od listening to the sounds in the attic she saw Mrs.
Masterbrook coming up the path to the cottage. The housekeeper paused
by the gate to stare at Mr. Crocker's car and then glanced quickly
about.

"What is Herman doing here?" she asked abruptly as Penny met her on the
porch.

"I'm sure I don't know," replied the girl. "He said he wanted to get
something from the attic."

"The attic!" repeated Mrs. Masterbrook. "Oh!" And for no apparent
reason she began to laugh.

"What do you find so funny?"

"Oh, nothing," replied the housekeeper, passing quickly into the
cottage.

Penny stared after the woman, thoroughly bewildered by her actions.
She felt certain that Mrs. Masterbrook knew why old Herman Crocker had
come to the cottage.

Penny sat down on the porch steps to wait. Fifteen minutes elapsed
before she heard Mr. Crocker coming down the attic stairway. As he
stepped out on the porch she noticed that he had nothing in his hands
and he seemed somewhat disturbed.

"Did you find what you were after?" asked Penny.

"Oh, yes--yes," replied the old man absently.

Mrs. Masterbrook had emerged from the kitchen in time to hear the
remark.

"Did you really?" she inquired with a slight smirk.

The words were spoken casually enough but Penny thought she detected a
note of triumph in the woman's voice. Mr. Crocker noticed it too for
he glanced sharply at the housekeeper. Her face was expressionless.

"Well, I'll have to be getting back," the old man said. He walked
slowly to the car.

Mrs. Masterbrook waited on the porch until he had driven down the road.
The housekeeper was highly pleased about something. Penny thought that
she looked exactly like a cat which had drunk its fill of rich cream.

"Mrs. Masterbrook knows what Herman came here for," the girl reflected.
"I'd question her only it wouldn't do a bit of good."

Penny hoped that if she showed no interest the housekeeper might offer
a little information. She was disappointed. Without a word Mrs.
Masterbrook walked back into the cottage.

"I'd like to find out what is in the attic," Penny thought. "When the
coast is clear I'm going up there and look around."

Throughout the morning she lingered near the cottage, but it seemed
that always either the housekeeper or Michael Haymond was at hand to
observe her actions. When Mr. Nichols returned from his walk Penny did
not tell him about Herman Crocker's mysterious visit to the attic for
she felt c