Behind the Green Door Part 7

"I'd like to learn everything I can about him," responded Penny eagerly.

Mrs. Downey led the girl across the field to the road where the bob-sled and team of horses had been hitched. Jake, the handy man, appeared a moment later, loaded down with skis and luggage. Maxine Miller, Francine, and a well-dressed business man soon arrived and were helped into the sled.

"This is unique taxi service to say the least," declared Francine, none too well pleased. "It must take ages to get up the mountain."

"Not very long," replied Mrs. Downey cheerfully.

Jake drove, with the hotel woman and her guests sitting on the floor of the sled, covered by warm blankets.

"Is it always so cold here?" shivered Miss Miller.

"Always at this time of year," returned Mrs. Downey. "You'll not mind it in a day or two. And the skiing is wonderful. We had six more inches of snow last night."

Penny thoroughly enjoyed the novel experience of gliding swiftly over the hard-packed snow. The bobsled presently pa.s.sed a large rustic building at the base of the mountain which Mrs. Downey pointed out as the Fergus hotel.

"I suppose all the rich people stay there," commented Miss Miller. "Do you know if they have a guest named David Balantine?"

"The producer? Yes, I believe he is staying at the Fergus hotel."

At the next bend Jake stopped the horses so that the girls might obtain a view of the valley.

"Over to the right is the village of Pine Top," indicated Mrs. Downey.

"Just beyond the Fergus hotel is the site of an old silver mine, abandoned many years ago. And when we reach the next curve you'll be able to look north and see into Canada."

A short ride on up the mountain brought the party to the Downey Lodge, a small but comfortable log building amid the pines. On the summit of a slope not far away they could see the figure of a skier, poised for a swift, downward flight.

Mrs. Downey a.s.signed the guests to their rooms, tactfully establishing Penny and Francine at opposite ends of a long hall.

"Luncheon will be served at one o'clock," she told them. "If you feel equal to it you'll have time for a bit of skiing."

"I believe I'll walk down to the village and send a wire to Dad," said Penny. "Then this afternoon I'll try my luck on the slopes."

"Just follow the road and you'll not get lost," instructed Mrs. Downey.

Penny unpacked her suitcase, and then set forth at a brisk walk for the village. She found the telegraph station without difficulty and dispatched a message to her father, telling him of Harvey Maxwell's presence in Pine Top.

The town itself, consisting of half a dozen stores and twice as many houses, was soon explored. Before starting back up the mountain Penny thought she would buy a morning newspaper. But as she made inquiry at a drug store, the owner shook his head.

"We don't carry them here. The only papers we get come in by plane.

They're all sold out long before this."

"Oh, I see," said Penny in disappointment, "well, next time I'll try to come earlier."

"I beg your pardon," ventured a voice directly behind her. "Allow me to offer you my paper."

Penny turned around to see that Ralph Fergus had entered the drugstore in time to hear her remark. With a most engaging smile, he extended his own newspaper.

"Oh, I don't like to take your paper," she protested, wishing to accept no favor however small from the man.

"Please do," he urged, thrusting it into her hand. "I have finished with it."

"Thank you," said Penny.

She took the paper and started to leave the store. Mr. Fergus fell into step with her, following her outside.

"Going back up the mountain?" he inquired casually.

"Yes, I was."

"I'll walk along if you don't mind having company."

"Not at all."

Penny studied Ralph Fergus curiously, fairly certain he had a special reason for wishing to walk with her. For a time they trudged along in silence, the snow creaking beneath their boots.

"Staying at the Downey Lodge?" Fergus inquired after awhile.

"Yes, I am."

"Like it there?"

"Well, I only arrived on the morning plane."

"Yes, I noticed you aboard," he nodded. "Mrs. Downey is a very fine woman, a very fine woman, but her lodge isn't modern. You noticed that, I suppose?"

"I'm not especially critical," smiled Penny. "It seemed to suit my needs."

"You'll be more critical after you have stayed there a few days," he warned. "The service is very poor. Even this little matter of getting a morning newspaper. Now our hotel sees that every guest has one shoved under his door before breakfast."

"That would be very nice, I'm sure," remarked Penny dryly. "You're the manager of the hotel, aren't you?"

Ralph Fergus gave her a quick, appraising glance. "Right you are," he said jovially. "Naturally I think we have the finest hotel at Pine Top and I wish you would try it. I'll be glad to make you a special rate."

"You're very kind." It was a struggle for Penny to keep her voice casual.

"I may drop around sometime and look the hotel over."

"Do that," he urged. "Here is my card. Just ask for me and I'll show you about."

Penny took the card and dropped it into her pocket. A few minutes later as they pa.s.sed the Fergus hotel, her companion parted company with her.

"He thought I was an ordinary guest at Mrs. Downey's," Penny told herself. "Otherwise, he never would have dared to make such an open bid for my patronage."

Upon returning to the lodge she told Mrs. Downey of her meeting with Ralph Fergus.

"It doesn't surprise me one bit," the woman replied angrily. "Fergus has been using every method he can think of to get my guests away from me. He has runners out all the time, talking up his hotel and talking mine down."

Penny sat on the edge of the kitchen table, watching Mrs. Downey stir a great kettle of steaming soup.

"While I was coming here on the plane I heard Fergus and Maxwell speaking about you."