The Penny Parker Megapack: 15 Complete Novels (35 page)

At last Penny reached the top, falling in an exhausted heap on the snow. Raising her head she stared into the face of her rescuer. The man was Peter Jasko.

He recognized her at the same instant.

“You!” he exclaimed.

For one disturbing moment Penny thought the old man meant to push her back down into the yawning ravine. In the yellow glow of the lantern, the expression of his face was terrifying.

Gaining control of himself, Peter Jasko demanded gruffly: “Hurt?”

“I’ve twisted my ankle.” Penny pulled herself up from the ground, took a step, and recoiled with pain.

“Let me have a look at it.”

Jasko bent down and examined the ankle.

“No bones broken,” he said. “You’re luckier than you deserve. Any fool who doesn’t know enough to keep off skis ought to be crippled for life!”

“Such a cheerful philosophy,” observed Penny ironically. “Well, thanks anyhow for saving me. Even if you are sorry you did it.”

The old man made no immediate reply. He stood gazing down at Penny.

“Reckon I owe you something,” he said grudgingly. “Sara told me how you kept the bob-sled from going off the track. Injured yourself, too, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“You had no business helping Sara go against my will,” the old man said, his anger rising again. “I told you to stay away, didn’t I?”

“You did. I was sorry to disobey your orders, Mr. Jasko, but I think you are unjust to your granddaughter.”

“You do, eh?”

“And you’re not being fair to Mrs. Downey either,”Penny went on courageously. “She’s struggled for years to make her lodge profitable, fought against overwhelming odds while the Fergus interests have done everything they can to put her out of business. Unless you renew her lease, she’ll be forced to leave Pine Top.”

“So?” inquired the old man, unmoved.

“She’s fighting with her back to the wall. And now you’ve dealt her the final blow.”

“No one asked Mrs. Downey to come here in the first place,” replied Peter Jasko. “Or them other hotel people either. Pine Top can get along without the lot of ’em. The sooner they all clear out the better I’ll like it.”

“I’m sure of that,” said Penny. “You don’t care how much trouble you cause other folks. Because of your own son’s death you have taken an unnatural attitude toward skiing. You hate everything remotely connected with the sport. But it isn’t fair. Your granddaughter has a right to a certain amount of freedom.”

Peter Jasko listened to the girl’s words in silence. When she had finished he said in a strangely shaken voice:

“My son met his death going on ten years ago. It was on this trail—”

“I’m sorry,” Penny said contritely. “I shouldn’t have spoken the way I did. Actually, I was on my way down the mountain to tell you I deeply regret helping Sara to go against your will.”

“My granddaughter is headstrong,” the old man replied slowly. “I want what’s best for her. That’s why I’ve tried to protect her.”

“I’m sure you’ve done what you thought was right,” Penny returned. “Why don’t you see Mrs. Downey again and—”

“No!” said the old man stubbornly. “You can’t say anything which will make me change my mind. Take my arm and see if you can walk!”

Penny struggled forward, supported by Jasko’s strong arm. Although each step sent a wracking pain through her leg she made no sound of protest.

“You can’t make it that way,” the old man declared, pausing. “I’ll have to fix up a sled and pull you.”

Going back for Penny’s skis which had been left at the top of the ravine, he lashed them together. She lay full length on the runners, and he towed her until they came within view of the cabin. A light glowed in the window.

On level ground, Penny tried walking again, and managed to reach the cabin door.

“You go on inside,” the old man directed. “I’ll hitch up the bob-sled and take you home.”

Penny pushed open the door only to hesitate on the threshold. The room was filled with tobacco smoke. Two men sat at the table, and directly behind them stood Sara Jasko.

The girl came swiftly to the door. She gave Penny a warm smile of welcome, not noticing that she had been hurt, and said anxiously to Mr. Jasko:

“Grandfather, you have visitors. Mr. Fergus and Mr. Maxwell are waiting to see you. I think it’s about the lease.”

“I’ve nothing to say to them,” returned the old man grimly.

Nevertheless, he followed the two girls into the room, closing the door against the wind and snow.

The situation was an awkward one for Penny. Ralph Fergus and Harvey Maxwell both stared at her with undisguised dislike and suspicion. Then, the former arose, and ignoring her entirely, stepped forward to meet the old man, his hand extended.

“Good evening, sir,” he said affably. “Mr. Maxwell and I have a little business to discuss with you, if you can spare us a moment.”

Peter Jasko ignored the offered hand.

“I haven’t changed my mind since the last time we talked,” he said. “I’m not signing any lease!”

Penny scarcely heard the words for she was staring beyond Ralph Fergus at his overcoat which hung over the vacated chair. The garment was light brown and the top button, a large one of the same color, had been torn from the cloth.

Shifting her gaze, Penny glanced at Sara. The girl nodded her head slowly up and down. She, too, had made the important observation, and was thinking the same thought. There could be little doubt of it—Ralph Fergus was the man who had weakened the brake rod of their bob-sled!

CHAPTER 20

VISITORS

“May we see you alone, Mr. Jasko?” requested Ralph Fergus.

“I don’t reckon there’s any need for being so all-fired private,” the old man retorted, his hand on the doorknob. “If you want to talk with me speak your piece right out. I got to hitch up the team.”

Mr. Fergus and his companion, Harvey Maxwell, glanced coldly toward Penny who had sunk down into a chair and was massaging her ankle. They were reluctant to reveal their business before her but there was no other way.

“We can’t talk with you very well while you’re poised for flight, Mr. Jasko,” Ralph Fergus said placatingly. “My friend, Maxwell, has prepared a paper which he would like to have you look over.”

“I’m not signin’ anything!”

“Good for you, Grandfather!” muttered Sara under her breath.

The two men pretended not to hear. Mr. Maxwell took a folded document from his pocket and spread it out on the kitchen table.

“Will you just read this, please, Mr. Jasko? You’ll find our terms are more than generous.”

“I ain’t interested in your terms,” he snapped. “I’m aimin’ to keep every acre of my land.”

“We’re not asking you to sell, only to lease,” Mr. Fergus interposed smoothly. “Now we understand that your deal with Mrs. Downey has fallen through, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t lease the ski slopes to us. We are prepared to offer you twice the amount she proposed to give you.”

Mr. Jasko stubbornly shook his head.

“You’re taking a very short-sighted attitude,” said Ralph Fergus, beginning to lose patience. “At least read the paper.”

“No.”

“Think what this would mean to your granddaughter,” interposed Harvey Maxwell. “Pretty clothes, school in the city perhaps—”

“Don’t listen to them, Grandfather,” spoke Sara quickly. “I have enough clothes. And Pine Top school suits me.”

“You’re wastin’ your time and mine,” said Peter Jasko. “I ain’t leasing my land to anybody.”

“We’re only asking you to sign a three-year lease—” Mr. Fergus argued.

“Can’t you understand plain language?” the old man cried. “You think money will buy everything, but you got another guess coming. I’ve seen enough skiing at Pine Top and I aim to put a stop to it!”

“It’s no use,” said Harvey Maxwell resignedly to his companion.

Ralph Fergus picked up the paper and thrust it into his overcoat pocket. “You’re an old fool, Jasko!” he muttered.

“Don’t you dare speak that way to my grandfather!”Sara cried, her eyes stormy. “You had your nerve coming here anyway, after that trick you tried!”

“Trick?”

“You deliberately weakened the brake rod of our bob-sled.”

Ralph Fergus laughed in the girl’s face. “You’re as touched as your grandfather,” he said.

“Perhaps you can explain what became of the top button of your overcoat,” suggested Penny coming to Sara’s support. “And don’t try to tell us it’s home in your sewing basket!”

Ralph Fergus’ hand groped at the vacant spot on his coat.

“What does a button have to do with the bob-sled accident?” inquired Harvey Maxwell.

“It happens that we found a large brown button in the tool house at the Downey lodge,” replied Penny. “Also a little additional evidence which rather suggests Mr. Fergus is the one who tampered with the bob-sled.”

“Ridiculous!” protested the hotel man. “I’ve not even been near Mrs. Downey’s lodge in weeks.”

“I know that’s a lie,” said Peter Jasko. “I saw you goin’ up that way Friday night.”

“And you went there to damage the bob-sled!”Sara accused. “You didn’t care how many persons might be injured in an accident!”

Ralph Fergus’ face was an angry red. “What reason would I have for doing anything like that?” he demanded.

“Guests were being drawn from your hotel because bob-sledding was increasing in popularity,” said Penny quietly. “Nothing would please you more than to put Mrs. Downey out of business.”

“Aren’t you drawing rather sweeping conclusions?” inquired Harvey Maxwell in an insolent tone. “A button isn’t very certain evidence. So many persons wear buttons, you know.”

“I lost this one from my coat weeks ago,” added Ralph Fergus.

“It was your button we found,” Sara accused.

Peter Jasko had been listening intently to the argument, taking little part in it. But now, with a quick movement which belied his age, he moved across the kitchen toward the gun rack on the wall.

“Let’s be getting out of here,” muttered Harvey Maxwell.

He and Ralph Fergus both bolted out of the door. Their sudden flight delighted Sara who broke into a fit of laughter.

“Why don’t you shoot once or twice into the air just to give ’em a good fright?” she asked her grandfather.

The old man, shotgun in hand, had followed the two men to the door. But he did not shoot.

“Grandfather wouldn’t hurt a flea really,” chuckled Sara. “At least, not unless it was trying to make him sign something.”

“Ralph Fergus acted guilty, all right,” declared Penny, bending down to massage her injured ankle. “But it may have been a mistake for us to accuse him.”

“I couldn’t help it,” answered Sara. “When I saw that button missing from his coat, I had to say something about it.”

Peter Jasko put away his shotgun, turning once more to the door. “I’ll hitch up the team,” he said. “Sara, get some liniment and see what you can do for Miss Parker’s ankle.”

“Your ankle?” gasped Sara, staring at Penny. “Have you hurt yourself again?”

“I managed to fall into the ravine a few minutes ago. Your grandfather saved me.”

Sara darted to the stove to get a pan of warm water. She stripped off Penny’s woolen stockings and examined the foot as she soaked it.

“I suppose this will put me on the shelf for another day or so,” Penny observed gloomily. “But I’m lucky I didn’t break my neck.”

“The ankle is swollen,” Sara said, “I’ll wrap it with a bandage and that may make it feel better.”

With a practiced hand she wound strips of gauze and adhesive tape about the ankle.

“There, how does it feel now?”

“Much better,” said Penny. “Thanks a lot. I—I feel rather mean to put your grandfather to so much trouble, especially after the way I’ve crossed him.”

“Oh, don’t you worry about Grandfather,” laughed Sara. “He likes you, Penny.”

“He
likes
me?”

“I could tell by the way he acted tonight. He respects a person who stands up to him.”

“I said some rather unnecessary things,” Penny declared regretfully. “I was provoked because he wouldn’t sign a lease with Mrs. Downey. After hearing what he said to Fergus and Maxwell I realize nothing will sway him.”

Sara sighed as she helped her friend put on her shoe again.

“I’m afraid not. I’ll do what I can to influence him, but I can tell you now he’ll never listen to me. Grandfather is just the way he is, and one can’t budge him an inch.”

Peter Jasko soon had the team hitched to the bob-sled. He and Sara helped Penny in, wrapping blankets around her so that she would be snug and warm during the ride up the mountain.

“Come down again whenever you can,” invited Sara. “Only the next time don’t try it after dark if you’re on skis.”

Penny glanced at the old man, but his face showed no displeasure. Apparently, he no longer regarded her as an interloper.