Part 19 (2/2)
”You read it,” she begged Penny. ”I'm afraid.”
Penny reached down and picked it up. The message had been printed on cheap brown wrapping paper. It bore the warning:
”JEROME DAVIS, THIS IS THE LAST WARNING YOU WILL RECEIVE FROM US.
WE GIVE YOU TWENTY-FOUR HOURS TO CHANGE YOUR MIND.”
”It's a threat from the Molberg gang!” Betty declared tensely as Penny finished reading the message aloud. ”Oh, I'll never feel easy again until every member of that outfit has been placed behind bars! What do you think they will do when Father defies them?”
”Probably nothing,” Penny comforted. ”Most anonymous notes are sent by cowards and the threats seldom carried out. At least Dad doesn't regard them very seriously. He's been threatened by the Molberg gang too.”
”And have they made no attempt to harm him?” Betty asked.
”Not to my knowledge. Dad seems more than able to look after himself, and I'm certain your father knows how to protect himself too.”
”He should,” Betty admitted. ”He's one of the best marksmen on the police force.”
”Then I think Rap Molberg is the one who should be on his guard,” Penny smiled.
By making light of the threatening note she tried to relieve Betty of anxiety. Her efforts were not very successful. When she left the house a half hour later the girl was still excited and overwrought.
Not until Penny was nearly home did it occur to her that she had forgotten to look at the photograph of Jimmie Davis.
”Oh, well, it doesn't matter,” she thought.
As she drove the roadster into the garage, Mrs. Gallup came down the path to meet her.
”I'm sorry to be so late,” Penny said quickly before the housekeeper could take her to task. ”A million and one things detained me. Dad's home, I suppose?”
”No, he isn't. But someone has been trying to get you on the telephone for the past hour.”
”Probably it was Dad.”
”It may have been, but it didn't sound like his voice. Listen, isn't that the phone now?”
They could hear the bell ringing inside the house. Penny ran to answer it. As she took down the receiver, she was greeted by a masculine voice. But it was not the detective who had telephoned.
”Is this Miss Nichols?” she was asked.
”Yes,” Penny returned quietly, aware from the other's tone that she must prepare herself for bad news.
”Don't be alarmed, Miss Nichols, but your father has been hurt.”
”Oh! Badly?”
”We're not sure yet. He is still unconscious. Can you come at once?”
”Yes, yes, of course! Which hospital?”
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