Part 4 (2/2)
”You may have a long wait, Sheriff,” the woman retorted, her lips parting in a twisted smile. ”You can come in though and look around.”
Not caring to follow the sheriff into the house, Penny and her father bade him goodbye a moment later. Tramping down the lane to their parked car, they both expressed the belief that Clem Davis would not be arrested during the night.
”Obviously, the woman knows a lot more than she's willing to tell,” Mr.
Parker remarked, sliding into the car seat beside Penny.
”Dad, do you think it was Clem who set fire to the Preston barn?”
”We have no reason to suspect anyone else,” returned the editor. ”All the evidence points to his guilt.”
Penny backed the car in the narrow road, heading toward Riverview.
”That was the point I wanted to make,” she said thoughtfully. ”Doesn't it seem to you that the evidence was almost too plain?”
”What do you mean, Penny?”
”Well, I was just thinking, if I had been in Clem Davis' place, I never would have left a black hood lying where the first person to enter the barn would be sure to see it.”
”That's so, it was a bit obvious,” Mr. Parker admitted.
”The horse was left in the stable, and the hoof tracks leading to the Davis place were easy to follow.”
”All true,” Mr. Parker nodded.
”Isn't it possible that someone could have tried to throw the blame on Clem?” suggested Penny, anxiously awaiting her father's reply.
”There may be something to the theory,” Mr. Parker responded. ”Still, Mrs. Davis didn't deny that the mare belonged to her husband. She claimed that she hadn't heard the horse come into the stable, which obviously was a lie. Furthermore, I gathered the impression that Clem knew the sheriff was after him, and intends to hide out.”
”It will be interesting to learn if Mr. Daniels makes an arrest. Do you expect to print anything about it in the paper?”
”Only routine news of the fire,” Mr. Parker replied. ”There may be much more to this little incident than appears on the surface, but until something develops, we must wait.”
”If you could gain proof that night riders are operating in this community, what then?” Penny suggested eagerly.
”In that case, I should certainly launch a vigorous campaign. But why go into all the details now? I'm sure I'll not a.s.sign you to the story.”
”Why not?” Penny asked in an injured tone. ”I think night riders would be especially suited to my journalistic talents. I could gather information about Clem Davis and the Prestons--”
”This is Sheriff Daniel's baby, and we'll let him take care of it for the time being,” Mr. Parker interrupted. ”Why not devote yourself to the great mystery of the Hubell clock? That should provide a safe outlook for your energies.”
The car was drawing close to Riverview. As it approached the tall stone tower, Penny raised her eyes to the dark windows. Just then the big clock struck twice.
”Two o'clock,” Mr. Parker observed, taking a quick glance at his watch.
”Or would you say three?”
”There's no argument about it this time, Dad. All the same, I intend to prove to you that I was right!”
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