Crocker crossly. "I've looked everywhere. The letters aren't here."

"You must have dropped them some other place," said Susan innocently.

"Yes," nodded Penny, "you might have left them at Mr. Crocker's place. Have you inquired there?"

"No, I haven't," the man replied shortly.

Without another word he climbed into his own car and drove away.

"That was a good quip--telling him to inquire of Herman Crocker!" Susan laughed after the man was out of sight. "I thought he would explode with rage!"

Penny was staring thoughtfully toward the house.

"Susan," she said, "Mrs. Masterbrook evidently knew Walter Crocker."

"Yes, that was queer, wasn't it?"

"She seemed to be afraid of him," Penny went on in a low voice. "Or rather, she appeared to fear that someone would find him here at the cottage. What do you make of it?"

"I think," drawled Susan, "that the mystery is a long way from explained."

"And I agree with you," said Penny, "but these letters may help a little. Come on, let's go down to the ravine and read them."