“How glad I am that I never told Rhoda I suspected Ted2 of the theft,” she thought. “I was very unjust.”
After the two Texas men had been removed to jail by Riverview police, the party went on with more gaiety than before. Penny, the center of attention, was forced to tell over and over how a high-school boy friend had assisted her in installing the microphone-loudspeaker arrangement in the old wishing well.
“I wasn’t at all certain it would work,” she modestly declared. “I did hope that under the proper conditions, those two men would talk, and they did!”
[196]
“You are a very clever young lady,” praised Judge Harlan, patting her arm. “This will make a nice story for your father’s paper too.”
Mrs. Marborough did not try to express in words her appreciation3 for the recovery of the heirloom pearls. However, throughout the evening, her worshipful gaze followed Penny wherever she went. Not until refreshments4 were being served did she have an opportunity to say:
“Penelope, you have brought me more happiness than I deserve—you and Rhoda together. Now that I have the pearls again, I’ll be able to carry out a few of my plans.”
“You’ll remain in Riverview?” Penny asked eagerly.
“Yes, I shall, and I’ve been wondering—do you suppose Rhoda and Ted would be willing to live with me? I’m getting old. While I’ll have money enough I’ll need someone.”
“Why not talk to Rhoda about it?”
“I think I shall,” Mrs. Marborough nodded. “I’ll do it tonight.”
Penny was pleased a few minutes later when Rhoda relayed the widow’s request to her.
“Will you agree to it?” she asked the girl, her eyes twinkling.
“Will I?” Rhoda laughed. “I love Rose Acres, and Ted and I will be together again! Mrs. Breen was kind to us, but she has her own family. Mrs. Marborough needs someone to care for her.”
[197]
“I think the arrangement will be an ideal one,” Penny declared. “Oh, yes, I meant to tell you. Judge Harlan has promised to look after your legal interests. With him working on the case those oil rights are the same as yours right now!”
As the night wore on, additional guests arrived at Rose Acres, crowding the spacious5 rooms. Nevertheless, shortly before midnight, Penny was surprised to see her father’s car drive up to the door, for she had not expected him to attend the party. Mr. Parker was accompanied by a reporter, Jerry Livingston.
“What brings you two news hawks6 here?” Penny asked, running outside to greet the newcomers. “You must have heard about Mr. Coaten and the pearl necklace!”
“Yes, but that’s not why we came,” Mr. Parker tersely7 replied. “There’s been a break in the dam above Cedarville and the river is rising fast!”
“Rose Acres isn’t in danger?” gasped8 Penny.
“The water shouldn’t come this high, but the flats will be inundated9 within a few minutes. Everyone is being warned to get out fast!”
“We’ve not been able to telephone Truman Crocker,” Jerry added. “His shack10 has no ’phone.”
“Can we drive down there?” Mr. Parker asked anxiously.
Penny shook her head. “Not without going miles around. The quickest way is to take the trail at the rear of this property. Wait, I’ll show you!”
[198]
Darting11 into the house for a coat, she led her father and Jerry to the hillside. Then, deciding to accompany them, she went on ahead down the steep incline.
“There’s a light burning in the shack,” Mr. Parker observed a few minutes later. “Crocker must be up.”
Reaching the building, the editor thumped12 once on the door of the workshop and then pushed it open. Truman Crocker was busy at his bench. Startled by the unexpected intrusion of the three visitors, he backed a few steps away from them.
“You can’t do nothin’ to me,” he mumbled13. “All I did was what I was told to do.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Mr. Parker cut him short. “We’re here to warn you! The dam at Cedarville has let go, and the river is rising fast.”
“The river—” the stonecutter faltered14.
For a fleeting15 instant the man’s gaze had roved toward a large object covered with a piece of canvas. As Crocker’s words came back to Penny, she suddenly knew why he had been so startled to see her father. Impulsively16, she darted17 across the room and jerked the canvas from the object it covered. Revealed for all to see was a large rounded rock, bearing a carving18 which had not been completed.
“A record stone!” she cried. “Truman Crocker, you are the one who planted those fakes! You’ve been hired by someone!”
[199]
“No, no,” the man denied, cringing19 away.
Mr. Parker strode across the room, and one glance at the rock Penny had uncovered convinced him that his daughter’s accusation20 was a sound one. Obviously, the stone had been treated with acid and chemicals to give it an appearance of great age. Several Indian figures remained uncompleted.
“Who hired you?” he demanded of Truman Crocker. “Tell the truth!”
“I ain’t tellin’ nothing,” the stonecutter returned sullenly21.
“Then you’ll go to jail,” Mr. Parker retorted. “You’ve been a party to a fraud. It was the publicity22 agent of the Indian Show who hired you. He probably gave you a hundred dollars for the job.”
“Not that much,” Crocker muttered. “An’ you can’t send me to jail because all I did was fix the stones and put ’em where he told me.”
“You won’t go to jail if you testify to the truth,” Mr. Parker assured him. “All you’ll have to do is tell what you know—”
“I ain’t going to tell nothing,” Crocker said sullenly.
Moving so quickly that both Jerry and Mr. Parker were caught off guard, he wheeled and ran out the open door.
“Get him!” the editor barked. “Unless he’ll testify against Bill McJavins we may lose a big story!”
[200]
Penny waited anxiously at the shack while her father and Jerry pursued the fleeing man. Ten minutes later they stumbled back, completely winded, to report their failure. The laborer23 had hidden somewhere among the bushes dotting the hillside, and they could not hope to find him.
“Without Crocker’s story we have no more evidence than we ever had,” Mr. Parker declared in disgust.
Penny tapped the big rock with the half-completed carving. “You have this stone, Dad. If you could photograph it in this unfinished state, wouldn’t it tell its own story?”
“We have no camera here, and the river is rising fast. How long would it take you to get to town and back, Jerry?”
“I might make it in thirty minutes.”
“Before that time, this shack will be under water.”
Anxiously, Mr. Parker gazed at the dark, angry flood which swept so close to the door of the cabin. Inch by inch it was eating away a board walk which led to a pier24 and a boat tied to it.
“Dad!” Penny suddenly cried. “If only we could get this stone into the boat we could float it to Riverview!”
“Not a chance,” Mr. Parker returned briefly25. “Both would sink.”
“We’re completely out of luck,” added Jerry. “At the rate the water is coming up, this shack will be awash in another fifteen minutes.”
“Dad,” Penny went on determinedly26, “if we could make a heavy raft, couldn’t the stone be floated? It might be towed behind the boat.”
“A raft? There’s nothing from which to make one.”
“Yes, there is!” Penny pointed27 to several barrels, up-ended in a dark corner of the shop.
“It’s an idea!” cried Jerry. “We have Crocker’s tools! This story means a lot to you, Chief. Isn’t it worth a try?”
“Maybe it is,” Mr. Parker conceded, and then with sudden enthusiasm: “Let’s get to work. By moving fast we may yet outwit Old Man River!”
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收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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ted
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| vt.翻晒，撒，撒开 | |
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3
appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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4
refreshments
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| n.点心,便餐;(会议后的)简单茶点招 待 | |
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spacious
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| adj.广阔的，宽敞的 | |
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hawks
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| 鹰( hawk的名词复数 )； 鹰派人物，主战派人物 | |
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7
tersely
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| adv. 简捷地, 简要地 | |
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8
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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inundated
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| v.淹没( inundate的过去式和过去分词 )；（洪水般地）涌来；充满；给予或交予（太多事物）使难以应付 | |
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10
shack
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| adj.简陋的小屋，窝棚 | |
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darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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12
thumped
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| v.重击， （指心脏）急速跳动( thump的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
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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14
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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fleeting
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| adj.短暂的，飞逝的 | |
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impulsively
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| adv.冲动地 | |
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darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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carving
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| n.雕刻品，雕花 | |
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cringing
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| adj.谄媚，奉承 | |
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accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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22
publicity
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| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
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23
laborer
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| n.劳动者，劳工 | |
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pier
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| n.码头；桥墩，桥柱；[建]窗间壁，支柱 | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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determinedly
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| adv.决意地；坚决地，坚定地 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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