Part 9 (1/2)

Instead of answering, the old man seized her by the hand and pulled her to her feet.

”Go!” he commanded. ”And don't let me catch you here again!”

Penny shouldered her skis and moved toward the fence.

”So sorry to have damaged your nice snow,” she apologized. ”I'll try not to trespa.s.s again.”

Crawling under the barbed wire fence, Penny retraced her way up the slope to the point on the trail where she had taken the wrong turn. There she hesitated and finally decided to walk on to the Fergus hotel.

”I wonder who that girl was at the window?” Penny reflected as she trudged along. ”She looked too young to be Old Whisker's daughter. And what was she trying to tell me?”

The problem was too deep for her to solve. But she made up her mind she would ask Mrs. Downey the name of the queer old man as soon as she returned to the lodge.

Reaching the Fergus hotel, Penny parked her skis upright in a s...o...b..nk near the front door, and went inside. She found herself in a long lobby at the end of which was a great stone fireplace with a half burned log on the hearth. Bellboys in green uniforms and bra.s.s b.u.t.tons darted to and fro. A general stir of activity pervaded the place.

As Penny was gazing about, she saw Maxine Miller leave an elevator and come slowly across the lobby. The actress would not have seen her had she not spoken.

”How do you do, Miss Miller. I didn't expect to see you here.”

”Oh, Miss Parker!” The actress' face was the picture of despair. ”I've had the most wretched misfortune!”

”Why, what has happened?” inquired Penny, although she thought she knew the answer to her question.

”I've just seen Mr. Balantine.” Miss Miller sagged into the depths of a luxuriously upholstered davenport and leaned her head back against the cus.h.i.+on.

”Your interview didn't turn out as you expected?”

”He wouldn't give me the part. Hateful old goat! He even refused to allow me to demonstrate how well I could read the lines! And he said some very insulting things to me.”

”That is too bad,” returned Penny sympathetically. ”What will you do now?

Go back home?”

”I don't know,” the woman replied in despair. ”I would stay if I thought I could change Mr. Balantine's opinion. Do you think I could?”

”I shouldn't advise it myself. Of course, I don't know anything about Mr.

Balantine.”

”He's very temperamental. Perhaps if I kept bothering him he would finally give me a chance.”

”Well, it might be worth trying,” Penny said doubtfully. ”But I think if I were you I would return home.”

”All of my friends will laugh at me. They thought it was foolish to come out here as it was. I can't go back. I am inclined to move down to this hotel so I'll be able to keep in touch with Mr. Balantine with less difficulty.”

”It's a very nice looking hotel,” commented Penny. ”Expensive, I've been told.”

”In the show business one must keep up appearances at all cost,” replied Miss Miller. ”I believe I'll inquire about the rates.”

While Penny waited, the actress crossed over to the desk and talked with a clerk. In a small office close by, Ralph Fergus and Harvey Maxwell could be seen in consultation. They were poring over a ledger, apparently checking business accounts.

Miss Miller returned in a moment. ”I've taken a room,” she announced. ”I can't afford it, but I am doing it anyway.”