Penny Nichols and the Mystery of the Lost Key
uable
e only ten minutes be
doors at the entrance of the Bresham Department Store. A vigorous push sent the bar
Penny," Susan Altman protested with a lau
et that pair of white earrings. The clerk
tly to the jewelry counter. Penny peered anxiously into one of the glass cases to
asked her chum as they stood impatiently waiting for a clerk. In ma
can wear anything. Now if you had
trying vainly to attract the attention of a clerk. The only available girl at the
nce. "You can tell it's going to take until closing
ual inspection appeared to be a gentleman of considerable means. Although the
stioned. "Show me that large diamond, please."
the diamond closely, comparing it with another ring previously s
mind which ring I prefer," he urged the clerk.
s a rule of the store to keep them always in the locked case. Yet it would take her only a mi
y announced, indicating the ivory piece
ect. I'll have the
r. Perhaps she had been foolish to buy the earrings. It meant that she must do without a great many little things in order to keep within he
counter. She saw him cast a quick glance about. Then
ted upon the ring tray. The
n too deft for that-yet she knew for a certainty that while the cler
esitate. She da
sed shoppers who turned at the sound of h
in anger. With his cane he struck viciously
tive blocked
thief turned and bolted up a moving escalator which was c
few of the more energetic cu
the stairway. Upon the uncertain footing of the moving treads, several stumbled and fell
the girl went, and as she fell, the contents of her pocketbook spilled out upon the moving stairway. The thief took advantage of the resulting confusion to melt into
e girl who had fallen, tryin
the other cried, frantically beginnin
an a help. Yet by working fast Penny managed to accumulate nearly
lett
permost step. With a bound she covered the distance which separated her from it, pou
her hand, she turned to ass
ng," she observed.
aintained staunchly. "I tw
d when she spoke and her attractive face had taken on an ashen hue. Yet, strangely,
ully. "I don't know what I should have done if I
ake any response store officials hurried up to take charge of the situation. The girl's name was Rosanna Winters, Penny
of store officials that she be sent to a
ly twisted my ankle. I'll s
"My roadster is parked just outside t
she said: "That's very kind of yo
Here, let me hel
anna said hastily. "Hereafter I'll
ve the building. As the girls returned to the street floor they were embarrassed to find themselves the tar
nocked me down?" Rosanna quest
n. "The last I saw of him he was running toward the kit
r new friend in that direction. Quickly she introduced
you certainly did stir up things when yo
Penny acknowledged. "Of course, he may be c
the jewelry counter. The girls would have left the store withou
larm," she told Penny gratefully. "If th
I hop
ken a store rule. I was completely
. "He certainly looked anything but
hundred dollars. I don't see h
rticularly so when the floorwalker cam
Penny insisted. "I feel certain that
s appearance?" the
say he was approximately six feet in height, da
took Penny's address in case she might be needed l
floorwalker informed, "but the chances are the m
and her companions lingered a few minutes longer a
nny declared as they paused for an instant on the street. "I
turned as if to
" she said to Penny. "My ankle is much bet
ht her by
hurts you every step you take. It isn't more than
at the curbing. Penny was very proud of her car. Although it was not a new model i
ing Rosanna home. During the ride to Sixty-fifth Street, the Winters girl spok
decided. A striking brunette wit
e girl said as they turned a c
house. The porch was clean and the yard more
find another place," Rosanna mentioned, feelin
er in Belton City
en, because Penny had seemed so very friendly, decided to offer additional information. "I am a
e had a piece
out the letter which Penny had picked up from the escalator. "
natched it up in t
the mysterious letter. It was all she
o," Rosanna said a trifle timidly. "I'm anx
y returned, a little surprised at the request. "And
a proffered. As she took out the folde
is?" Penny
r says is true, it seems to be the key to my