The Secret Pact.

by Mildred A. Wirt.

CHAPTER 1.

ABOARD THE GOODTIME

A blanket of fog, thick and damp, swirled about the decks of the excursion steamer, _Goodtime_, cautiously plying its course down the river. At intervals, above the steady throb of the ship's engines, a fog horn sounded its mournful warning to small craft.

"I hope we don't collide with another boat before we make the dock,"

remarked Louise Sidell who stood at the railing with her chum, Penelope Parker.

"That would be a perfect ending for an imperfect day," returned Penny, fitting her coat collar more snugly about her throat.

"An imperfect day! I call it a miserable one. Rain and fog! Rain and fog!

It's made my hair as straight as the shortest distance between two points."

"Mine's as kinky as wool." Impatiently Penny brushed a ringlet of golden hair from her eyes. "Well, shall we go inside again?"

"No, I'd rather freeze than be a wallflower," the dark-eyed girl responded gloomily. "We haven't been asked to dance once this evening."

"That's because we came without our own crowd, Lou. Except for that couple yonder, we're practically the only persons aboard unattached to a group."

Penny jerked her head in the direction of a young man and girl who slowly paced the deck. Earlier in the evening their peculiar actions had attracted her attention. They kept strictly to themselves, avoiding the salon, the dining room, and all contact with other excursionists.

"I wonder who they are?" mused Louise, turning to stare. "The girl wears a veil as if she were afraid someone might recognize her."

"Yes, I noticed that, and whenever anyone goes near her, she lowers her head. I wish we could see her face."

"Let's wander over that way," proposed Louise.

Arm in arm, they sauntered toward the couple. The young man saw them coming. He touched his companion's arm and, turning their backs, they walked away.

"They did that to avoid meeting us!" Louise declared in an excited undertone. "Now why, I wonder?"

The couple had reached the end of the deck. As the young woman turned to glance over her shoulder, a sudden gust of wind caught her hat. Before she could save it, the head-gear was swept dangerously close to the railing.

Not giving the young man an opportunity to act, Penny darted forward.

Rescuing the hat, she carried it to the couple.

"Thank you," the girl mumbled, keeping her head lowered. "Thank you very much."

Quickly she jammed the felt hat on her head and replaced the veil, but not before Penny had seen her face clearly. The young woman was unusually pretty with large brown eyes and a long, smoothly brushed black bob.

"This is certainly a miserable night," Penny remarked, hoping to start a conversation.

"Sure is," replied the young man with discouraging brevity.

He tipped his hat and steered his companion away from the girl.

Ruefully Penny returned to Louise who had been an interested spectator.

"Did you get a good look at the pair?" she asked eagerly.

"Yes, but I've never seen either of them before."

"They wouldn't talk?"

"No, and the girl lowered her veil as soon as she could."

"Perhaps she's a movie actress traveling in disguise."

"Aboard a river excursion boat? I'm afraid not, Lou."

"Then maybe she's a criminal trying to elude the police."

"I fear the mystery of her ident.i.ty must remain forever unsolved,"

chuckled Penny. "We'll dock in another five minutes."

Through the fog could be seen a dim glow of lights along the Riverview wharf. The _Goodtime_, its whistle tooting repeated signals, was proceeding more slowly than ever. Sailors stood ready to make the vessel fast to the dock posts when she touched.

Pa.s.sengers began to pour from the salon, and Penny and Louise joined the throng. Many persons pushed and jostled each other, trying to obtain a position close to the gangplank.

Suddenly a girl who stood not far from Penny gave an alarmed cry.

"My pocketbook! It's gone!"

Those near her expressed polite concern and a.s.sisted in searching the deck. The missing purse was not found. Before the captain could be notified, the gangplank was lowered, and the pa.s.sengers began to disembark from the steamer.

The girl, whose pocketbook had been lost, remained by the railing, quite forgotten. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Excuse me," said Penny, addressing her, "is there anything I can do to help?"

Disconsolately, the girl shook her head. She made a most unattractive picture, for her blouse was wrinkled and her skirt was spotted with an ugly coffee stain. Beneath a brown, misshapen roll-brim hat hung a tangle of brown hair.

"Someone stole my pocketbook," she said listlessly. "I had twelve dollars in it, too."

"You're sure you didn't leave it anywhere?" Louise inquired.

"No, I had it in my hand only a minute ago. I think someone lifted it in the crowd."

"A pickpocket, no doubt," Penny agreed. "I've been told they frequent these river boats."

"Nearly everyone has left the steamer now, so I suppose it would do no good to notify the captain," commented Louise.

She and Penny started to turn away, then paused as they noticed that the girl remained in the same dejected posture.