Behind the Green Door

ING CO

so that her gaze fell squarely upon Penny and Lou

ed them breezily. "What b

business-like. Without meaning to offend, she gave others a

f," answered Louise bef

" inquired Francine, staring at

it ever g

ling a

ome," Penny admi

ly only going

ed Penny. She did not like the

" declared Louise, never guessing that her

and her eyes roved swiftly toward the two m

companions, I believe,"

ck to the younger girl. Her

o Pine Top for the ski

" counter

kiing," retorted Francin

ecord to give

passengers were beginning to leave the waiting room. The two men who had attracted Pe

with a quick change of attitude. "I know very well why you

I don't know them myself," responded Penny. "Suppo

hinks you have had enough experience to handle a difficult assignment of this sort. I'll warn you right now, Penny, d

lied Penny evenly. "Then there will be

ou don't give any ti

o gentlemen who were here a moment ago kn

ural

e these men

patient gesture. "Oh, why pose, Penny? This

nny isn't posing! It's true she is going to Pine To

She was sorry that her chum had put a

wo girls, scarcely knowing w

e the identity of our two fell

le. "Fancy that! Well, you've proven such a clever little reporter in the

went back to the desk to speak

ered in disgust. "Did I make a mistake in letti

hall we be going out to th

ng tongues of flame leaping from the exhausts. Nearly all of the

Penny said, shaki

And don't let that know-it-al

n help it,"

shing to be the last person aboard, Penny stepped quickly into the cabin. All but two seats w

e cabin. As she went down the aisle to take the only remaining

lace just to spite her!"

or. The plane began to move down the ramp, away from the station's canopied e

way. A take-off was not especially thrilling to Penny who often had made flights with her father

ed her attention to her fellow passengers. Beside her, on the right, sat the over-pa

he asked nervously, meeting Penny's gaz

," replied Penny. "The

er the mountains in win

a skilful pilot. I am sure

taken a plane if it hadn't been

the lavish use of make-up to appear younger. Her hair was a bleached yellow, dry and brittle from too frequent permanent

" inquired Penny. "Half the passengers o

here you a

an old friend who has an Inn on the mo

elaxed now that the transport was flying at an even keel. "I am going the

hook he

large chain of theatres throughout the country. He produces his own shows, t

mured Penny. "Yo

the woman answered proudly. "You must have seen my na

one of your plays," Pe

itted with an embarrassed laugh. "'At liberty' is a word we show people use whe

, I

an appointment for me. Then quite by luck I learned that he planned to spend two weeks at Pine Top. I thoug

ke?" questioned Penny. "To go so far

every other way to meet him. If I win the pa

f you

uld be worse. If I stay at Pine Top more than a few days I'll never hav

about that," a

Penny all about herself, her trials and triumphs on the stage. As first, it was fairly interesting, but as Miss Miller repeated herself,

her. However, Miss Miller kept her so busy answering questions that she c

nished to have Francine sidle over to her as she sat on a

thing you wanted to know? I s

ignantly. "It's stupid and is employed only by tra

you sugg

wearily. "Now please go

h room. A moment later the two men, who had caused the young woman reporter such co

hearing their conversation, and almost the

id the stout one. "Nothi

rgetting Mrs.

hat's why I'm going out to Pine Top with you, Ralph.