"I wish you would send me to Kano's instead of Jerry."

"Dorr Street is no place for you, Penny," Mr. Parker replied, dismissing the matter. "Shall we get to bed now? It's nearly midnight."

After the doors had been locked once more Penny went to her room, but she did not immediately fall asleep. Instead, she kept mulling over the events of the night. The more she thought about it the more firmly she became convinced that both the Kohl home and her own had been entered by the same person.

"The telephone was ringing when I came from the movie," she recalled.

"Now I wonder who called? It may have been a trick of the thief to learn if anyone were in the house. When no one answered, the a.s.sumption would be that the coast was clear."

Penny felt rather well satisfied with the way matters had developed. In one bold stroke she had saved Mrs. Weems' inheritance, convinced the housekeeper that Al Gepper was not to be trusted, and had made definite progress in gaining evidence to be used in her father's campaign against the charlatan invaders of Riverview. Yet it annoyed her that the story, now that it had reached an active stage, was to be turned over to Jerry.

"I have a notion to visit the Kano Curio Shop ahead of him," she thought.

"That's exactly what I'll do!"

Having made up her mind, she rolled over and promptly fell asleep.

In the morning Penny ate breakfast and wiped the dishes with a speed which astonished Mrs. Weems. Shortly after her father left for the office, she backed her own maroon car from the garage, and offering only a vague explanation, departed for Kano's Curio Shop.

Dorr Street was quite deserted at such an early hour, and the j.a.panese shop owner had just unlocked his doors. He was sweeping the floor as Penny boldly entered.

"Good morning, Mr. Kano," she greeted him. "You remember me, I believe?"

Mr. Kano bowed, regarding her warily. "Yes," he replied. "You are the young lady whose curiosity is very large."

Penny smiled. "You are right, Mr. Kano. It is very large, especially about a certain silken ladder."

Mr. Kano frowned as he leaned on his broom. "I am very sorry," he said.

"I am a merchant, not one who answers what you call the quiz-bee."

Penny understood that the j.a.panese never would tell her what she wished to know save under compulsion. She decided to adopt firm tactics.

"Mr. Kano," she said, "my father is the owner of the _Riverview Star_ and he intends to expose certain crooks who have been robbing wealthy persons such as the Kohls. You read in the paper that their home was entered?"

"Yes, I read," the j.a.panese shrugged.

"My own theory is that the thief gained entrance by means of a silk ladder," Penny declared. "_A ladder made in this shop!_"

The shopkeeper's eyes narrowed. "I know nothing," he replied. "Nothing.

You go now, please."

"If I go," said Penny, "I'll return with the police. You would not like that, I take it?" Her voice was crisp and full of menace.

Mr. Kano lost some of his poise. "No!" he answered sharply. "I am an honest man and want no sad trouble with the police."

Chancing to glance toward the street, Penny observed Jerry Livingston standing on the opposite corner. He was gazing thoughtfully toward the Curio Shop, and she knew that he must have been sent by her father to interview Mr. Kano. Inspired, she turned again to the old j.a.panese.

"You see that young man yonder?" she asked, indicating Jerry. "I have but to summon him and he'll come here."

"Detective?" demanded Mr. Kano, peering anxiously through the window. "Do not call him! I am an honest man. I will answer your questions."

"Then tell me about the silken ladder."

"I know little," the shopkeeper insisted. "I made the rope for a man who said: 'Do this or we will burn your shop down, Mr. Kano.' So I made the ladder and he paid me well for fashioning it."

"And what was the man's name?"

"His name I do not know. But his eyes were small and evil. His skin was dark, his nose crooked."

Mr. Kano ceased speaking with an abruptness which caused Penny to glance toward the door. Her first thought was that Jerry had entered. Instead a strange young man stood there, regarding her suspiciously.

As she stared at him he quickly retreated, but not before she had caught a fleeting impression of a face which matched Mr. Kano's description with startling accuracy.

"Was he the one?" she demanded as the door slammed. "The man for whom you made the ladder?"

"No, no!" denied the j.a.panese.

His words failed to convince Penny. Darting to the door, she saw that the young man already was far down the street, walking rapidly.

"He is the one," she thought. "I'll follow him."

"Wait," called the j.a.panese as she started away, "I have more to tell you."

It was a ruse to detain her, Penny knew. Pushing past the shopkeeper who sought to bar the exit, she reached the street and ran toward Jerry Livingston.

"Why, Penny!" he exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing in this part of town?"

"Never mind that," she answered hastily. "If you're after a story, come along with me. We're trailing the man who just left Kano's Shop."

CHAPTER 18 _THE BELL TOWER_

Jerry fell into step with Penny. As they walked along, she told him of her conversation with Mr. Kano.

"I believe this man we're following is the same one who entered our house last night," she declared. "He's the same build as the fellow I grabbed.

Besides, he fits Kano's description of the person who bought the silken ladder."

"Here's hoping you're right," replied Jerry. "If I m.u.f.f this a.s.signment, I may wake up looking for another job."

Fearing that the man ahead would discover he was being followed, Jerry and Penny dropped farther and farther behind. Presently they saw him enter a p.a.w.nshop.

"I know that place," commented Jerry. "It's run by Spike Weiser, a notorious _fence_. He buys stolen goods and gets rid of it at a profit.

Has a swell home on Clarmont Drive."

"Why don't the police arrest him?"

"Oh, they watch the place, but Spike is too smart to be caught. He has a system for handling _hot_ goods."