Penny Nichols and the Mystery of the Lost Key Part 28

She looked in the desk and in several table drawers. She searched in the magazine rack and even in the kitchen cupboard. She was growing discouraged when she finally opened a closet and peered up at the high shelves. Far above her head was a stack of old papers.

Although Penny had given up hope of finding the picture, she brought a chair and climbing up on it, took down the papers.

As she lifted the stack, an object which had been lying on the shelf was brushed to the floor. She bent down to pick it up. To her amazement and delight it was a photograph.

She stared in disbelief at the man's face and then turned the photo over to read what had been written on the back.

"_Jacob Winters._"

"And Caleb told me he didn't know where he could get a photograph!" Penny thought indignantly. "All the time he had this one hidden here on the shelf. Why, I'm positive this picture came out of the alb.u.m Rosanna and I found. Very likely Caleb tore it out himself!"

Hastily replacing the papers on the shelf, Penny tucked the photograph into her pocket and prepared to leave the cabin. She was highly elated over her discovery.

"This will prove quite a valuable addition to my collection of evidence,"

she chuckled. "No wonder Caleb was afraid to have me see it."

CHAPTER XVI Mrs. Leeds' Strategy

Penny was highly jubilant as she walked rapidly toward the house on the hill. The day had been an unusually successful one for her and with the photograph of Jacob Winters in her possession she felt that it would only be a matter of time until the mystery was solved.

"But I must act quickly or it may be too late," she thought.

Drawing near the house she saw Rosanna hurrying to meet her. Penny quickened her step as she observed that the girl appeared greatly agitated.

"Oh, Penny," Rosanna gasped, "Mrs. Leeds has locked me out of the house!"

"What?"

"When I tried to get in after leaving you a few minutes ago she met me at the front door. She said I couldn't come in because the house and everything surrounding it belongs to her now."

Penny laughed shortly. "She's been saying that ever since she came here."

"I know, but this is different, Penny. She has the will to prove it."

"The will?"

"Yes, she showed it to me. And it's true. My uncle left all his property to her."

"And where did she claim to have found this doc.u.ment?" Penny asked.

"Why, somewhere in the house. I was so upset I didn't think to inquire.

Now that I know Uncle Jacob left everything to her, I shall leave at once."

Penny caught Rosanna by the arm. "Don't be in too much of a hurry to get away," she advised. "It may be that Mrs. Leeds' claims are false."

"But I saw the will for myself."

"Perhaps it was forged."

"I never thought of that," Rosanna gasped. "Do you think she would resort to such a trick?"

"I believe she'd do almost anything to gain a fortune."

Penny had been thinking swiftly. She recalled the secretive actions of Mrs. Leeds and Max Laponi when they were closeted together in the library. They had been engrossed in writing a doc.u.ment of some sort.

Doubtless it was the will which Mrs. Leeds now claimed to have found.

Penny's face puckered into a worried frown. Mrs. Leeds' unexpected action might complicate the entire situation and ruin her own plans. She feared too that the woman actually had destroyed Jacob Winters' true will.

"She was burning it in the fireplace that day when I came upon her,"

Penny thought. "That's why she feels so safe about forging another one in her own favor."

"What were you saying?" Rosanna inquired.

Penny had not realized that she was speaking aloud.

"Only thinking," she responded. "We'll go in and talk with Mrs. Leeds."

"But we can't get in for she has locked all the doors. Our luggage is sitting out on the porch."

"Very considerate of her I must say," Penny grinned. "But we can get in all right." She produced the key which she had found in Max Laponi's room.

"Weren't you smart to keep it!" Rosanna cried.

"That remains to be seen. But come on, let's beard Mrs. Leeds in her den."

Penny boldly walked up to the front door. It was locked as Rosanna had said, so inserting her key she opened it.

As the girls entered, they heard Alicia calling shrilly to her mother and an instant later Mrs. Leeds came storming into the hall.

"What is the meaning of this outrage?" she demanded furiously.

"That is what we should like to know," Penny retorted. "Why did you lock us out?"

"Because this is my house. Jacob Winters left everything to me and I have the will to prove it."

"May I ask where you found it?" Penny inquired.

The question confused Mrs. Leeds. She began to stammer.

"Why, I--that is, it's none of your affair, Miss Nichols!"

"I disagree with you there. I am interested in seeing Rosanna treated fairly. May I examine the will?"

Mrs. Leeds hesitated and the girls thought that she would refuse the request. However, the woman said: