With a curt word, Penny
excused herself to answer it. Dundee went on polishing glasses with a
fresh towel....
"Bonnie!" Penny was coming back, walking like a somnambulist, her brown
eyes wide and fixed. "That was--Ralph!... _And he doesn't even know Nita
is dead!_"
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
"Of course I recognized his voice instantly when he said, 'That you,
Penny?' and it's a wonder I didn't scream," said Penny Crain, fighting
her way up through dazed bewilderment to explain in detail, in answer to
Dundee's pelting questions. "I said, 'Of course, Ralph.... Where _have_
you been?...' And _he_ said, in that coaxing, teasing voice of his that
I know so well: 'Peeved, Penny?... I don't blame you, honey. You really
ought not to let me come over and explain why I stood you up last night,
but you will, won't you?... Ni-i-ze Penny!...' That's exactly how he
talked, Bonnie Dundee! Exactly! _Oh, don't you see he couldn't know that
Nita is dead?_"
"Did you ask him where he was?" Dundee asked finally.
"No. I just told him to come on over, and he said I could depend on it
that he wouldn't waste any time.... Oh, Bonnie! What shall we _do_?"
"Listen, Penny!" Dundee urged rapidly. "You must realize that I've got
to see and hear, but I don't want Ralph Hammond to see _me_ until after
he's had a talk with you.
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