Ghost Beyond the Gate

PAGE

p of people at the curb, she ran to the parked ambulance. A glance into the i

e asked wildly. "

lance attendant tur

ried, pointing to the battered se

put in a call for us. Said we were to pick up an injured man.

ood close by. "A woman drove by in an auto. She offere

in a gray suit?" P

a leather cas

er!" Penny cried. "H

ht," the boy replied. "He

Penny sought more information. The boy who had witnessed the accident,

around your father's car and crowded him toward the c

r car did

n't! You should

he license number?"

shook

s able to provide additional information. Her eye-witness account differed slightly from the boy's, b

pital?" as

y, however, that the accident victim see

ithout revealing who she was to members of the investigation squad, she hailed a taxi. Mercy Hospita

arker had not been admitted as a patient. The nurse in charge, noting the girl's agitation, kindly offered

ather sought hospital tre

y hurt according to witnesses

n old coat and a turban, was pouring salt on the icy sidewalk in front of th

" Penny cried, leaping from t

d allowed the bag of salt to fall fr

else. But I've not been able to learn whe

was since I've

y into the house. Without removing coat or hat, the

d there?" Penny

t returned. A

red. The news shocked the editor for

be badly hurt or he never would have walked away from that acci

r anxiety increased. Mr. DeWitt did not phone. There was no word from the police station. They refus

eclared the housekeeper. "I simply can't unders

ll jingled. Penny snatched

said the familiar v

asked quickly. "

e personally called the police station, every h

to a doctor's off

lied DeWitt. "We've chec

Penny asked desperately. "Mrs. We

orted Mr. DeWitt. "Probably he doesn

he had learned the ident

ar," Mr. DeWitt returned regretfully. "Our re

it occurred to her that her father's accident and subseq

talked to your father," DeWitt said hastily. "Now don't worry

to Mrs. Weems. A clock on the mantel chimed one-thirty, r

eaded Penny. "I don'

sekeeper. "However, it's foolish of us to worry. Your

d. "Don't know why I've been so dumb! Dad may still be

until she was connected with the State prosec

I expected him at ten-thirty. Then he telephoned that he had been delayed

t the accident and listened to the Prosecutor's expression of sym

"Dad didn't keep his appointment with Prosecut

ar from h

Penny took a quick t

g to say! What do

that if any attempt was made to expose a certa

s had no connection

xplained. "Today at the time of the accident, Dad

, I fail

ny added excitedly. "I think that auto crash was deliberately engineered! Don

m sure we're making far too much of the ac

me, Mrs. Weems. Something dread

oor and went to the hall c

" asked the housekeep

rd comes, I want to be there to

anged her mind. She merely said: "Tele

ng courage. As she entered the newsroom, brushing snow from her c

she thought, he

catter. They gazed at her in such a kind, sympa

?" she asked the editor

ok his

isted, her gaze on a folded paper which he

quietly. "We found this letter

she read the message which ha

LAY OFF ON TIRE THEFT STORIES IN YOUR PAPER. UNLESS