Penny's Triumph
With a thrill of joy, Penny recognized her father's voice. In some
manner he had traced her telephone call and had brought help!
Two shots rang out, to be followed in quick succession by others from
the driver's seat of the truck.
Then silence.
Penny, huddling against the wall of the dark van, decided to take a
chance. She screamed loudly for help.
A moment later the canvas cover was jerked from the rear of the truck.
Mr. Nichols' face loomed up behind the electric lantern which he
carried.
"Penny! Are you hurt?"
"Not a bit, Dad. But I'm tied up."
"I'll have you out in a jiffy. Courage!"
Mr. Nichols leaped nimbly upon the truck, and with his pocket knife
severed the cords which held her arms.
"What happened?" Penny questioned eagerly. "I heard the shots."
"The battle didn't amount to much. We outnumbered them two to one.
Molberg was wounded in the leg when he leaped off the truck and took to
the fields."
"And Brunner?"
"He's handcuffed to one of the officers now."
"How did you know where to come?" Penny questioned. "I was overpowered
before I could give you directions."
"I suspected that. In fact, I was worried sick for fear I wouldn't get
to you in time. Your note gave me a faint clue. Then I traced the
telephone call to the Somm Center exchange so I knew you were somewhere
in this vicinity. Yesterday we received an anonymous tip that an
abandoned sawmill near here would bear investigation. Putting two and
two together I thought perhaps the gangsters might be captured there."
"But you came so quickly."
"By plane to Somm Center," Mr. Nichols smiled. "The police were
waiting for me at the field with automobiles. We lost no time in
bottling up all the roads approaching the old sawmill."
During the hurried conversation, Jimmie Davis had remained quiet. Now
Mr. Nichols bent over him.
"Who is this boy, Penny?"
"It's all right, Dad. Set him free. I'll explain everything."
The detective cut the bonds and Jimmie stepped down from the truck.
"Hold on there," a policeman intervened, taking the boy by the arm.
"You're wanted at headquarters."
Jimmie offered no resistance. Handcuffs were slipped over his wrists.
"Oh, Dad, don't let them do that!" Penny pleaded. "He isn't really a
criminal."
"Who is this boy, Penny?" the detective asked again.
"Jimmie Davis alias Jerry Barrows."
"Davis! Not Jerome Davis' son!"
"Yes, he is."
"Now I begin to understand a few things which weren't clear to me
before. Why our raid failed, for instance."
"I don't believe Jerome Davis is implicated with the gang," Penny
insisted. "Can't you let this boy go free? If it becomes generally
known that he is the son of a policeman it will do so much harm."
"We can't favor him on that account, Penny."
"I realize that, but he's innocent. At least his worst crime was to
drive the truck which contained the stolen tires. He only did that
because Brunner threatened him."
"Are you certain?"
"Yes, I am. I overheard Brunner quarreling with him."
Penny then began a rapid account of all that she had witnessed at the
old sawmill. Several of the policemen gathered near to hear the story.
Brunner, handcuffed to an officer, listened intently to her words.
"It's all a lie," he interrupted. "This Davis boy is the son of an old
friend of mine. Because I thought so much of his father I came here
tonight to try to save the boy from his own folly. I pleaded with him
to give up his career of crime--"
"And why were you found in the company of Rap Molberg?" Mr. Nichols
questioned severely.
"I was trying to think of some way----"
"Never mind," the detective cut him short. "You can explain it to the
judge."
While Brunner, Molberg and the men who had been captured with them were
being loaded into police cars, an automobile was observed coming toward
the lane which led to the sawmill.
"Block the road," Mr. Nichols ordered. "It may be more of the gang."
A police car was turned crosswise in the highway. The oncoming
automobile stopped just in time to avoid a crash. Officers instantly
surrounded the car.
Penny, crowding near recognized the driver as Jerome Davis. Beside him
crouched his daughter, Betty.
"What is the meaning of this?" Mr. Davis demanded.
His eyes swept the group and came to rest upon his own son who was in
the custody of an officer.
"Jimmie!" he exclaimed. His shoulders sagged; his hands fell from the
steering wheel. "I see I am too late," he murmured.
Betty sprang from the car and ran to her brother.
"Oh, Jimmie, how could you do it?" she cried brokenly. "How could you?"
Penny slipped her arm about the weeping girl and led her away.
"Why did you come here tonight, Betty?" she asked gently.
"We came because we knew Jimmie was in danger. We thought we might get
here ahead of the police and save him from arrest."
"Then your father knows the truth?"
"Yes, he's suspected for some weeks that Jimmie was implicated with the
dreadful Molberg gang. Tonight he forced me to acknowledge it."
"But how did you know, Betty?"
"Once I saw Jimmie with Rap Molberg at the Blind Pig. I realized too
that my brother was deeply in debt. I made him tell me everything."
"No wonder you were worried," Penny said sympathetically.
"I didn't know what to do," Betty went on nervously. "I was afraid to
tell Father the truth because I thought it would just about kill him.
He had pledged himself to the task of tracing down the Molberg gang."
"And of course, if Jimmie's name were linked in any way with the
automobile thefts, it would have cost your father his position."
"Yes, I was afraid too that Father would insist upon turning Jimmie
over to the police. He is so upright and honest. He detests a
criminal."
"How did your father learn the truth, Betty?"
"He guessed it but at first said nothing to me."
"How long has he known?"
"Since the night of the raid. At least that was when he first became
suspicious. He thought Jimmie had tipped off the Molberg gang that
their hideouts were to be raided."
"But how did Jimmie learn that?"
"Father unintentionally mentioned it at the breakfast table."
"It was immediately after the raid that Mr. Davis seemed to lose
interest in the case," Penny said musingly.
"Yes, he was bewildered by the turn of events. I didn't know it until
tonight, but he quietly set about watching Jimmie. In a short while he
had learned the truth."
"And how did you know that Jimmie would be here tonight?" Penny
questioned.
"He told me," Betty admitted. "For weeks I have pleaded with him to
give up this dreadful life he has been leading. He promised me he
would. But he said there was a special reason why he must drive the
truck one more time."
"That was because the leader of the gang had threatened to tell Mr.
Davis," Penny commented.
"Anyway, tonight Father forced me to admit everything. When he learned
that Jimmie would be at the old sawmill, he determined to come here and
try to save him from his own folly. Oh, Miss Nichols, do you think
they'll keep Jimmie in jail?"
"Not if I can prevent it," Penny returned firmly. "Come on, I want you
to repeat to Father what you've just told me."
The girls found Mr. Nichols and a group of policemen talking with
Jerome Davis. The latter looked completely discouraged.
"I'm not asking you to believe my story or to let Jimmie go free," he
said quietly. "My son has broken the law and he must be punished the
same as any other offender. Of course I shall resign my position on
the force immediately."
"That may not be necessary," Mr. Nichols told him kindly. "In my
opinion you've already proven that you had no hand in the affair."
"It was my fault that the raid failed," the policeman accused himself.
He turned to his son. "Jimmie, you were the one who tipped off the
gang that it was to be staged?"
"Yes, Father," the boy admitted. "I dropped it out before I thought.
I didn't mean to do it."
"I take all the blame," Jerome Davis said quietly. "I should never
have mentioned the affair at home."
He moved over to his son, placing his hand upon his shoulder for an
instant. Then he turned sternly back to the group of officers.
"Do your duty, men," he directed.
No one moved.
"It isn't right to arrest this boy," Penny declared. "He was trying to
go straight and he ought to have a chance."
"He'll get it too!" Mr. Nichols added. "With you as a witness in his
favor, Penny, I'm confident he'll be released."
Brunner, Molberg and other members of the captured gang were loaded
into police cars and taken back to Belton City. Although technically
under custody, Jimmie Davis rode with Mr. Nichols and was not
handcuffed.
Betty and her father took Penny home since Mr. Nichols found it
necessary to go to the police station.
"I can't thank you enough for all you've done," Betty said gratefully
as Penny alighted at her own doorstep. "If Jimmie does go free, it
will be entirely through your efforts and your father's."
"I think everything will come out right," Penny told her encouragingly.
"If there's any news I'll let you know the first thing in the morning."
As the car drove away, Mrs. Gallup rushed out of the house to embrace
the girl.
"Penny, what has happened?" she cried. "Your clothes are dirty and
mussed. You're a sight!"
"I don't doubt it," Penny laughed. "I've had a wild night."
"I didn't get home until an hour ago," Mrs. Gallup explained. "When I
found you weren't here I was frantic. I was afraid you might have been
kidnapped again."
"Rap Molberg won't trouble me after this, Mrs. Gallup. He's spending
the night in jail."
She then gave a glowing account of the capture at the Somm Center
sawmill. The details left the housekeeper dumbfounded.
"Penny Nichols, it's plain to see you're going to take after your
father," she sighed. "One detective in the family is bad enough."
"It was the most exciting experience of my life!" Penny declared, her
eyes gleaming. "I suppose I shall never have another like it."
In such a prediction, she was entirely mistaken. Without the power to
look into the future she could not know that an adventure of far
different character, though even more thrilling, awaited her. _The
Mystery of the Lost Key_, the second volume in the Penny Nichols
series, relates her escapades at Raven Ridge.
Events had moved with such rapidity that until Mrs. Gallup brought a
tray of steaming food from the kitchen and set it before her, Penny had
not realized how very hungry she was. She had just finished the supper
when Mr. Nichols came home.
"What news?" Penny asked eagerly.
"Brunner and Molberg are both behind bars where they belong," her
father reported. "Brunner is trying to raise bail and may get out by
morning."
"Oh, then he may escape the law after all."
"No danger of that, Penny. He'll be watched from the instant he leaves
the jail and kept in sight until he appears for trial."
"Do you think he will be convicted?"
"I feel sure of it. If you testify against him he hasn't a chance.
Will you mind going to court?"
"I'd love it!" Penny returned instantly. "Nothing would give me
greater satisfaction than to serve as a witness against both of those
men."
"Brunner was the real brains behind the gang," Mr. Nichols went on.
"He had everyone fooled, including myself. You did a fine piece of
work to-night, my dear."
Penny flushed at the praise.
"If it hadn't been for your arrival at the critical moment, all my
information would have been worthless. I guess I was very foolhardy."
"Perhaps you were, a trifle," the detective smiled. "But an
investigator must take certain chances. Not that I'd want you to do
the same thing again," he added hastily.
"You didn't tell me what the police did about Jimmie Davis," Penny
reminded him. "I hope he wasn't sent to jail too."
"No, he's been placed in the custody of his father for a year. If he
straightens up and doesn't violate his parole, nothing more will ever
be said regarding his part in the affair."
"Oh, I'm so glad! I knew you'd arrange it that way."
"It wasn't entirely due to my efforts," the detective insisted. "The
boy really isn't bad at heart. The way he came to your rescue proved
that."
"This will mean so much to Betty and her father," Penny declared
happily. Her face clouded. "I suppose nothing can save Mr. Davis'
position on the force?"
"Quite the contrary," Mr. Nichols smiled. "It is already arranged that
he shall keep his job."
"But the newspaper publicity?"
"There will be none. At least, not regarding Mr. Davis and his son."
It was long after midnight when Penny went to bed. She was so tired
and worn that she did not awaken until Mrs. Gallup rapped several times
upon her door.
"What time is it?" Penny inquired drowsily.
"Nearly noon," the housekeeper reported. "I shouldn't have awakened
you, only the telephone has been ringing all morning and the yard is
cluttered with newspaper men."
"I'll be right down," Penny laughed, springing out of bed.
It was a new experience for her to find herself occupying the
limelight. She enjoyed talking with the reporters but took care to
reveal nothing which involved either Mr. Davis or his son. The morning
papers played up the story of the capture, and Penny's photograph, dug
up from the morgue, appeared upon the front page.
She was studying it with mingled feelings of pleasure and
disappointment when Susan Altman burst in upon her.
"Congratulations!" she beamed. "I see by the morning paper that you
are famous!"
"Did you ever see such a horrible picture?" Penny complained. "It's
three years old at least. Why, I look positively juvenile. Where the
editor found it I don't know."
"You should worry about such a trifle as that!" Susan scoffed. "Tell
me the entire story."
"There's nothing to report except what's in the paper," Penny replied.
Although she longed to relate the part which Jimmie had played, she
wisely refrained from mentioning his name. If he were to have his
opportunity to begin life anew, the past must be forgotten.
For days Penny found herself besieged by friends and acquaintances who
were eager to learn all the details of her adventure. When she walked
downtown she was gazed upon with awe and admiration.
At the trial of Rap Molberg and George Brunner, she appeared as the
state's star witness. The garage owner, well fortified with
dishonestly acquired money, had employed one of the best criminal
lawyers in the state to defend him. Penny was put through a severe
test when she took the stand, but although nervous, she answered all
questions calmly and clearly. Her testimony was largely responsible
for the conviction of both Rap Molberg and Brunner. The two were
ordered confined to the state penitentiary for a long term of years.
Mr. Nichols was jubilant at the result of the trial.
"This definitely clears up the case," he declared. "And I think it
calls for a big celebration."
The victory event took the form of a gala dinner at Belton City's
leading hotel. Penny invited Susan and many of her high school
friends. In addition, policemen, detectives and all persons who had
aided in the capture of the thieves, were present.
"We will have no speeches," Mr. Nichols had promised. "Only good food
and plenty of fun."
Penny therefore was surprised when her father, who occupied the chair
at the head of the table, arose and faced the expectant group.
"I don't mean to break my promise about speech making," he smiled.
"For that reason, without any formality, I shall present to my
daughter, Penny, this token of merit from the officials of the Reliance
Insurance Company for her splendid work in connection with the Molberg
case."
Penny gasped as her father held up a tiny bejeweled wrist watch and
placed it in her hand. It was the daintiest and most exquisite
timepiece she had ever seen.
"Oh, isn't it wonderful," chorused a bevy of friends as they gathered
about.
"It's the nicest thing that ever happened to me," Penny declared. "I
can't begin to say how grateful I am."
"Aren't you going to look at the inscription?" her father inquired, his
eyes twinkling.
In surprise she glanced down at the case. Her face flushed.
"Read it aloud!" commanded her friends.
Penny was too confused to obey. For engraved on the watch case, in the
tiniest of letters, were the words:
"TO PENNY NICHOLS
FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICES
AS AN AGENT OF JUSTICE."
THE END
End of Project Gutenberg's Penny Nichols Finds a Clue, by Joan Clark