“Unless we do some fast talking, out we go!” muttered Salt. “It’s Mrs. Kippenberg, all right.”
They stood their ground, knowing they had been recognized as intruders. But before the woman could reach them she was stopped by a servant who spoke3 a few words in a low tone. For a moment Mrs. Kippenberg forgot about Penny and Salt as a new problem presented itself.
“I can’t talk with anyone now,” she said in an agitated4 voice. “Tell them to come back later.”
“They insist upon talking with you now, Madam,” replied the servant. “Unless you see them they say they will look around for themselves.”
[29]
“Oh!” Mrs. Kippenberg drew herself up sharply as if from a physical blow. “Where are they now?”
“In the library, Madam.”
Penny did not hear the woman’s reply, but she turned and followed the servant.
“Saved by the bell,” mumbled5 Salt. “Now let’s get away from here before she comes back.”
They pushed through the throng6 and reached a long hallway. Mrs. Kippenberg had disappeared, but as they drew near an open door they caught sight of her again. She stood just inside the library, her back toward them, talking with two men who wore plain gray business suits.
Penny half drew back, fearing discovery, but Salt pulled her along. As they went quietly past the door they heard Mrs. Kippenberg say in an excited voice:
“No, no, I tell you he isn’t here! Why should I try to deceive you? We have nothing to hide. You are most inconsiderate to annoy me at such a time!”
Penny and Salt did not hear the reply. They reached an outside door and stepped down on a flagstone terrace which overlooked the garden at the rear of the grounds.
“Who were those men, do you suppose?” Penny whispered, fearful that her voice might betray them.
“Officers of the law, I should guess,” Salt replied in an undertone.
“Government men?”
[30]
“Likely as not. I don’t believe the locals would bother her. Anyway she’s got the wind up and you can tell she’s scared silly in spite of all her back talk.”
“You know what I think they’re after?” Penny said thoughtfully.
“Well, if I had just one guess,” Salt replied, “I’d say they are after Mr. Kippenberg.”
“I agree with you there.”
“Sure, why else would they come sleuthing around at a time like this? The answer is simple. Daughter gets married. Papa wants to see his darling do it. Therefore, boys, we’ll spread a net for Daddy and he might plump right into it.”
“So that’s the way a G man’s mind works?” laughed Penny.
“But I would take it that Kippenberg is no fool,” Salt went on. “If they really have a ‘man wanted’ sign hung on him he would be too cagey to come around here today.”
They were standing7 beside the stone balustrade which bounded the terrace. Below them the green foliage8 of the gardens formed a dark background for the playing fountains. A cool breeze drifted in from the river and rattled9 a window awning10 just over their heads.
“We’re in an exposed place here,” observed Salt uneasily. “Maybe we ought to find a hole somewhere.”
[31]
“We’ll never learn anything in a hole,” Penny objected. “In fact, we’re not making much progress in running down any sort of story. I do wish we could have heard more of that conversation.”
“And get thrown out on our collective ear before we even have a chance to snap a picture of the blushing bride!”
“Pictures! Pictures!” exclaimed Penny. “That’s all you photographers think about. How about poor little me and my story? After all, you can’t bring out a paper full of nothing but pictures and cigarette ads. You need a little news to go with it.”
“You like to work too fast,” complained Salt. “Right now the thing to do is to keep out of sight. I’m telling you the minute Mrs. Kippy finishes with those men she’ll be gunning for us.”
“Then I suppose we’ll have to go into hiding.”
“First, let’s mosey out into the rose garden,” Salt proposed. “I’ll take a few shots and then we’ll duck under somewhere and wait until the ceremony starts.”
“That’s all very well for you,” grumbled11 Penny, “but I can’t write much of a story without talking to some member of the family.”
Salt started off across the velvety12 green lawn toward the rose arbor13 where the service was to be held. Penny followed reluctantly. She watched the photographer take several pictures before a servant approached him.
[32]
“I beg your pardon,” the man said coldly, “but Mrs. Kippenberg gave orders no pictures were to be taken. If you are from one of the papers—”
“Oh, I saw her in the house just a minute ago,” Salt replied carelessly.
“Sorry, sir,” the servant apologized, retreating.
Salt finished taking the pictures and slipped the miniature camera back into his pocket.
“Now let’s amble14 down toward the river and wait,” he said to Penny. “We’ll blossom forth15 just as the ceremony starts. Mrs. Kippy won’t dare interrupt it to have us thrown off the grounds.”
They walked down a sloping path, past a glass-enclosed hothouse and on toward a grove16 of giant oak and maple17 trees.
“It’s pleasant here when you’re away from the crowd,” Penny remarked, gazing up at the leafy canopy18. “I wonder where this path leads?”
“Oh, down to the river probably. With water on three sides of us that’s a fairly safe guess.”
“Which rivers flow past the estate, Salt?”
“The Big Bear and the Kobalt.”
“The same old muddy Kobalt which is near our town,” said Penny in surprise. “I’ll always think of it as a river of adventure.”
“Because of Mud-Cat Joe and his Vanishing Houseboat?”
Penny nodded and a dreamy look came into her eyes. “So much happened on the Kobalt, Salt. Remember that big party Dad threw at the Comstock Inn?”
[33]
“Do I? Jerry Livingston decided19 to sleep in Room Seven where so many persons had disappeared.”
“And then he was spirited away almost before our very eyes,” added Penny. “Days later Mud-Cat Joe helped me fish him out of this same old Kobalt. For awhile we didn’t think he’d ever pull through or be able to tell what had happened to him.”
“But as the grand finale you and your friend, Louise Sidell, solved the mystery and secured a dandy story for the Star. Those were the days!”
“You talk as if they were gone forever,” laughed Penny. “Other good stories will come along.”
“Maybe,” said Salt, “but covering a wedding is pretty tame in comparison.”
“Yet this one does have interesting angles,” Penny insisted. “Can’t you almost feel mystery lurking20 about the place?”
“No, but I do feel a mosquito sinking his stinger into me.” Salt slapped vigorously at his ankle.
They followed the path on toward the river, coming soon to a trail which branched off to the right. Across it had been stretched a wire barrier and a neatly21 lettered sign read:
NO ADMITTANCE BEYOND THIS POINT.
“Why do you suppose the path is blocked off?” Penny speculated.
[34]
“Let’s find out,” Salt suggested with a sudden flare22 of interest. “Maybe we’ll run into something worth a picture.”
Penny hesitated, not wishing to disregard the sign, yet eager to learn what lay beyond the barrier.
“Listen,” said Salt, “just put your little conscience on ice. We’re here to get the ‘who, when, why and where.’ You’ll never be a first class newspaper reporter if you stifle23 your curiosity.”
“Lead on,” laughed Penny. “I will follow. Only isn’t it getting late?”
Salt looked at his watch. “We still have a safe fifteen minutes.”
He started to step over the wire, only to have Penny reach out and grasp his hand.
“Wait!” she whispered.
“What’s the idea?” Salt turned toward her in astonishment24.
“I think someone is watching us! I’m sure I saw the bushes move.”
“Your nerves are jumpy,” Salt jeered25. “It’s only the wind.”
Even as he spoke the foliage to the left moved ever so slightly and a dark form could be seen creeping stealthily away along the ground.
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收听单词发音
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1
middle-aged
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| adj.中年的 | |
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2
haughtily
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| adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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3
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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4
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6
throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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7
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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10
awning
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| n.遮阳篷；雨篷 | |
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11
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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12
velvety
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| adj. 像天鹅绒的, 轻软光滑的, 柔软的 | |
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13
arbor
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| n.凉亭；树木 | |
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14
amble
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| vi.缓行，漫步 | |
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15
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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17
maple
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| n.槭树，枫树，槭木 | |
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18
canopy
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| n.天篷，遮篷 | |
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19
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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20
lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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22
flare
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| v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发 | |
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23
stifle
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| vt.使窒息；闷死；扼杀；抑止，阻止 | |
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24
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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25
jeered
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| v.嘲笑( jeer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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