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Show - 13^ .- CHAPTER XX That evening as Penny was practicing on the piano, the house was lonely without their parents. Her mother had reminded her that Bhe must keep up her finger exercises at least once a day during the summer months. As she played, her thoughts again strayed to Claudine. lately, never a moment went by that she wasn't thinking of the ghost. Of one thing she was certain. There were still many questions to be answered about the tragic love affair of the two young sweethearts. She glanced up from the piano out into the foyer. At the bottom of the staircase stood Claudine and she looked straight at Penny, but said nothing. After a moment she turned and started walking up the stairs, her dress trailing on the steps. Penny looked at her sister, but her head was bent over the book she was reading, oblivious to her surroundings. She said nothing and continued her practicing. She racked her brain to find some clue as to what had happened to Dirk after Claudine had died and her thoughts constantly turned to Chang Lin. Certainly, he must have some idea as to where Dirk had gone. He had been like a father to the wild youth who. had loved the pampered daughter of the French couple. No matter how she rationalized that it was possible that he could have left without a word to Chang Lin she could not believe this was so. Also, she didn't think that Dirk would do this to his adopted father. How could she get the old man to confide in her? He had said that the remaining piece of the puzzle would not fit until all the other ones were put in their proper places. Well, now she knew that he was the only one who could supply that fragment. The time had come when she would have to confront him with these facts, but first she must cover all avenues of information. She was determined not to stop at the blank wall that had faced Maddie in her efforts to solve the mystery. |