Pnyx

“ Penny said nothing more about the matter. Instead, she launched into a highly colored account of her visit to the Celestial Temple. The housekeeper expressed disapproval, remarking that she never would have granted permission had she known in advance where the girls were going. Nevertheless, her eager questions made it evident that she was deeply interested in the demonstration which had been witnessed.
[105]
“I don’t see how you can call it trickery,” she protested. “You have no proof, Penny.”
“Never in the world will I believe that spirits can make tables do a dance, Mrs. Weems! ”

“ Phœnix has been a sort of foster-father to Achilles{v.i-95} from his boyhood, intrusted with the care of him by his father Peleus, and has now accompanied him to the war by the old man’s special request, to aid him with advice and counsel. If any one in the camp has any influence over the headstrong prince, it will be the man who, as he says, has dandled him in his arms in his helpless infancy. And no diplomatic enterprise could be complete without the addition of Ulysses, the man of many devices and of persuasive tongue. ”

“ Phinny flashed his teeth in a smile, darted a glance at his chief and regretted:
"Business comes first. See you soon at the fort. I've got lots of St. Louis news to talk over with you, Lander. Express brought up some letters while I was at the Crow village."
There was a taunt in this although Phinny's demeanor seemed to breathe good fellowship only. Lander forced a smile and nodded. Bridger understood his young friend's feelings and, as if it were an afterthought, called to Phinny: "I forgot to warn you, young man, that old Deschamps seems to think you've tied up to that wildcat girl of his. ”

“ I have never liked the double n in Pennycomequick. It will seem more distinguished to spell the name with one n.'
The captain yawned and walked to the door.
'That is all one to me. I don't suppose that one n will bring me more money than two. By the way, have you written to Philip?'
'Philip!' echoed Mrs. Sidebottom. 'Of course not. This is no concern of his. If he grumbles, we can say that we hoped against hope, and did not like to summon him till we were sure poor Jeremiah was no more. No, Lamb, we do not want Philip here, and if he comes he will find nothing to his advantage. ”

“ Jack Penny did not speak for a few minutes, and I sat thinking bitterly of my weakness as I stroked Gyp’s head, the faithful beast having curled up between us and laid his head upon my lap. I seemed to have been so cowardly, and, weary and dejected as I was, I wished that I had grown to be a man, with a man’s strength and indifference to danger. ”

“ But Jack Penny had a smile of his own, a weak inane sickly smile that irritated instead of pleasing you, and made you always feel as if you would like to punch his head for being such a fool, when all the time he was not a fool at all, but a thoroughly good-hearted, brave, and clever fellow—true as steel—steel of the very elastic watch-spring kind, for the way in which he bent was terrible to see. ”

“ If it had not been for us, Isal might still have been only a woodman's daughter and not a Queen at all!" Here the Phœnix spoke, but with a very muffled voice; his age prevented him from talking very loud or much at a time; he was apt to repeat himself, too, sometimes, and to ramble in his remarks. But the Tufters always listened very respectfully to whatever he had to say: he was so old and so wise; everything he said would bear reflection.
"You are a goose. My great-great-great grandfather made the Old Brown Coat. He was called Phœnix the Tailor. The world is growing very degenerate. ”

“ She busied herself smoothing covers while Penny wandered about. The room had no rug. It was furnished with an old fashioned dresser, a wash stand and a bed with a high headboard.
Penny opened the closet door. The hangers were dangling together, without clothing. Everything had been packed into two suitcases which stood against the wall.
“I’ve already inspected the luggage,” said Mrs. Weems as the girl bent to open one of the bags. “You’ll find nothing except clothing. I tell you, Peter Fenestra is a very cautious man.”
“I can believe it,” agreed Penny. ”

“ It was as though the life of Pennycomequick were a capital of which, when Jeremiah lost hold, his heirs had taken possession. Not Mrs. Sidebottom only, but also her son seemed to have come in for a bequest of vitality. The captain looked brighter, less languid than he had for long.
Philip's suspicious nature had been displeased by the statement of Salome that the will was in her possession. It appeared to him strange that the old man should have entrusted so important a document to the care of a girl of nineteen or twenty. It roused in his mind that mistrust which had been laid. ”

“ Penny returned, deliberately aloof.
“If I could do anything to prove Sally innocent you know I’d jump at the chance,” Jack argued, trying to regain Penny’s good graces.
“You really mean that?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Then why don’t you try to get a little evidence against this man Joe, the Sweeper?” Penny proposed eagerly. “You visit the factory nearly every day. Keep your eyes and ears open and see what you can learn.”
“Everyone knows who I am,” Jack argued. ”

“ A snow-white bull with a little princess on his back! Ho! ho! I ask your pardon, good folks; but there never was such a sight seen hereabouts."
At last, when his upper lip began to have the down on it, Phœnix grew weary of rambling hither and thither to no purpose. So, one day, when they happened to be passing through a pleasant and solitary tract of country, he sat himself down on a heap of moss.
"I can go no farther," said Phœnix. "It is a mere foolish waste of life, to spend it, as we do, in always wandering up and down, and never coming to any home at nightfall. ”

“ As I was studying our host Tib flicked the ash from his anti-fever cheroot and sauntered up to him and stuck out his hand as if he expected to hear the chief say, 'Welcome home!' Instead of that, Feeney grabbed the palm of friendship in one black claw and with a hoot of rage held the old chap fast, while with his other talon he lifted a short axe. ”

“ Try to learn how the man accomplishes his tricks.”
“Leave it to me,” chuckled Penny. “Mr. Al Gepper is due for his first shock when he wakes up tomorrow and reads that the Celestial Temple has been raided. Unless I am much mistaken, that place is one of his favorite haunts.”
Leaving the newspaper office, Penny went directly home. She longed to stop at the Sidell home, but she had promised her father to say nothing about the planned raid until it was an accomplished fact. Feeling the need of work to occupy her time, she washed the maroon car and waxed the fading paint of Leaping Lena. ”

“ But that is all—I am only a sort of superior nurse. He is a Pennycomequick through and through, and there is no—no—nothing of what you dread in him.'
'Yes, he is a Pennycomequick.'
'He can, he will be no other than a good and noble man. He can, he will be that, if God spares him.'
'So I trust.'
'Oh, Philip—he is better, so much better. I am sure there is a turn. I thank God—indeed, indeed I do. Look at his dear little face; it is cool again.'
He had his hand on the side of the crib, and he stooped to look at the sleeping babe. ”

“ She shook her head. The pretty dimples were in her cheeks. Her colour had deepened.
'Someone has been talking to you,' said Philip. 'I know there has. Who was it?'
Salome again shook her head, with a provoking smile dappling and dimpling her face; but seeing that Philip was seriously annoyed, it faded, and she broke silence.
'There is a real favour you can do us, Mr. Pennycomequick, if you will.'
'What is that?' asked Philip. His ease and cheerfulness were gone. He was angry, for he was convinced that Mrs. Sidebottom had said something to the girl which had induced her to refuse the offer. ”

“ The boy hesitated, then said quietly:
"Jerry Barrows."
"I mean your real name," Penny smiled.
A telltale flush crept over the youth's face, but he threw back his head a trifle defiantly.
"It is my real name. I'm no thief either. I admit I've been in a little trouble before this, but today it wasn't my fault. Another fellow and myself were standing in a crowd when an old lady let out a holler that someone had picked her pocketbook. The police came running. They spotted me right off. I hadn't been near the old lady, but she was so excited she was ready to identify anyone. ”

“ I said bitterly. “I thought I should be so brave, and that when I had found where my father was I should fight and bring him away from among the savages.”
“Ah! yes,” said Jack Penny dryly, “that’s your sort! That’s like what you read in books and papers about boys of fifteen, and sixteen, and seventeen. They’re wonderful chaps, who take young women in their arms and then jump on horseback with ’em and gallop off at full speed. Some of ’em have steel coats like lobsters on, and heavy helmets, and that makes it all the easier. ”

“ Penny began to stammer.
“You thought that because I gave up my own paper I might not wish to see the building used by another?”
“Something like that,” admitted Penny.
“I try not to think about the past,” said Mr. Judson quietly. “Long ago I made my decision, and now must abide by it. I realize that I never can publish the Press again. I’m broken, beaten!”
The old man spoke with such bitterness that Penny glanced quickly at him. There was an expression in his dark eyes which startled her.
“Surely one can’t be defeated as long as he’s willing to fight,” she ventured. ”

“ Now, Pennybet, though not himself courteous, always insisted that Doe and I should treat him with proper respect, so, since he was senior and thus magnificent, I'll begin by describing him.
He was right in saying that he was the handsomest. He was a tall boy of fifteen years, with long limbs that were saved from any unlovely slimness by their full-fleshed curves and perfect straightness. His face, whose skin was as smooth as that of a bathed and anointed Greek, was crowned by dark hair, and made striking by a pair of those long-lashed eyes that are always brown. ”

“ Mr. Parker began, but Penny did not wait to hear his instructions.
With a triumphant laugh, she ran ahead into the Star office. Her entry into the newsroom was both dramatic and noisy.
“Big scoop, Mr. DeWitt,” she called cheerily. “Start the old print factory running full blast!”
Dropping into a chair behind the nearest typewriter, she began to write.
[200] CHAPTER
25
EXTRA!
Penny stood at the window of her father’s office, listening to the newsboys crying their wares on the street.
“Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Police Capture Three in Raid on Celestial Temple! Extra! Extra!” ”

“ Penny exclaimed. “Adam Glowershick!”
“Careful or he’ll hear you,” Jack warned, scowling. “I know this man. He’s here to see me.”
Penny gazed again at the stranger who had dark bushy hair and prominent cheekbones. “If that isn’t Glowershick, it’s his twin!” she thought, and asked Jack if he had the factory badge with him.
“No, I haven’t,” he answered irritably. “Furthermore, I wish you would cut out such wild speculation. He’ll hear you.”
[134]
Jack brought the boat in. Leaping ashore, he asked Penny to fasten the ropes. “I’ll be back in a minute,” he flung at her as he strode off. ”

“ So JEAMES PHYSKE went straightway unto DEDREW and said unto him, "Lo! your servant is as full of wiles as an egg is of meat. Make me then, I pray you, your chief adviser, and put me in the high places." And DEDREW smiled upon him, as he is wont to do, and finding that he was a stranger, he took him in, and knowing that all were fish which came unto his net, he straightway put him in the high places in Eareye, saying unto himself, "I will take this lamb and fleece him." So PHYSKE sat high in Eareye. ”

“ At three-thirty Louise came from school with other members of the Times staff. She and Penny retired to the latter’s private office there to discuss plans for the next week’s paper.
“Lou,” said Penny abruptly, “did you ever hear of a man named Peter Fenestra?”
“Why, yes, I have.”
“He was here today to ask me about the octopus tattoo story. What can you tell me?”
“Not very much, Penny. He lives on a farm two miles from the south edge of Riverview. A place called The Willows.”
“Oh, is he a farmer?” Penny was surprised. “I never would have guessed that.”
“He isn’t one. He merely lives there. ”

“ A gust of wind caught Penny’s felt hat, carrying it cartwheeling down the beach. She and Jerry raced in pursuit, colliding as they pounced on it together. They laughed, and as the reporter pulled the hat over Penny’s flying hair, he kissed her quickly on the cheek.
Then before she could reprimand him, he exclaimed: “Wow! That wind really is getting strong! Let’s get back to the car before we blow away!” ”

“ Pennycomequick unloosed his white neckcloth, and with it bound his arm to a branch of the poplar, tying the knot with one hand and his teeth, whilst the water ran through his mouth over his tongue, and washed away from it the smack of anchovy that fancy had conjured to it.
Then he resigned himself to his lot. A dull sense of being in the power of an inexorable fate came over him, the eagerness for life had faded away, and was succeeded by indifference as to what befel him, this to make way, as the cold and misery intensified, for impatience that all might be over speedily. ”

“ He dreaded the curious gaze of the other birds, who would find his beauty dimmed, and would scorn, perchance, the faded glory which they had once held in awe. For years he had not ventured within sight of men, and he knew that most of them had forgotten his existence, nay, even denied that he had ever lived. He feared that there might not be a single heart in all the world that thrilled to his name.
Thinking thus mournfully, the Phœnix sat upon the top of the tallest palm. His plumage of crimson and gold glowed in the last rays of the setting sun. ”