Part 40 (1/2)

Penny struggled to free herself but could not. The man's grip was like steel.

”So you were spying!” he exclaimed harshly.

”I--I was just watching,” Penny stammered. ”Don't you remember me? I am the girl who pulled you out of the river when your car went over the drawbridge.”

The man looked closely at her, and for an instant she dared hope that he would recall her with grat.i.tude. But his face hardened again and he said unfeelingly:

”You know entirely too much, my little girl. This is one story you will never write for your father's paper. Your curiosity has proven your undoing. You share the fate of your very good friend.”

With a sinking heart Penny realized by the man's words that he knew her to be the daughter of a newspaper publisher, and that he had guessed her part in the trick played upon him.

”Down you go!” Dietz said harshly.

As he dragged her toward the pool, Penny screamed at the top of her lungs. A hand was clapped over her mouth. She bit it savagely, but her efforts to free herself were of no avail.

The men shoved her headlong down the stone stairway into the pit.

”Now scream as much as you like,” Aaron Dietz hurled after her. ”No one will hear you.”

The heavy stone slab dropped into place.

Penny picked herself up from the steps. Terror gripped her, and with a sob she called frantically:

”Mr. Atherwald! Mr. Atherwald!”

”Here at the bottom of the steps,” he answered with a groan.

”Are you hurt?”

”Only bruised. But my hands are still in cuffs.”

Penny limped down the stairway and helped the man to his feet.

”We're done for now,” he said. ”No one will ever look for us down in this vault. And our cries will never be heard.”

”Don't give up,” Penny murmured encouragingly. ”We may be able to lift the stone. Come let's try.”

Mounting the stairs, they applied their shoulders to the ma.s.sive door, but their best efforts did not raise it an inch.

”Listen!” cried Atherwald suddenly.

They both could hear the sound of water running into the empty pool.

”In an hour's time no one will ever guess that a hidden vault lies beneath the tank!” Atherwald groaned. ”We're doomed!”

”If we can hear the water splas.h.i.+ng above us, our voices might carry!”

Penny reasoned. ”Let's cry out for help. Now, together!”

They shouted over and over until their voices failed them. Then, completely discouraged, they sagged down on the stairway to rest.

”Nothing went as I planned,” Penny said dismally. ”I really thought the gold was hidden in this vault. If the men had found it, they would have spent hours removing the loot to their boat. Jerry would have come with the police and everything would have been all right.”