Celestial Temple," Mr. Parker proposed. "In the meantime, learn
everything you can about the man's methods."
"No assignment would please me more, Dad. I've the same as promised Mr.
Gepper he'll land in jail, and I want to make good."
Mr. Parker began to pace the floor. "I'll write a scorching editorial,"
he said. "We'll fight ignorance with information. Our reporters must
learn how these mediums do their tricks, and expose them to the gullible
public."
"I'll do everything I can to help," Penny promised eagerly. "May I have
Al Gepper for my particular fish bait?"
"He's your assignment. And I'm depending upon you to see that he doesn't
work any of his trickery on Mrs. Weems. If she can't be persuaded to
remain away from the Hodges', then we must protect her as best we can."
"I'll try to accompany her every time she goes there, Dad. I am afraid he
may be after her money."
"Gepper doesn't know she inherited six thousand dollars?" Mr. Parker
asked in alarm.
"Yes, she dropped the information that she had come into money. He
supplied figures himself."
"I wonder how?"
"I haven't the slightest idea, Dad. Gepper is as clever a man as ever I
met. Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if he does produce Cousin David at
tomorrow's seance."
Mr. Parker snorted in disgust.
"Tommyrot! The man will make an excuse about the conditions not being
right, and fail."
"Perhaps, but he seems pretty confident."
"You expect to attend the seance?"
"Oh, definitely. Jungle beasts couldn't keep me away."
"Then be alert every instant--without appearing too suspicious, of
course. 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.
At six o'clock her father came home for dinner.
"Any news?" Penny asked, running to meet him.
"Everything's set," he answered. "DeWitt laid your information before the
police. Tonight three detectives will attend the meeting at the Temple.
If anything out of the way happens, the raid will be staged."
Penny was so tense with expectation that she was unable to do justice to
the delicious dinner which Mrs. Weems had prepared. Her father, too,
seemed unusually restless. After dinner he made a pretense of reading the
paper, but actually his eyes did not see the print.
The hands of the clock scarcely appeared to move, so slowly did time
pass. Eight o'clock came, then nine. Suddenly the telephone rang.
Penny was away in an instant to answer it. From the next room she called
to her father:
"It's for you, Dad! DeWitt, I think."
"I told him to telephone me as soon as the raid was staged." Mr. Parker
arose and went quickly to take the receiver. Penny hovered at his elbow.
"Hello! DeWitt?" the publisher asked, and after a slight pause: "Oh, I
see. No, I don't think Penny was mistaken. It's more likely there was a
tip-off."
He hung up the receiver and turned toward Penny who anticipated the news.
"The raid was a failure?"
"Yes, Penny. Detectives spent two hours at the meeting. Nothing happened.
It was impossible to make arrests."
"They must have been recognized as detectives."
"Undoubtedly."
"Others will be assigned to the case?"
"I doubt it, Penny. DeWitt reports that the police have become convinced
that the spiritualists who use the Temple are not operating for profit."
"Louise and I know better because she was approached." Penny anxiously
regarded her father. "Dad, even if the police do give up, we won't, will
we?"
"No, we're in this fight and we'll stay in it," he answered grimly.
"We'll put some new teeth in our trap. And the next time it's sprung, I
warrant you we'll catch a crook."
CHAPTER
14
_WET PAINT_
Promptly at two o'clock the following afternoon, Penny and Mrs. Weems
presented themselves at the Hodges' cottage for the appointed seance.
Already Mr. Gepper awaited them in the darkened apartment on the second
floor.
Penny's glance about the room found everything in the same order as upon
the previous visit, save that an easel with a large black sheet of
artist's paper stood beside the cabinet.
She moved as if to examine it. Al Gepper intercepted her by saying:
"Sit here, if you please. Beside Mrs. Weems. I'll call the Hodges and
we'll start at once."
The medium went to the door and shouted down the stairway. Penny noticed
that he remained where he could watch her every move in a mirror which
hung on the wall. She shrewdly guessed that he was afraid she might
attempt to examine either the cabinet or the easel.
Mr. and Mrs. Hodges came in response to the call, taking chairs about the
circular table. The gaze which they fastened upon Al Gepper was almost
worshipful.
"Now today I hope to materialize the Spirit of Cousin David," announced
the medium. "The task will be difficult, as you must realize. After the
seance begins I am compelled to request absolute quiet. The slightest
movement may frighten away the Spirits."
"Why are spirits so timid?" asked Penny.
"Because their beings are so sensitive that they instantly feel an
unfriendly presence," the man responded glibly. "Please hold hands, and
use every precaution that contact is not broken."
Mrs. Weems took one of Penny's hands and Mr. Hodges the other. Mrs.
Hodges sat next to her husband.
After lowering black curtains over the window blinds to further darken
the room, the medium returned to his chair. Those at the table were
unable to distinguish his form, and for a time there was no sound save
the scratching music of a phonograph record.
Presently the medium exhorted the Spirit of Cousin David to appear. For
at least ten minutes there was no indication that communication was to be
established. Then a cowbell tinkled, causing Mrs. Weems to shake and
tremble.
"Are you there, David?" called the medium.
The bell jingled violently.
"We are ready, David," intoned the medium. "Have you a message for us?"
To Penny's amazement, a pair of shapely white hands slowly materialized,
apparently pulling aside the curtain of the cabinet above the medium's
head. In the darkness they glowed with a weird phosphorescent light.
Next appeared a white-rimmed slate, upon which luminous words were
written: "I am the Spirit of Cousin David. Is Maud here?"
"Yes, yes," responded Mrs. Weems, quivering with excitement. "Have you a
message for me?"
Again the hand wrote: "My happiness in this world beyond is disturbed.
Maud, do not squander the money which I gave to you."
"Squander it?" the housekeeper said aloud. "Why, I've scarcely spent a
penny!"
"A trip to California is ill-advised," wrote the hand. "Invest your money
in good eight per cent securities. There are many excellent
companies--the Brantwell Corporation, White and Edwards, the Bierkamp
Company."
The slate vanished and once more the jingling of the cowbell denoted that
the spirit was moving away.
The medium spoke. "Contact has been broken. Shall we try to reach Cousin
David again?"
"Oh, please!" pleaded Mrs. Weems. "I don't know what to do now. I've
planned on the western trip and I can't understand why Cousin David
should advise me to give it up."
"I wouldn't go agin' the Spirits if I was you," advised Mr. Hodges. "You
better change your plans, Maud."
"But how can I be certain that the message came from Cousin David?" the
housekeeper quavered. "Oh, dear, I am so upset! If only I could be
certain."
"Madam, I hope you do not distrust me," said Al Gepper reprovingly.
"Oh, no, it's not that. I'm just upset."
"Perhaps, if you actually saw your cousin it would set your mind at
rest."
"Is it possible to see him?"
"I cannot promise, but we will try. Hold hands again please, and everyone
concentrate."
There followed an interval during which the medium pleaded with the
Spirit of Cousin David to return and show himself. Suddenly the group was
startled to see a luminous banjo move high through the air, unsupported
by any hand. It began to play "Down upon the Swanee River."
Midway through the selection, the music broke off and the banjo
disappeared. An instant later Mrs. Hodges uttered a choked cry.
"The easel! Look at it, Maud!"
All eyes turned toward the painter's canvas. As the medium focused a
flashlight upon it, the face of an elderly man slowly materialized on the
blank surface, the picture appearing in red, blue and finally black oil
paint.
"It _is_ Cousin David!" whispered Mrs. Weems, gripping Penny's hand so
tightly that it hurt. "He looks exactly as he did when last I saw him!"
The medium extinguished his light and again the room was dark. Mrs.
Weems' chair creaked as she stirred restlessly. Mr. Hodges' heavy
breathing could be plainly heard. There was no other sound. Everyone
waited in tense expectancy, sensing that the climax of the seance was at
hand.
Suddenly, behind Al Gepper's chair a spot of ethereal light appeared. As
Penny watched, it grew in size until the figure had assumed the
proportions of a man. Then, to her further amazement, it slowly rose
toward the ceiling, hovering above Mrs. Weems' chair.
Throughout the seance Penny had remained firm in her conviction that the
medium had resorted to trickery to produce his startling effects.
Although she could not be sure, she thought that several times he had
slipped from his chair to enter the conveniently placed cabinet. She also
believed that the only way he could have materialized the ghost was by
donning luminous robes.
"I'll end his little game once and for all," she thought.
Deliberately she waited until the ghostly figure floated close to her own
chair. Then with a sudden upward spring, she snatched at it.
Greatly to her chagrin, her hand encountered nothing solid. With the
speed of lightning, the figure streaked toward the cabinet behind Al
Gepper's chair and was seen no more.
Arising, the medium switched on the room lights. His face was white with
anger.
"I warned you to make no move," he said harshly to Penny. "You
deliberately disobeyed me."
"Oh, Penny, why did you do it?" wailed Mrs. Weems. "I was so eager to get
another message from Cousin David."
"His Spirit has been frightened away," announced the medium. "It will be
impossible ever to recall him. For that matter, I shall never again
conduct a seance with this young person present. She is a disturbing
element."
"Oh, Penny, you've ruined everything," said Mrs. Weems accusingly. "Why
do you act so outrageously?"
Penny started to speak and then changed her mind. Mrs. Weems, the
seamstress and her husband, all were gazing at her with deep reproach.
She realized that there was nothing she could say which would make them
understand.
She arose and walked to the easel. The painting of Cousin David remained
clearly visible. She touched it and then glanced at her finger which bore
a streak of red.
The paint was still wet.
Penny stared at her finger a moment. Lifting her eyes she met the
triumphant gaze of Al Gepper.
"Not even a skillful artist could have painted a picture so quickly," he
said with a smirk. "Only a spirit would have the ability. You are
dumbfounded, my little one?"
"No, just plain dumb," answered Penny. "I salute you, Mr. Gepper."
Without waiting for Mrs. Weems, she turned and went from the house.
"Now how _did_ he do it?" she muttered. "I saw everything and yet I am
more in the dark than ever. But I am sure of one thing. Unless I work
fast, Al Gepper is almost certain to obtain Mrs. Weems' inheritance."
CHAPTER
15
_HIDDEN MONEY_
One of Penny's first acts upon arriving home was to scan the telephone
directory under the heading, Investment Firms. The three companies
mentioned during the seance, White and Edwards, Brantwell, and Bierkamp,
were unlisted.
"Evidently there are no such firms in Riverview," she reflected. "But why
was Mrs. Weems advised to invest her money with one of them? It looks
very suspicious to me!"
Not until after five o'clock did Mrs. Weems return from the Hodges'. She
seemed rather upset, and when Penny tried to bring up the subject of the
seance, said distantly:
"Please, Penny, I prefer not to discuss it. Your conduct was
disgraceful."
"I apologize for grabbing at the ghost, Mrs. Weems. I only did it to
prove that Al Gepper is a fraud."
"Your motives were quite apparent. One could not blame Mr. Gepper for
being angry."
"Oh, Mrs. Weems," said Penny in desperation. "How can you be taken in by
his smooth line? His one purpose is to obtain your money."
"You are very unjust," the housekeeper responded. "Today I tried to pay
Mr. Gepper for the seance and he would not accept one penny."
"That's because he is playing for higher stakes."
"It's no use discussing the matter with you," Mrs. Weems shrugged. "You
are prejudiced and will give the man credit for nothing."
"I give him credit for being very clever. Mrs. Weems, please promise that
you'll not allow him to invest your money for you."
"I have no intention of doing so, Penny. It does seem to me that I should
consider Cousin David's wishes in the matter. Very likely I shall abandon
my plans for the western trip."
"And stay here with us?" Penny cried eagerly.
"No, I am thinking of going to a larger city and taking an apartment.
With my money invested in eight per cent securities, I should have a
comfortable little income."
"Mrs. Weems, I've heard Dad say over and over that sound securities will
not pay such a high rate of interest. Promise you won't invest your money
until you've talked with him."
"You're always asking me to promise something or other," the housekeeper
sighed. "This time I shall use my own judgment."
Realizing that further argument was only a waste of breath, Penny
wandered outside to await her father. When he came, they sat together on
the front porch steps, discussing the situation.
"I'll drop a word of advice to Mrs. Weems at the first opportunity,"
offered Mr. Parker. "If she is in the mood you describe, it would not be
wise to bring up the subject tonight. She merely would resent my
interference."
"What worries me is that I am afraid she may have told Al Gepper where
the money is kept."
"Tomorrow I'll urge her again to deposit it in a bank. We'll do our best
to protect her from these sharpers."
The publisher had been very much interested in Penny's account of the
seance. However, he was unable to explain how the various tricks had been
accomplished.
"Dad," Penny said thoughtfully, "you don't suppose there's any chance it
wasn't trickery?"
"Certainly not! I hope you're not falling under this fellow's spell?"
"No, but it gave me a real shock when I saw Cousin David's face
materialize on the canvas. It was the absolute image of him--or rather of
a picture Mrs. Weems once showed me."
A startled expression came over Penny's face. Without explanation, she
sprang to her feet and ran to the kitchen.
"Mrs. Weems," she cried, "did you ever get it back? Your picture!"
"What picture, Penny?" The housekeeper scarcely glanced up as she
vigorously scrubbed carrots.
"I mean the one of Cousin David. You allowed a photographer to take it
for enlargement."
"It hasn't been returned," Mrs. Weems admitted. "I can't imagine why the
work takes so long."
"I think I can," announced Penny. "But you never would believe me if I
told you, so I won't."
Racing to the porch, she revealed to her father what she thought had
occurred. It was her theory that the agent who had called at the Parker
home days earlier had in actuality been one of Al Gepper's assistants.
"Don't you see, Dad!" she cried. "The man obtained a picture of Cousin
David, and probably turned it over to the medium." Her face fell
slightly. "Of course, that still doesn't explain how the painting slowly
materialized."
"Nor does it explain the ghost or the banjo. Penny, couldn't Gepper have
painted the picture himself in the darkness?"
"There wasn't time, Dad. Besides, he held a flashlight on the painting.
No human hand touched it."
"You say, too, that the banjo was high overhead when it played?"
"That's right, Dad. Gepper couldn't have reached the strings. The
instrument floated free in the air."
"Sounds fantastic."
"Believe me, it was, Dad. It's no wonder Gepper is gaining such influence
over Mrs. Weems. He's as slick as a greased fox!"
"I'll have Jerry go to the house and try to learn how the fellow
operates," declared Mr. Parker. "We can't break the story until we have
absolute evidence that Gepper has obtained money under false pretenses."
The next day Penny remained close at home. Mrs. Weems still treated her
somewhat distantly, leaving the house immediately after lunch and
declining to explain where she was going. Penny was quite certain that
her destination was the Hodges' cottage.
"Guess I'll run over and see Louise," she thought restlessly. "Nothing to
do here."
Before she could leave the house, the doorbell rang. A man of perhaps
thirty, well dressed, with a leather briefcase tucked under his arm,
stood on the front porch. He bowed politely to Penny.
"This is where Mrs. Weems resides, I believe?"
"Yes, but she isn't here now."
"When will she be home?"
"I can't say," replied Penny. "Are you an agent?"
The man's appearance displeased her although she could not have said
exactly why. His smile was too ingratiating, his eyes calculating and
hard.
"My name is Bierkamp," he explained. "I represent the Harold G. Bierkamp
Investment Company."
Penny stiffened. She glared at the agent. "You mean you represent the Al
Gepper Spookus Company," she said in a cutting voice. "Well, Mrs. Weems
doesn't want any of your wonderful eight per cent stocks! She'll not see
you, so don't come here again!"
"And who are you to speak for her?" the man retorted.
"If you come here again, I'll call the police," Penny threatened. "Now
get out!"
Without another word, the man retreated down the street. Penny watched
until he turned a corner and was lost to view. She was a trifle worried
as to what she had done.
"If Mrs. Weems learns about this she'll never forgive me," she thought
uneasily. "But he was a crook sent by Al Gepper. I know it."
Wandering upstairs, she entered the bathroom, intending to wash before
going to Louise's home. On the tiled floor lay a velvet ribbon with a key
attached. At once, Penny realized that Mrs. Weems had left it there
inadvertently.
"It's the key to her desk," she reflected, picking it up. "And she
insists that her money is kept in a safe place! I have a notion to play a
joke on her."
The longer Penny considered the idea, the more it pleased her.
Jubilantly, she set forth for the Sidell home. Taking Louise into her
confidence, she visited a novelty shop and purchased a supply of fake
money.
Returning home, she then unlocked the drawer of Mrs. Weems' desk and,
removing the six thousand dollars, replaced it with neat stacks of
imitation bills. Louise watched her with misgiving.
"Penny, this joke of yours isn't likely to strike Mrs. Weems as very
funny," she warned. "You're always doing things which get you into
trouble."
"This is in a good cause, Lou. I am protecting Mrs. Weems from her own
folly."
"What will you do with the money?"
"Deposit it in a bank."
"You are taking matters into your hands with a vengeance! Suppose you're
robbed on the way downtown?"
"That would complicate my life. Upon second thought, I'll send for an
armored truck."
To Louise's amazement, Penny actually carried through her plan. A heavily
guarded express truck presently drew up before the Parker residence, and
Mrs. Weems' money was turned over to the two armed men who promised that
it would be delivered safely to the First National Bank.
"There, that's a load off my mind," said Penny. "Just let Al Gepper try
to steal Mrs. Weems' money now!"
Louise shook her head sadly. "You may be accused of stealing yourself. I
wouldn't be in your slippers when Mrs. Weems learns about this."
"Oh, I'll be able to explain," laughed Penny.
The joke she had played did not seem quite so funny an hour later. Mrs.
Weems returned home and without comment recovered the key which had been
replaced on the lavatory floor. She did not open her desk or mention the
money.
At dinner Penny was so subdued that the housekeeper inquired if she were
ill.
"Not yet," the girl answered. "I'm just thinking about the future. It's
so depressing."
"Perhaps a picture show would cheer us all," proposed Mr. Parker.
Mrs. Weems displayed interest, and Penny, without enthusiasm, agreed to
go. Eight o'clock found them at the Avalon, a neighborhood theatre. The
show was not to Penny's liking, although her father and the housekeeper
seemed to enjoy it. She squirmed restlessly, and finally whispered to her
father that she was returning home.
In truth, as Penny well knew, she was suffering from an acute case of
"conscience." Now that it was too late, she regretted having meddled with
Mrs. Weems' money.
Gloomily she walked home alone. As she entered, she heard the telephone
ringing, but before she could answer, the party hung up. With a sigh
Penny locked the front door again, switched out the lights and went to
bed.
For a long while she lay staring at a patch of moonlight on the bedroom
carpet. Although she felt tired she could not sleep.
"It's just as Louise said," she reflected. "I'm always getting myself
into hot water and for no good reason, either!"
Her morose thoughts were interrupted as a hard object thudded against a
nearby wall. Penny sat up, listening. She believed that the sound had
come from Mrs. Weems' room, yet she knew she was alone in the house.
Rolling from bed, she groped for a robe, and without turning on the
lights, tiptoed down the hall. Mrs. Weems' door stood open. Was some
intruder hidden in that room?
Peering inside, Penny at first noticed nothing amiss. Then her gaze
fastened on the window sill, plainly visible in the moonlight. Two iron
hooks, evenly spaced, had been clamped over the ledge!
CHAPTER
16
_OVER THE WINDOW LEDGE_
As Penny flattened herself against the wall, the head and shoulders of a
man slowly rose into view. Although his body was plainly silhouetted in
the moonlight, she could not see his face.
The intruder raised the sash, making no sound. He hesitated, listening a
moment, then dropped lightly into the bedroom.
Without turning on a flashlight which he carried, he went directly to
Mrs. Weems' desk. So deliberate was the action that Penny instantly
decided the fellow had come for a particular purpose and knew the lay-out
of the entire house.
"He means to steal Mrs. Weems' money!" she thought.
Opening the desk, the man tried the drawer where the inheritance funds
had been hidden. Failing to unlock it with a key, he took a tool from his
pocket and in a moment had broken the lock.
Removing the stack of fake bills which Penny had substituted, he thrust
them into his coat. Taking no interest in anything else in the room, he
moved stealthily toward the window.
Penny knew there was no one within calling distance and that the man
probably was armed. Wisdom dictated that she remain in hiding, but she
was determined the thief should not escape. Hoping to take him by
surprise, she stalked forward.
A board creaked. With a muttered exclamation the man whirled around. At
the same instant Penny flung herself upon him, diving low in imitation of
a football tackle.
The thief reeled, but instead of falling he recovered his balance and
gave Penny a tremendous shove which sent her sprawling backwards. Before
she could regain her feet, he ran to the window. Swinging himself over
the ledge, he vanished from view.
By the time Penny reached the window there was no sign of the intruder.
He had disappeared as if into thin air. However, she knew that the man
must have descended by means of a ladder which he had hastily removed.
She ran her hand over the window ledge. The iron hooks no longer were
there, only the scars which had been cut in the wood.
"This undoubtedly was the same fellow who broke into the Kohl apartment!"
she thought. "But how did he escape so quickly?"