Whispering Walls

HED ROO

hammered harder on the massive oaken door with

"Well, if he can be stubborn, so can I! I'll make s

minute, then she experimented with pattern knock

d flew open, and the same dark-fac

he demanded in an

s. Rhett," Penny replied poli

e isn't," was the sharp

ess answered that she was from the Riverview Star and de

eing anyone.

ow slamm

tructions from Mrs. Rhett, Penny wondered what to do. She consi

He would cock an eyebrow at her, growl: "So you couldn't get in,

pening gloom. "If I were thrown into jail, Mr. DeWitt probably wouldn't e

t. In a tight pinch, photographers nearly always could come up with a pict

e," she thought. "He's a good sc

y, but the press car was not to be seen.

terior had become discolored, and trees and bushes disclosed lack of skilled care. A hedge flank

of water lilies. Seating herself on the cement rim, she dabbled her hand in the water. A

rhaps if I poke around here long enou

rear of the house. Two interesting architectural features drew her attention. At each side of t

eed-choked, apparently angled toward the river beach. Years before, when the Heights Ya

neighborhood had deteriorated, householders gradually had moved away. Penny judged that the Rhe

per into the grounds, Penny presently found herself

mpletely screened her view. After walking a short distance, s

y," she reflected. "If the Star photographer

short distance ahead, she saw what appeared to be a thatched roof cottage. Only a moment or two would

footwork, she saved herself a fall, but as she paused to recover breath, she plainly saw the bushes

meone stood behind the bu

nned man who called to me fr

neasy. Likewise, it was unnerving to know that her every move was being watched. Ad

hand side of the trail. Now and then a slight jerk of the foliage convin

ad tinted many of the leaves with red and gold, but the arresting beauty of the foliag

ely seventy-five yards ahead, stood the thatched roo

nt she gave it her entire attention, forge

ed a native hut. No windows were visible. The door was closed, and across it was painted in

to be a large playhouse, but the serpent painting convinced

ecollection of the drawing that had fallen from Mr. Rhett's desk in the First National Bank. The paper had

orward, intending to examine the strange drawing at close range. Something

ly missed her. Had it been shot from the bushes behind her, and

aper attached to it with a bit of string. She broke the knot and freed the paper. Across its crumbled fac

roach the thatched roof cottage. T