Miss Kippenberg had closed her ears to Penny's words. She turned abruptly and fled in the direction of the powder room.

Penny hesitated, remembering her promise to create no scene. Still, she could not allow Miss Kippenberg to elude her so easily. Determinedly, she followed.

"Please, Miss Kippenberg, you must listen to me," she pleaded.

Observing that her words had not the slightest effect upon the girl, she suddenly opened her purse and took out the white gold ring. She thrust it in front of Miss Kippenberg.

"I only wish to show you this."

The young woman stopped short, gazing down at the ring.

"Where did you get it?" she asked in a low tone.

"Then you do recognize it?"

"Of course. Grant showed it to me the night before we were to have been married. Tell me, how did it come into your hands?"

"We can't talk here."

Miss Kippenberg glanced quickly about and observing that many eyes were focused upon them, led the girl into the deserted powder room. They sat down on a sofa in a secluded corner.

"I didn't mean to be so rude before," Miss Kippenberg apologized. "It was only because I must protect myself from reporters and photographers. You have no idea how I have been annoyed."

"I do understand," said Penny, "and I wish to help you. That was why I was so insistent upon talking with you. I think this ring may be a clue to Mr. Atherwald's disappearance."

"Then you believe as I do that he did not go away purposely?"

"My theory is that Mr. Atherwald was a victim of a plot. Did he have any known enemies?"

"Oh, no, everyone liked Grant. Tell me about the ring. Who gave it to you?"

"No one. I found it while I was exploring a path on the estate, the trail which is blocked off."

"You shouldn't have gone there, but no matter. Just where did you pick up the ring?"

"I found it near the lily pool."

Miss Kippenberg stared at Penny with expressionless, half-glazed eyes.

"Oh!" she murmured. Her head dropped low, her body sagged and she slumped down on the sofa in a faint.

CHAPTER 10 _A THROWN STONE_

Penny's first thought was to call for a.s.sistance, but sober reflection made her realize that to do so would likely result in awkward questions.

She felt certain Miss Kippenberg had only fainted and would soon revive.

Stretching the young woman full length upon the sofa, the girl ran to the washroom for a gla.s.s of water. She dampened a towel and folded it across Miss Kippenberg's forehead, at the same time rubbing the limp hands and trying to restore circulation. Noticing the white gold ring which had fallen to the floor, she reached down and picked it up.

"Miss Kippenberg must have fainted because of what I told her about the lily pond," thought Penny. "I should have used more tact."

She watched the young woman anxiously, fearing that what she had a.s.sumed to be an ordinary faint might really be a heart attack. A wave of relief surged over her as Miss Kippenberg stirred slightly. Her long dark eyelashes fluttered open and she stared blankly about her.

"Where am I?" she asked, moistening her dry lips.

"Here, drink this," Penny urged, offering the gla.s.s of water. "You'll feel much better in a few minutes."

"Now I remember," Miss Kippenberg murmured. "You were saying--"

"Don't think about that now. Just lie still and relax."

Miss Kippenberg did not try to speak again for some little time. Then, despite Penny's protests, she raised herself to a sitting position.

"I feel quite all right now," she insisted. "How stupid of me to faint."

"I am afraid I was very tactless."

"On the contrary, our conversation had nothing to do with it."

"I thought--"

"It was the heat," Miss Kippenberg insisted. "I had a sunstroke once and since then I can't bear even an overheated room."

"But it really isn't very warm in here," protested Penny. "I don't notice it at all."

"You might not but I am very sensitive to it."

"Well, I'm glad your faint wasn't caused by anything I said," Penny declared, although she continued to regard the young woman dubiously. "I thought you seemed shocked by what I told you about the ring."

"You were saying that you picked it up near the lily pond?" Miss Kippenberg questioned in a low tone.

"Yes," replied Penny, watching her closely.

"I wish I knew the exact place."

"If we could go to your estate together I could show you," Penny said eagerly.

Miss Kippenberg hesitated in her reply, obviously still prejudiced against the girl because of her connection with the _Riverview Star_.

"Very well," she agreed. "Will you please ask that my car be sent to the door?"

"Gladly," said Penny, trying not to show her jubilance.

Leaving Miss Kippenberg in the powder room she returned to the main hall.

Louise separated from the crowd and hurried to meet her.