Whispering Walls

Smoothly and with accurate aim, the slim girl in blue sweater and swinging skirt sent the heavy ball crashing down the polished floor of the bowling alley.

"Another strike, Penny!" cried her school companion, Louise Sidell, watching the tenpins topple helter skelter and vanish out of sight. "You're certainly going like a house afire today!"

"Lucky, that's all." Penny Parker's friendly grin widened as she chalked up the score. Brushing aside a sandy-gold lock of hair which had dropped over one eye, she suddenly squinted at the wall clock. "Ten minutes until four o'clock!" she exclaimed. "Lou, unless we call it a day, I'll be late for work!"

"You and your work!" scoffed Louise, but she quickly sat down to remove her bowling shoes. "Why spend all your spare time at that old newspaper?"

"The Riverview Star is the best daily in the city!" Penny shot back proudly. "Anyway, I like being a reporter."

"I'll give you no argument on that point, my pet. You love it! Especially poking that freckled little nose of yours into every big story or mystery that comes along! Confess now, isn't it the excitement you like, rather than the work?"

A twitch of Penny's lips acknowledged the truth of her chum's observation. Off and on for several years she had served in many capacities on the Star, a daily Riverview newspaper owned by her father, Anthony Parker.

Many of the publication's best stories had carried her name. Now that school had started again, she was unable to work full time, but on this particular Saturday afternoon she had promised Editor DeWitt she would report at two o'clock. She had no intention of being late.

"Let's go," she urged, picking up her coat.

Louise trailed Penny to a desk where the cashier was absently listening to a short wave radio. As they paid their bill, the instrument suddenly blared a police order:

"Patrol 34--First National Bank, Main and Front Streets. Repeating, First National Bank, Main and Front Streets. See complainant. Patrol 34 in service."

To Louise it was only a meaningless jumble of words but Penny instantly pricked up her ears.

"Front and Main is just around the corner! Maybe there's been a robbery, Lou!"

"I hope not," laughed Louise. "The First National's where I keep my money. All $28.50 of it!"

Sweeping her change from the counter, Penny glanced again at the clock and came to a quick decision. Doubtless, the Star office would send a reporter to check the police call, but considerable time might elapse before anyone reached the bank.

"Let's jog over there and see what's doing," she proposed.

Louise nodded, hastily pulling a tight-fitting hat over her dark curls. Penny was already out of the door, walking so fast that her chum was hard pressed to overtake her.

Rounding the corner at Main and Front Streets, the girls were just in time to see a patrol car park at the curb in front of the bank. A police sergeant was at the wheel, but before Penny could hail him, he and a companion vanished into the building. A third man posted himself at the door of the bank.

Penny walked over to him. "Anything doing?" she inquired in a friendly, off-hand way. "A robbery?"

"I wouldn't know," he replied curtly.

Fishing in a cluttered purse, Penny came up with a press card. "I'm from the Star," she added, waving her credentials before him.

"You'll have to talk to the sergeant if you want to get any information," he said, relaxing slightly. "Go on in, if you want to."