AN ANONYMOUS LETTER
The first letter Penny opened was from the Curtises saying that they
would arrive in about a week, the first weekend in July.
“That is,” Mrs. Curtis wrote, “if it won’t be rushing you too much,
Penny dear.”
Mr. and Mrs. Curtis, whom the Allens fondly called Grandma and Grandpa
Curtis, had been old friends of Uncle John’s. Their daughter Mary and
their son Charles were the same age as Penny and Philip and they had
spent many summers together in camps. They were to be the first guests
at Allen Lodge and were planning to stay the entire summer.
When Mr. Curtis had heard about the ideal fishing his family had
difficulty restraining him from coming up before the Lodge was really
open for business.
“The Curtises are always doing something to help us,” brightly
asserted Penny as she finished the letter out on the big front porch.
She and Philip looked out on the lawn, a wide, trimmed space in front
of the house, its grass thick, its masses of shrubbery and groups of
beautiful trees stately, and its flowers just beginning to bloom.
Truly, summer had come to the shores of Lake Superior, and Phil
surveyed the property with great pride.
Watching the expression on his face, Penny said, “Uncle John certainly
had good taste, Phil. You have every reason to be proud of your
inheritance.”
“I know it,” Phil said. “But don’t forget to give credit where it is
due. Jimmy and I have done a good job of lawn-mowing and tree-trimming,
if I do say so myself.” He stretched his long arms. “That kind of work
is a real muscle builder.”
“I’ll bet it is,” Penny said. “And it’s grand to know that I’ll have
plenty of flowers for the dining room tables and for every bedroom
in the Lodge. Pat takes very good care of the cutting flowers in
his old-fashioned garden. If you and Jimmy take as good care of the
flowering shrubs, the Lodge will be a bower of blossoms inside and out
all summer.”
Marjorie and Jimmy came out on the porch then with their hands full of
more mail that Pat had brought back when he went into town for Theresa
and the Donahues.
“‘Lo,” said Jimmy. “Help us sort this out. Gobs came in today after the
postman left.”
Jimmy sat down in one of the large, old-fashioned wicker chairs and
Marjorie drew up a little footstool in front of him.
“Go ahead,” said Philip, “We’ll trust you and Marjorie to sort it all
out and hand it over, won’t we, Penny?”
“Only too glad to have you do it,” replied Penny, slumping down in her
chair and pretending to relax. “Only don’t take too long, if anything
looks interesting,” she added.
Jimmy’s answer to that was to toss a flat letter into her lap, and to
follow that closely with another slimmer one, carefully twirled by its
corner to insure its falling at the proper distance.
“Oh, don’t, Jimmy,” protested Marjorie, over whose head the missives
were hurled.
“That will keep her quiet, Marge,” Jimmy announced. But Penny was
already quiet, not even hearing Jimmy’s last remark.
“You have the biggest pile, Phil,” Marjorie stated in a few moments.
The pile in front of Phil was falling over with letters, papers,
advertisements and catalogues. The process of dividing the mail was
soon completed and silence reigned except for giggles from Marjorie as
she read a long letter from her best friend, Judy Powell. Penny, deeply
engrossed in one of hers, gave a slight exclamation once, and Philip
whistled as he laid aside a long envelope. But no one stopped to ask
questions.
Penny looked at the absorbed group as she finished her last letter and
smiled. Marjorie stopped reading her letters and looked off into space.
“Read me some of Judy’s letter, Marjorie,” said Penny.
Marjorie turned with a smile to say that it was such a good letter and
so funny--“Judy wants to know by telegram when they can come.”
“She shall, Marjorie,” Philip answered immediately. “I’m thinking of
getting a special telegram blank printed.”
Marjorie looked at Phil to see if he really meant such an idiotic
thing; but as Phil only winked at her, she merely said, “Crazy!” and
turned to Judy’s letter:
“Dearest Marjorie:
I think it’s simply tops that we can be together this summer.
I was so afraid my parents would insist on sending me to camp
again. Not that I don’t like camp, but I know it’s going to be so
much more exciting to do things together, like exploring in the
woods. Will we be allowed to go through the woods by ourselves?
Are there secret cabins, or wonderful hiding places? Can we sleep
out at night? I’ll bet it’s wonderful swimming in Lake Superior!
Oh, couldn’t you telegraph and let me know right away when we
can come? I have so many questions to ask, I don’t know where to
begin.
My brother Alf says he would rather come to Michigan than go on
the canoe trip in Canada. He says he always has fun with Jimmy.
Maybe the boys will let us help them build something or do some
of the things with them. Alf says they’ll never take us fishing
because girls talk too much, but maybe we can convince them that
we know how to keep quiet.
I’m so excited that at last we are going to see the Lodge, and
all the Allens and especially you, that’s all I can write about.
Do Charles Curtis and Peter Wyland both still like Penny? Does
Penny like either one of them? Maybe I should be minding my own
business, but I guess I am just bubbling over with questions.
Cincinnati is hot as it always is in the summer and we can’t
wait until we get to Michigan. Quick, quick, quick, send me a
telegram. It will be the first one I ever received.
At present I just live in a bathing suit and we spend almost all
day at the pool. I’m glad school is out. Alf says I’m a nuisance
and a question box, and by now, you probably think the same. I
can’t wait until I see you,
Forever yours,
Judy.”
When Marjorie had finished reading Judy’s letter out loud, Jimmy
chuckled. “She’s a riot, that Powell kid.”
Penny was already scribbling a message on the back of an envelope.
“Here,” she said to Jimmy, “go in to the phone in the office and send
this telegram to Judy right away. There’s no reason why the Powells
shouldn’t come the first weekend in July when we expect the Curtises.”
“Hooray!” Marjorie shouted as Jimmy went in to send the telegram. At
that moment Kitty Donahue came out on the porch.
“Hi,” Marjorie greeted her. “When do we eat in this Lodge?”
Kitty came nearer. “I just wanted to ask Miss Penny about that. We’ve a
big fish baking and I wondered if you would be ready to eat in half an
hour.”
“Hooray, food!” shouted Marjorie. “We’re always ready to eat, Kitty.
Are we going to have a conference tonight to assign various duties,
Penny?”
“Yes, we are,” Penny answered. “Kitty, did you ever help in a summer
hotel, or anything like that?”
“Yes, _ma’am_! And Mal helped the chef at one of the lake resorts right
near here. That is what made Ann Mary think about sending for us.”
Philip had turned to look at Kathleen while she talked. “That is very
fortunate for us, Mrs. Donahue,” he said. “We’re going to have a family
confab tonight to decide what each of us should do and we’d like all
of you to come and help us make decisions.”
“Yes, sir,” Kitty said. “We’ll not need much more help, only some
people from around the village to wait on table if there is a very
large crowd over weekends, or for some special occasions.” With that
bit of advice, Kitty went back into the house.
Jimmy came out on the porch then and said to Marjorie: “I told the
operator to sign your name to the telegram. I thought Judy would get a
kick out of that.”
“Thanks,” Marjorie said, smiling. “Sometimes you can be nice, Jimmy.”
He ignored her and started gathering up his mail. “By the way,” he said
to Penny and Phil, “my old schoolmate, Brook, is coming that weekend,
too, if it’s all right with you.”
“Fine,” Penny and Phil said together.
Jimmy grinned. “Brook wrote that he is going to bring all of his old
clothes. He says he’ll bring one decent suit, but he hopes he’ll not
have to put it on. I’m right with him there! I think Judy Powell has
the right idea about living in a bathing suit all summer. Say, Alf
Powell, Brook and I will certainly have some wonderful fun this summer.
Maybe we can put up a shack for us to sleep in.” He went on, pacing up
and down excitedly, “Or part of that old barn. It would be fun if we
could be by ourselves.”
“Calm down, Jimmy,” Phil said. “I don’t think Alf’s or Brook’s parents
will think their sons ought to be sleeping in a shack if they are
paying good money for rooms, do you?”
Jimmy ran his hands through his short, dark hair. “Naw, I guess not.
But we could bunk out there sometimes, couldn’t we?”
“Of course,” Penny told him. “It wouldn’t be much fun if you didn’t
rough it every now and then.” She went on seriously. “I’m counting on
you, Jimmy, to keep an eye on any kids who may come with their parents.
You and Marjorie must help to keep them amused, too. It will be rather
like running a summer camp, with you two as junior counselors. You’ll
have to supervise games and sports, and maybe, Jimmy, give some of them
swimming lessons.”
“Ha!” Jimmy narrowed his eyes. “The plot thickens. Looks like I’m going
to have to work. But don’t worry, Penny. Brook, Alf and I will keep
the small fry busy.”
“Grand,” Penny said approvingly. “You’ve taken a load off my mind,
Jimmy. Everyone has simply got to help me as much as possible if we’re
going to see to it that our guests are kept amused.”
She glanced at Marjorie. “And that means you, too, imp. Don’t you dare
spend all your time with your chum, Judy.”
“I won’t,” Marjorie promised. “Not unless Jimmy spends all his time
with Alf and Brook.”
Philip glanced at his wrist watch. “Any objections to you two getting
washed up before dinner?” But he looked at Jimmy as he spoke.
“Not a one,” returned Jimmy with a wide grin. “I wonder why Phil looked
at me,” he continued, still grinning.
“Because, you’re practically just past the stage when getting you
washed behind the ears was quite a family problem,” said Marjorie.
“Look who’s talking,” called Jimmy as he disappeared into the house.
After they had all consumed the delicious baked fish which Pat had
caught that very day and Ann Mary had fixed in a delectable fashion,
all the Allens met around the council table. This was the big table in
the living room and here they were soon joined by the Ryans, Theresa
and the Donahues.
Philip then outlined a plan which they all discussed and finally the
duties were assigned to everyone’s satisfaction. Pat was to continue
what he had always done and be a general overseer of the entire Lodge.
He would make arrangements for fishing parties, get boats and guides
and order lunches to be packed. He would lock up every night and do
many other things.
Ann Mary was in complete charge of the kitchen and Mal and Kitty were
to be her assistants. Kitty would serve and Mal also had some outdoor
duties. Theresa was to do the cleaning, and Mal and Kitty were going to
pitch in and help with that too.
Marjorie had offered to wait on table and help with the cooking, but
Philip told her that the family would have their hands full with the
entertaining of their guests. However, all the Allens planned to help
out every place, all of the time, whenever they were free from their
other assigned duties. Jimmy had lettered a large sign and hung it on
a temporary billboard. It read:
MEETING OF
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF
ALLEN LODGE
Marjorie now pointed to the sign and said, “I feel pretty important
being a director. Is that why I can get out of cooking and serving?”
At this remark Phil guffawed and Jimmy and Penny joined him, much to
Marjorie’s chagrin.
“Don’t you kid yourself,” Jimmy said, “Even if Phil says you’ll have
your hands full entertaining guests, you know you’ll have them twice as
full, because I’m sure we’ll all have to help each other when our Lodge
is running full force.”
Philip, it was decided, was to be the official treasurer. He would keep
the books and have full charge of all receipts and disbursements.
“That,” Jimmy loftily explained to Marjorie, “means money coming in
and money going out.” Marjorie sniffed. “Keep your definitions of such
simple words to yourself.”
“Let’s be serious,” Phil said. “All hotels and inns have a rule that
unless their guests deposit their valuables with them for safekeeping,
the management is not responsible. Isn’t that right, Mr. Donahue?”
Mal nodded.
“Well then,” Phil went on, “I think we ought to keep our guests’ money
and jewelry in the safe in the secret room. And in order to safeguard
the secret, we ought to make it a rule that none of the guests is
allowed in the secret room.”
“Right,” Jimmy agreed heartily. “If we let everyone run in and out of
there it won’t be a secret very long. I vote that for the rest of the
summer, only Pat is allowed to--”
“Phil _and_ Pat,” Penny interrupted. “Phil has to go in and out to the
safe because he’s the treasurer.”
“That’s right,” Pat agreed. “I’ll act as his substitute. Phil may not
be available at times when we receive money which should be put right
in the safe or when we need to take some out to pay bills. I’ll only go
into the secret room during such emergencies.”
“Okay, thanks, Pat,” said Phil. “Then, as of now, it’s a rule that only
you and I press the button that opens the secret door. Said rule to
remain in effect until the end of the season.”
Everyone agreed, and then it was decided that Penny was to be the
hostess and the housekeeper. Ann Mary was going to help make out the
shopping lists, while Penny did the actual shopping. Marjorie was to be
the assistant hostess as well as the secretary. Luckily she had learned
how to use a typewriter and would really be a big help when it came to
writing letters. Jimmy was the director of all sports, and even though
that sounded like an easy job, Penny assured him it would be more than
a full-time one.
Penny, Ann Mary and Kitty decided it would be wise to make out menus
for a week in advance. “That means,” Penny said, “that right after
breakfast tomorrow morning we had better plan the first week’s menu.
An awful lot of guests are arriving the first weekend in July.”
She sighed wearily. “I guess everything has been taken care of except
the laundry. We’ll all have our hands full after this week, so I don’t
see what we can possibly do about that.”
“Got any ideas, Ann Mary?” Philip asked.
Ann Mary thought for a minute. “There’s a new laundry-mat in the
village--just opened the other day. If we could find someone who would
come out twice a week, bring in the soiled linen, wash it in one of the
automatic machines, and bring it back damp dry, Kitty, Theresa and I
could handle the ironing.”
“A swell idea,” Pat said. “I’ll ask around in the village when I go in
tomorrow. Anyone, even a mere man,” he added with a chuckle, “can run
one of those spin-dry slot machines. All we need to do is find someone
with a car who’ll tote the stuff back and forth for a fair price.”
“I guess that takes care of everything,” Penny said. “Has anybody
thought of anything else?”
Jimmy thought it would be a good idea to buy a sailboat, but that
suggestion was promptly vetoed. “We are going to try and make money
before we spend it, young man,” said Philip. “But if you and Alf and
Brook Sanders want to fix up one out of what we have, that’s all right
with me.”
“Watch us!” retorted Jimmy and immediately suggested that a few canoes
wouldn’t cost much. But once again Phil put a damper on his ideas.
At this point Jimmy wanted to know what kind of a suggestion he could
make that would not be vetoed, and Penny and Phil both chimed in at
once with, “Let’s call it a day.”
“But, before the meeting breaks up,” Philip said soberly, “I want to
make an announcement. I don’t think it’s really important, but I think
you should all hear it.”
He drew from his pocket the long envelope he had laid aside earlier
when they had been out on the porch reading their mail. “I got an
anonymous letter today,” he said, “and at first I thought I wouldn’t
bother you with it. Writers of anonymous letters are usually either
cowards or cranks. However,” he continued, “after thinking it over,
I’ve decided I have no right to keep from you the fact that we have
been threatened.”
“Threatened?” Penny repeated. “But, Phil, who--?”
For answer, Phil opened the envelope and took out a long sheet of dirty
paper which he laid on the council table.
Everyone crowded around him to read the ugly scribbled words:
MR. PHILIP ALLEN: IF YOU
KNOW WHAT’S GOOD FOR YOU
AND YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS,
GET OUT OF THE LODGE AS FAST
AS YOU CAN. I MEAN BUSINESS!