g
some miraculous means of quick transportation. Just then a taxicab
whirled around the corner. Susan held up her hand as a signal for it
to stop.

"You don't mind, do you Penny? Mother will be so exasperated if I
don't come. Hop in with me and I'll drop you off downtown."

"No thanks, Susan," Penny excused herself. "I just thought of a place
I want to stop and it isn't on your route. See you tomorrow."

The cab door slammed and Susan was whisked away to her appointment.
Penny walked rapidly toward the poorer section of the business
district. She finally stopped at the entrance of the building where
the previous day she had encountered the mysterious man in gray and the
arrogant janitor.

Penny walked into the stuffy little lobby at the foot of a steep
stairway. She consulted a dilapidated office directory which hung
haphazardly against the wall. The building was tenanted by small
factories, printers, and agents. About half the spaces in the
directory were blank, indicating the place was only partially occupied.
She was interested to see that the top floor showed no tenants
whatsoever.

"I think I'll just slip up there and see for myself," she resolved.
With her foot on the first step, she looked quickly about. There was
no one nearby to witness her actions. All was quiet except for the
rhythmical thumping of small job presses in the scattered printing
shops.

Penny thought there could hardly be so many steep steps in all the
world as she climbed flight after flight, hoping each to be the last.
Finally she reached the top landing. She tiptoed to the nearest door
and listened. Hearing nothing, she opened it a crack and looked in.

The place was empty.

"That's queer," she thought. "I'm sure this top floor was rented
yesterday. I saw the man pay the rent."

Walking as noiselessly as she could, Penny explored the large room.
Here and there on the bare floor were colored splotches, as if someone
had spilled paint. In one corner was a dirty piece of tarpaulin such
as tradesmen use to protect floors and furniture.

Disappointed, Penny retreated to the hallway. She could not understand
why the place was empty when she had been told by the janitor only the
day before that it was occupied.

She walked slowly down the first flight of stairs and as she turned on
the landing to continue her descent, she noticed the name, "James
Wilson, Printer," on a glass door directly in front of her.

The name