"Why, a person could carry a ton of brass through that gate and he wouldn't know the difference!" she thought.
Making no attempt to enter the grounds, Penny watched for a while. Then she hailed a taxi cab, and told the driver to take her to the river.
They were nearing the docks when the man, glancing back over his shoulder, said carelessly: "How would you like to buy some genuine silk stockings?"
"How would I like to stake out a claim to part of the moon!" Penny countered, scarcely knowing how to take the question.
"No, I'm serious," the cab driver went on, slowing the taxi to idling pace. "I know a woman along the river who has a pretty fair stock of genuine silk stockings. Beauties."
"Black market?" Penny asked with disapproval.
"Well, no, I wouldn't call it that," the man argued. "She had a supply of these stockings and wants to get rid of them. Nothing wrong in that. Five dollars a pair."
"Five dollars a pair!" Penny echoed, barely keeping her temper.
"If I took you there, she might let you have them for a dollar less."
Penny opened her lips to tell the black market "runner" what she thought of a person who would engage in such illegal business. Then she closed them again and did a little quick thinking. After all, it might be wise to learn where the place was and then report to the police.
"Well, I don't know," she said, pretending to hesitate. "I'd like to have a pair of silk stockings, but I haven't much money with me. Where is the place?"
"Not far from here along the river. I'll drive you there, and if you make a purchase, you needn't pay me any fare."
"All right, that's fair enough. Let's go," Penny agreed.
As they rattled along the street, she carefully memorized the cab's number, and took mental notes on the driver's appearance, intending to report him to police. No doubt he received a generous commission for bringing customers to the establishment, she reasoned.
The cab had not gone far when it began to slacken pace. Peering out, Penny was astonished to see that they were stopping in front of the Harper house, overlooking the river.
"Is this the place?" she gasped, as the driver swung open the door. "I--I don't believe I want to go in after all. I thought you were taking me to a shop."
"You can't get silk stockings anywhere else in the county," the driver said. "Not like the kind Ma Harper sells. Just go on in and tell her I brought you. She'll treat you right."
Taking Penny by the elbow, he half pulled her from the cab and started her toward the shabby, unpainted dwelling.
