"You pushed it!" he accused. "The test was unfair."
"Why, the very idea," chuckled Penny.
"Penny, please allow Mr. Gepper to conduct a true test," reproved Mrs.
Weems severely. "Let me try."
Al Gepper, however, would have no more of the ouija board. Instead, he
took a pad of white paper from his pocket. Seating Mrs. Weems at the
kitchen table he requested her to write a message, which, without being
shown to anyone in the room, was sealed in an envelope.
The medium pointedly requested Penny to examine the envelope to assure
herself the writing could not be seen through the paper.
"You are satisfied that I have not read the message?" he asked.
"Yes," Penny admitted reluctantly.
The medium took the envelope, ran his fingers lightly over it, and
returned it still sealed to Mrs. Weems.
"If I am not mistaken, Madam, you wrote, 'Is the spirit of my cousin in
this room?'"
"Why, I did!" exclaimed Mrs. Weems. "Those were the exact words! How did
you know?"
Al Gepper smiled mysteriously.
"You have seen nothing, Madam," he said. "Now if conditions are right, it
may be possible for us to learn if a Spirit has joined our group. Lower
the blinds, please."
Mr. Hodges hastened to obey. With the kitchen in semi-darkness, the
medium motioned for his audience to move a few paces away. Taking his own
position behind the kitchen table, he intoned:
"Oh, Spirit, if you are with us in the room, signal by lifting this piece
of furniture."
Slowly the man moved his hands above the table. At first nothing
happened, then to the astonishment of his audience, it lifted a few
inches from the floor. There it hung suspended a moment before dropping
into place again.
"You see?" With a triumphant ring to his voice, the medium crossed the
room to raise the window shades. "Now do you doubt me?"
"No! No!" cried Mrs. Hodges tremulously. "Only a Spirit could have moved
that table. Maud, perhaps it _was_ your Cousin David."
The medium gazed at Mrs. Weems with sympathetic interest.
"You have lost a loved one recently?" he inquired.
"Cousin David and I never were well acquainted," replied the housekeeper.
"That was why I was so surprised when he left me an inheritance."
"Mrs. Weems!" remonstrated Penny. She was dismayed by the revelation so
casually offered.
"No doubt you would like to communicate with your departed cousin at some
later time," the medium said smoothly. "Allow me to offer my services as
an intermediary. No charge, of course."
"Why, that's very generous of you, Mr. Gepper."
"Not at all. Friends of the Hodges are my friends. Shall we set a
definite date--say tomorrow at two o'clock?"
"Yes, I'll come. That is, if the Hodges are to be present."
"Assuredly. Mrs. Hodges is definitely psychic and should contribute to
our seance."
It was with the greatest of difficulty that Penny finally induced the
housekeeper to leave the cottage. Al Gepper accompanied them to the door.
"Tomorrow at two," he repeated, smiling slyly at Penny. "And you may come
also, my little doubter. I assure you it will be well worth your time."
CHAPTER
11
_THE CELESTIAL TEMPLE_
"Penny, tell me the truth," Mrs. Weems urged as they drove home together.
"Didn't you push the ouija board?"
"Of course," laughed Penny. "But if I hadn't, Al Gepper would have. He
was trying hard enough!"
"He said you were resisting the spirits."
"That was the worst sort of nonsense," Penny returned impatiently.
"Gepper is a fraud, and I wish you hadn't told him about your
inheritance."
"How can you accuse him of being a fraud after you saw his marvelous
demonstration? The table actually rose from the floor."
"I know it did," Penny acknowledged unwillingly. "But it must have been
trickery."
"How could it have been? The table was an ordinary one. Mrs. Hodges uses
it every day of her life."
"I don't know how he did it," Penny responded. "All the same, I am sure
he's a trickster. Promise me you won't tell him anything more about
yourself or the inheritance."
"Very well, I'll promise if it gives you satisfaction," the housekeeper
replied. "However, I do intend to keep my appointment."
Penny had no opportunity to relate to her father what had occurred at the
Hodges home, for Mr. Parker was absent on a two-day business trip to a
distant town. Feeling that she must tell someone, she sought Louise
Sidell, and they discussed every angle of the affair.
"Will you attend the seance with Mrs. Weems?" Louise asked her curiously.
"Will I?" Penny repeated. "I'll be right there with bells! I intend to
expose Mr. Al Gepper if it's the last act of my life!"
Returning home later in the afternoon, she found Mrs. Weems sitting on
the living room floor, sorting a drawer of old photographs.
"You're not packing your things already?" Penny asked in alarm.
"Only these photographs," the housekeeper responded. "I wouldn't have
started the task, only I got into it when the agent came."
"Agent?"
"A man from the Clamont Photograph Studio."
"Never heard of the place."
"It's opening this week. They're having a special offer--three old
photographs enlarged for only twenty-five cents. I gave the man Cousin
David's picture and two others."
"That is a bargain," remarked Penny. "I wish I had been here."
The evening meal was served, and afterwards Mrs. Weems devoted herself to
the reading of travel books borrowed from the library. Penny could find
no occupation to satisfy her. She turned the radio on, switched it off
again, and wandered restlessly from room to room. Finally she went to the
telephone and called Louise.
"How about a little adventure?" she proposed. "And don't ask for
explanations."
"Will we be home by ten o'clock? That's the parental deadline."
"Oh, yes, we'll make it easily. Meet me at the corner of Carabel and
Clinton Streets."
Mrs. Weems was so engrossed in her book that she merely nodded as Penny
explained that she and Louise were going for a walk. Reaching the
appointed corner the girl found her chum awaiting her.
"Tell me about this so-called adventure," she commanded. "Where are we
going?"
"To the Celestial Temple, Lou. At least, we'll look at it from the
outside. Meetings are held there nearly every night at eight o'clock."
"Penny, I don't think I care to go."
"Nonsense! The meetings are open to the public, aren't they? We'll have a
very interesting time."
"Oh, all right," Louise consented reluctantly. "But I can't understand
why you're so interested in the place."
The girls took a bus to the end of the line, then walked three blocks
until they came to Butternut Lane. For long stretches there were only
scattered houses and the street lamps were far between. Becoming
increasingly uneasy, Louise urged her chum to turn back.
"Why, we're at our destination now," Penny protested. "I am sure that
must be the building."
She pointed to an old, rectangular brick structure only a few yards
ahead. Obviously it once had been a church for there was a high bell
tower, and behind the building a cluster of neglected tombstones gleamed
in the moonlight.
The evenly spaced windows were illuminated, and music could be heard.
"Are you sure this is the place?" Louise inquired dubiously. "It looks
like a church to me, and they're holding a service."
"Oh, the building hasn't been used for such purposes in over fifteen
years," Penny explained. "I investigated, so I know its history. Until
three years ago it was used as a county fire station. Only recently it
was reclaimed by this Omar Society of Celestial Thought."
The girls moved closer. Through an open window they were able to see
fifteen or twenty people seated in the pews. A woman played a wheezing
organ while a man led the off-key singing.
"Let's go inside," Penny proposed.
Louise held back. "Oh, no, we can see everything from here. It looks as
if it were a very stupid sort of meeting."
"Appearances are often deceiving. I want a ringside seat."
Penny pulled her chum toward the entrance door. There they hesitated,
reading a large placard which bore the invitation:
_The Public Is Invited. Services at eight p.m. daily._
"We're part of the public, Lou," urged Penny. "Come along."
She boldly opened the door, and there was no retreat.
Heads turned slightly as the girls entered the rear of the Temple. As
quickly they turned forward again, but not before Penny had gained an
impression, of sharp, appraising faces.
A man arose, bowed, and offered the girls his bench, although many others
were available. They slipped into the pew, accepting a song book which
was placed in Louise's hand.
While her chum sang in a thin, squeaky voice, Penny allowed her gaze to
wander over the room. At the far end she saw a door which apparently
opened into the bell tower. On a slightly raised platform where the
leader stood, were two black-draped cabinets somewhat similar to the one
she had seen at Mrs. Hodges' cottage. Otherwise, there was nothing of
unusual interest.
The services were decorous to the point of being boring. Yet as the
meeting went on, Penny and Louise both felt that they were being studied.
More than once they surprised persons gazing at them.
At the conclusion of the session which lasted no longer than thirty
minutes, the leader asked the audience if any "brother" were present who
wished to attempt a spirit communication. Immediately, Penny sat up a bit
straighter, anticipating that interesting demonstrations were in store.
Nor was she mistaken. A thin, hard-faced man went to the rostrum, and in
a loud voice began to call upon the spirits to make known their presence.
Signs were at once forthcoming. The empty pews began to dance as if
alive. The speaker's table lifted a foot from the floor and a pitcher of
water fell from it, smashing into a dozen pieces.
Louise, her eyes dilated with fear, edged closer to Penny.
"Let's go," she pleaded.
Penny shook her head.
A woman dressed in blue silk glided down the aisle, stopping beside the
girls. She held a tray upon which were a number of objects, an opal ring,
a knife, and several pins.
"Dearie," she said to Penny, "if you would care to have a message from a
departed soul, place a trinket in this collection. Any personal object.
Our leader will then exhort the spirit to appear."
"No, thank you," replied Louise, without giving her chum a chance to
speak.
"Perhaps, you would prefer a private reading," the woman murmured. "I
give them at my home, and the fee is trivial. Only a dollar."
"Thank you, no," Louise repeated firmly. "I'm not interested."
The woman shrugged and moved on down the aisle, pausing beside an elderly
man to whom she addressed herself.
"Lou, why did you discourage her?" Penny whispered. "We might have
learned something."
"I've learned quite enough. I'm leaving."
Louise squeezed past her chum, heading for the exit. Penny had no choice
but to follow.
Before they could reach the door, it suddenly opened from the outside. A
young man who had not bothered to remove his hat, entered. Seeing the
girls, he abruptly halted, then turned and retreated.
Penny quickened her step. Taking Louise's hand she pulled her along at a
faster pace. They reached the vestibule. It was deserted. Penny peered up
and down the dark street.
"Well, he's gone," she remarked.
"Who?" Louise questioned in a puzzled voice. "You mean that man who
entered the Temple and then left so suddenly?"
"I do," responded Penny. "Unless my eyes tricked me, he was none other
than Al Gepper!"
CHAPTER
12
_A MESSAGE FOR MRS. WEEMS_
"I don't know anyone answering to that name," remarked Louise. "However,
the fellow did act as if he were retreating from us."
Penny glanced up and down the dark street. No one was to be seen, and
since so little time had elapsed, she reasoned that the man had taken
refuge either in the high weeds or the nearby cemetery.
"It must have been Gepper," she declared. "Naturally he wouldn't care to
meet me here." Quickly Penny recounted the events of the afternoon.
"Then you think he may be connected with the Temple, Penny?"
"That would be my guess. Lou, this place is nothing but a blind. The
members of the society pretend to be honest spiritualists, while in
reality they're charlatans. They hold services for one purpose only--to
solicit persons for private readings."
"Isn't that illegal?"
"Of course it is. The police should raid the place."
"Then why don't they, Penny?"
"Dad says it's because they've been unable to obtain sufficient evidence.
But they'll have it after we report what we've seen tonight!"
"How do you suppose they made things jump around as if they were alive?"
Louise remarked as the girls walked slowly toward home. "It frightened
me."
"Everything was done by trickery. I'm sure of that, Lou. Just as soon as
Dad returns I shall make a full report to him. We'll see what he can do
about it."
By the time Penny arrived home, Mrs. Weems had retired to her room.
However, the light still burned and the door was open a crack. Rapping,
the girl entered, for she was eager to tell the housekeeper about her
visit to the Celestial Temple.
Mrs. Weems sat at the desk. Hastily she closed one of the drawers, and
turned the key.
"You startled me, Penny!" she exclaimed. "I do wish you would give more
warning before you descend upon one."
"Sorry," apologized Penny, glancing curiously toward the desk. "Oh, I
see!"
"You see what?" demanded the housekeeper.
"Six thousand dollars reposing in a desk drawer!"
Mrs. Weems' look of consternation betrayed her. She glanced at the locked
drawer, and then laughed.
"For an instant I thought you actually could see the money, Penny."
"Then my guess was right?"
"I keep the money in the drawer," Mrs. Weems admitted.
Penny sat down on the edge of the bed, drawing up her knees for a chin
rest.
"Mrs. Weems, don't you think it's risky keeping so much money here?"
"It will only be for a few days, Penny. I'll have it converted into
traveler's cheques as soon as I am ready to start west."
"The desk doesn't seem a safe place to me."
"You're the only person who knows where I keep the money, Penny. Oh, yes,
I told Mrs. Hodges, but she is to be trusted. No one can steal it as long
as I have the key."
Mrs. Weems tapped a black velvet ribbon which she wore about her neck.
"I keep this on me day and night," she declared. "No thief ever will get
it way from me."
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.
"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! Probably the furniture had special wiring or something
of the sort."
"You can't say that about the table at Mrs. Hodges', Penny."
"No, it seemed to be just an ordinary piece of furniture," the girl
admitted reluctantly. "All the same, Al Gepper is a fraud, and I wish you
wouldn't attend his old seance tomorrow."
"But Penny, I gave my promise."
"I can run over to the house and tell him you've changed your mind."
Mrs. Weems shook her head. "No, Penny, I am curious to learn if he will
be able to communicate with the spirits. Tomorrow's seance should provide
a genuine test. The man knows nothing about me or my ancestors."
"Mrs. Hodges probably has provided all the information he'll require."
"I telephoned her yesterday and requested her not to tell Mr. Gepper
anything about me. She'll respect my wishes. The test should prove a true
one."
Penny sighed and arose from the bed. Knowing Mrs. Weems as she did, she
realized that her opinion could not be changed by argument. It was her
hope that Al Gepper would discredit himself by failing in the seance.
"Penny, please promise that you'll do nothing outrageous tomorrow," Mrs.
Weems begged as the girl started to leave. "I am sure Mr. Gepper feels
that you are antagonistic."
"I'll try to behave myself," Penny laughed. "Yes, we'll give Mr. Gepper a
chance to prove what he can do."
At two the following afternoon she and Mrs. Weems presented themselves at
the Hodges' cottage. Both Mr. Hodges and his wife, who were to sit in at
the seance, were trembling with anticipation.
"Mr. Gepper is simply wonderful," the seamstress confided to Mrs. Weems.
"He tells me that I have great healing powers as well as a psychic
personality."
"Jenny, I hope you haven't told him anything about me," the housekeeper
mentioned.
"Oh, no, Maud. For that matter, he's said nothing about you since you
were here."
Mrs. Weems cast Penny an "I-told-you-so" glance which was not lost upon
Al Gepper who entered the room at that moment.
"I am ready for you, ladies," he said. "Kindly follow me."
In the upstairs room blinds had been drawn. Al Gepper indicated that his
audience was to occupy the chairs around the circular table.
"Before we attempt to communicate with the departed souls, I wish to
assure you that I employ no trickery," he announced, looking hard at
Penny. "You may examine the table or the cabinet if you wish."
"Oh, no, Mr. Gepper," murmured Mrs. Hodges. "We trust you."
"I'll look, if you don't mind," said Penny.
She peered beneath the table, thumped it several times, and pulled aside
the curtain of the cabinet. It was empty.
"Now if you are quite satisfied, shall we begin?" purred Mr. Gepper. "It
will make it much easier, if each one of you will give me a personal
object."
"A la the Celestial Temple method," muttered Penny beneath her breath.
"What was that?" questioned the medium sharply.
"Nothing. I was merely thinking to myself."
"Then please think more quietly. I must warn you that this seance cannot
be successful unless each person present concentrates, entering into the
occasion with the deepest of sincerity."
"I assure you, I am as sincere as yourself," Penny responded gravely.
Mr. Hodges deposited his gold watch on the table. His wife offered a pin
and Mrs. Weems a plain band ring. Penny parted with a handkerchief.
After everyone was seated about the table, Al Gepper played several
phonograph records, all the while exhorting the Spirits to appear.
Taking Mrs. Weems' ring from the tray before him, he pressed it to his
forehead. A convulsive shudder wracked his body.
"Someone comes to me--" he mumbled. "Someone comes, giving the name of
David--David Swester."
"My cousin," breathed Mrs. Weems in awe.
"He is tall and dark with a scar over his left eye," resumed the medium.
"I see him plainly now."
"That _is_ David!" cried the housekeeper, leaning forward in her
eagerness.
"David, have you a message for us?" the medium intoned.
There was a long silence, during which the man could be seen writhing and
twisting in the semi-darkness. Then his voice began again:
"David has a message for a person called Maud."
"I am Maud," said Mrs. Weems tremulously. "Oh, what does he say?"
"That he is well and happy in the Spirit World, but he is worried about
Maud."
"Worried about me? Why?"
The medium again seemed to undergo physical suffering, but presently the
message "came through," although not in an entirely clear form.
"David's voice has faded. I am not certain, but it has something to do
with six thousand dollars."
"The exact amount he left to me!" Mrs. Weems murmured.
"David is afraid that you will not have the wisdom to invest the money
wisely. He warns you that the present place where you have it deposited
is not safe. He will tell you what to do with it. Now the voice is fading
again. David has gone."
With another convulsive shudder, Al Gepper straightened from the position
into which he had slumped. Resuming his normal tone he said:
"That is all. The connection with Cousin David has been broken."
"Can't we contact him again?" Mrs. Weems asked in disappointment.
"Not today. Possibly tomorrow at this same hour."
"Couldn't you call up another Spirit by using my pin or Pa's watch?" Mrs.
Hodges suggested wistfully.
Al Gepper raised one of the window blinds. "I am very, very tired," he
said. "This seance was particularly exhausting due to the presence of
someone antagonistic. Tomorrow if conditions are right, I hope actually
to materialize Cousin David. The poor soul is trying so hard to get a
message through to the one he calls Maud."
"You mean I'll be able to see him?" the housekeeper asked incredulously.
"I hope and believe so. I must rest now. After a seance I should refresh
myself with sleep."
"Of course," agreed Mrs. Hodges. "We are selfish to overtax you."
Recovering their trinkets, the elderly couple and Mrs. Weems went from
the room. Penny was the last to leave.
"Well, sister?" inquired the medium in a low voice. "Were you convinced,
or do you still think that you can show up Al Gepper?"
"I think," said Penny softly, "that you are a very clever man. But clever
as you are, one of your well-trained ghosts may yet lead you to the city
jail!"
CHAPTER
13
_COUSIN DAVID'S GHOST_
When Penny reached the lower floor she found Mrs. Weems and the Hodges
excitedly discussing the seance. The seamstress and her husband
emphatically declared that they had given the medium no information
regarding either the housekeeper or the deceased Cousin David.
"Then there can be only one explanation," Mrs. Weems said. "We were truly
in communication with a departed spirit."
"Don't you agree, Penny?" inquired Mrs. Hodges.
"I am afraid I can't," she replied.
"The test was a fair one," Mrs. Weems insisted. "Mr. Gepper couldn't have
described Cousin David so accurately if he hadn't actually seen him as he
materialized from the spirit world."
"Al Gepper could have obtained much of his information from persons in
Riverview," Penny responded.
"About me, perhaps," the housekeeper conceded. "But not about Cousin
David. Why, I doubt if anyone save myself knew he had a scar over his
eye. He received it in an automobile accident twelve or thirteen years
ago."
"Just think!" murmured Mrs. Hodges. "Tomorrow you may actually be able to
see your departed cousin!"
In vain Penny argued that Al Gepper was a trickster. She was unable to
offer the slightest evidence to support her contention while, on the
other hand, the Hodges reminded her that the medium had never asked one
penny for his services.
From the cottage Penny went directly to the _Star_ office, feeling
certain that her father would have returned there from his trip. Nor was
she mistaken. Gaining admittance to the private office, she wasted no
words in relating everything which had transpired during his absence. Her
father's attention was flattering.
"Penny, you actually saw all this?" he questioned when she had finished.
"Oh, yes! At the Celestial Temple Louise was with me, too. We thought you
might take up the matter with the police."
"That's exactly what I will do," decided Mr. Parker. "I've turned the
matter over in my mind for several days. The _Star_ will take the
initiative in driving these mediums, character readers and the like out
of Riverview!"
"Oh, Dad, I was hoping you'd say that!"
Mr. Parker pressed a desk buzzer. Summoning DeWitt, he told of his plan
to launch an active campaign.
"Nothing will please me better, Chief," responded the city editor. "Where
do we start?"
"We'll tip the police to what is going on at the Celestial Temple. Have
them send detectives there for tonight's meeting. Then when the usual
hocus-pocus starts, arrests can be made. Have photographers and a good
reporter on hand."
"That should start the ball rolling," agreed DeWitt. "I'll assign Jerry
Livingston to the story. Salt Sommers is my best photographer."
"Get busy right away," Mr. Parker ordered. "We'll play the story big
tomorrow--give it a spread."
"How about Al Gepper?" Penny inquired after DeWitt had gone. "Could he be
arrested without involving the Hodges?"
"Not very easily if he lives at their place. Has he accepted money for
the seances he conducts there?"
"He hasn't taken any yet from Mrs. Weems. I am sure he must have other
customers."
"You have no proof of it?"
"No."