Julia had set out the wooden bowls of soup, and crackers, thoughtfully
remembering to set an extra one for Penny. No other food was in evidence.
"Soup again?" asked one of the cult members in bitter disappointment. "We
are hungry!"
"We've had little more than soup since we came here!" exclaimed another
old lady plaintively.
"Are you so soon forgetting your vows?" chided Father Benedict. "Material
things have no true meaning."
Grumbling a little, the women sat down at the table and began to eat.
Penny took an empty place near the door. She tasted the soup and nearly
gagged.
Father Benedict did not join the group. After lingering a few minutes he
quietly slipped away. This offered Penny an opportunity to leave without
arousing the monk's suspicions.
"I must learn more about that girl who is locked up here somewhere!" she
thought. "Perhaps I can help her escape!"
Still wearing the white robe, Penny started back to the cloister. The
cult ceremony which she had witnessed greatly disturbed her.
"Father Benedict is taking unfair advantage of these people," she told
herself. "He accepts their jewels and gives nothing in return.
Furthermore, he is cruel!"
Voices in the cloister directly ahead warned the girl to proceed
cautiously. Keeping close to the wall and holding her robe tightly about
her, she crept closer to the fountain.
The candles had all been extinguished. However, Father Benedict and
Winkey were there, working by the light of a lantern.
"Fish out the jewels and be quick about it!" the monk ordered his
servant. "We must be finished before they're through in the refectory."
The hunchback scrambled down into the bowl of the fountain, and groped
with his hands for the trinkets the cult members had thrown away.
"Did the old lady kick in with the sapphire tonight?" Winkey asked as he
worked.
"No!" the monk answered. "She sent word that she was too sick to leave
her room! I suspect that girl put her up to it!"
"You goin' to let her get by with it?"
"I'll talk with her later tonight," Father Benedict said. "If she doesn't
come across by tomorrow, we'll find ways to persuade her."
"You been saying that ever since she came here! If you ask me, we won't
never have any luck with her until we get rid of the girl! She's been a
wrench in the machinery from the start."
"I'm afraid you are correct, Winkey," sighed the monk. "But I do so
dislike violence. Well, if it must be, so be it. You assigned her to the
room with the canopied bed?"
"I locked her in like you said." Winkey, having gathered all of the
trinkets, scrambled out of the stone basin onto the tiled cloister floor.
"What have we here?" asked the monk eagerly.
Winkey spread the contributions on a handkerchief. Father Benedict held
the lantern closer to inspect the articles.
"Junk! Trash!" he exclaimed. "Only the diamond has any value."
"How about this ring?" demanded Winkey, picking up Penny's dime store
contribution.
"Glass!" In fury, the monk hurled the ring across the cloister.
Penny suppressed a giggle. But Father Benedict's next words sent a shiver
down her spine.
"This settles it!" he said. "I'll talk to the old lady now! If she
refuses to give up the sapphire, then you know what to do with the girl!"
"I'm waiting for the chance!" growled the hunchback. "Just say when!"
"Once the girl is where she can't influence the old lady, we'll have no
trouble," the monk continued. "However, we must work fast. After tonight,
I have a feeling we will do well to move our institution elsewhere."
"The newspapers are sending reporters around to ask a lot of questions,"
agreed Winkey. "I don't like it! If anyone should find out about the
crypt--"
"Let me do the worrying," interrupted Father Benedict. "We'll get the
sapphire and be away before anyone even sets foot inside the place."
"What about that Parker girl?"
"She's only a child!" the monk scoffed. "A very annoying, nosey one, I
grant you."
Taking the lantern with them, Father Benedict and Winkey disappeared in
the direction of the monk's study. Left in darkness, Penny debated her
next action.
If only she could telephone her father or Mr. DeWitt at the _Star_
office! This, of course, was out of the question, for the ancient
building obviously had no phone service.
"I might go for help," she reasoned, "but a full hour would be needed for
me to reach Riverview and return with anyone. And what can I prove?"
Though Penny was convinced Father Benedict and Winkey were fleecing cult
members, she knew the women voluntarily had given up their jewelery. In
the event police tried to arrest Father Benedict, the cult members might
rise to his defense.
"I'll have to have more evidence!" she decided. "The one person who
should be able to tell me what goes on here is that girl who is locked in
the chapel bedroom!"
Stealing across the dark cloister, Penny listened a moment at the
passageway leading to the refectory. An undercurrent of conversation and
the clatter of tin spoons told her that cult members had not yet finished
the evening repast.
From the map Mr. Eckenrod had shown her, the girl knew the location of
the chapel bedroom. Tiptoeing down a corridor opening from the cloister,
she came to a massive oaken door.
"This must be the one," she decided.
Softly she tapped on the panel.
"Who is there?" called a startled voice. The words were so muffled, Penny
barely could distinguish them.
"A friend," replied Penny.
Footsteps pattered across the room. "Help me get out!" the imprisoned
girl pleaded.
Penny tried the door. As she had expected, it was locked.
"Where is the key?" she called through the panel. "If I can find it, I
may be able to get you out of here."
"Speak louder!" the girl protested. "I can't hear you."
Penny dared raise her voice no higher. She realized that the heavy
paneling deadened sound and made it impossible to carry on a satisfactory
conversation.
"The key!" she called again. "Where is it?"
As she spoke the words, a board snapped directly behind her. Penny's
heart jumped. Before she could turn to look over her shoulder, a bony
hand reached out of the darkness and grasped her wrist.
CHAPTER
18
_ELEVEN BOWLS_
Smothering a scream, Penny twisted around to see that it was Old Julia
who had seized her arm.
"Oh!" she gasped in relief. "I thought it was Winkey or Father Benedict!"
"You go now!" the old woman urged her. "_Please!_"
"I can't until I've helped whoever is locked in here," Penny replied,
gently prying away Julia's fingers which were cutting into her flesh.
"Tell me, where is the key?"
Old Julia shook her head in a stupid sort of way.
"The key to this door," Penny explained patiently. "Where is it kept?"
"Father Benedict," Julia mumbled. "No other."
"Then it's impossible to help the girl without bringing police!" Penny
exclaimed. "I'll have to get out of here and drive to Riverview! But can
I prove anything?"
Old Julia stared blankly at Penny as if not understanding a word. But she
reached out, and taking hold of the girl's hand, pulled her along the
corridor.
Believing that the servant meant to show her a quick means of exit from
the building, Penny willingly followed.
However, Old Julia led her only a few yards before pausing beside another
door. Opening it, she motioned for Penny to step inside.
The girl saw with some misgiving that Old Julia expected her to enter
what appeared to be a rather large, empty storage closet.
"Oh, I don't want to hide," Penny explained thinking that the old woman
had misunderstood. "I must leave here now."
"Inside!" bade Julia insistently. "You see! Talk!"
She gave Penny a little shove into the room and closed the door.
Only then did the girl realize that she barely had escaped detection.
For, in the corridor, heavy footsteps now were heard. Standing motionless
against the closet door, she recognized Father Benedict's voice as he
spoke to Julia:
"What are you doing here?" he asked the servant harshly. "Have I not told
you never to come into this section of the building?"
Julia's reply was inaudible. The monk's next remark warned Penny that she
courted detection if she remained longer in the building.
"I have just come from the refectory," he said. "I counted the soup
bowls. There were ten empty and one barely touched. _Who was the eleventh
person in this household that was served tonight?_"
"Don't ask me," moaned Old Julia. "I dunno nothing."
"Sometimes," said the master coldly, "I am inclined to think you know far
more than you let on. Get to the dishes now! Go!"
Evidently Father Benedict struck or kicked the woman, for Old Julia
uttered a sharp cry of pain. Her sobs died away as she retreated down the
corridor.
After the old woman had gone, Father Benedict unlocked the door of the
bedroom and stepped inside. By pressing her ear against the closet wall,
Penny was able to hear every word of the ensuing conversation.
"Well, my dear," said Father Benedict to the imprisoned girl. "Are you
ready to come to your senses?"
"If you mean, am I willing to sit quietly by and see you rob my
grandmother, the answer is 'No!'"
"I do not care for your choice of words, my dear," replied the monk. "You
are an impertinent child who must be disciplined."
"Wait until I get away from here!" the girl challenged. "People will
learn exactly what's going on in this place!"
"Will they indeed? So you propose to make trouble?"
"I'll tell what I've seen. You're only a cheap trickster! Furthermore,
you can't keep me a prisoner in this room."
"No?" Father Benedict's voice crackled with amusement. "In this house _I
am the law_! Since you are in no mood to discuss matters reasonably, I
shall leave you here. Your grandmother, I trust, will display a more
sensible attitude."
"You leave my grandmother alone!" the imprisoned girl cried furiously.
"You're only after her gems!"
"If you were to cooperate--"
"I'll never fall in with your schemes!" the girl exclaimed. "Let me out
of here!"
Penny heard a scuffle and knew that an unsuccessful attempt had been made
to reach the door. As her own hand groped along the closet wall, it
suddenly encountered a small, circular panel of wood. As she pushed
against it, a crack of light showed through.
"A peephole!" Penny thought. "Julia knew it was here! That was what she
meant when she said I could see and listen!"
Stealthily, so as to make no sound, she slid the piece of wood aside.
Gazing into the semi-dark bedroom, she saw Father Benedict push the
struggling girl backwards onto the canopied bed.
"You have settled your own fate!" he said angrily. "Now you'll stay here
until I find a better place! Sweet dreams, my little wildcat!"
Quitting the room, he locked the heavy door. The girl on the bed buried
her head in the dusty, scarlet draperies and began to cry.
Penny waited only until she was certain Father Benedict was far down the
corridor. Then she rapped softly on the closet wall.
Through the peephole, she saw the girl start violently and look about the
room.
"Hist!" Penny whispered. "Over here!"
She rapped again, and this time the girl saw the tiny hole in the wall.
Leaping from bed, she came across the room.
"Who are you?" she demanded, unable to see Penny's face.
"A friend! I'm here to help you."
"Can you get me out of this room?"
"Father Benedict seems to have the only key," Penny told her. "I'll sneak
out of here and telephone the police. But first, I must know exactly what
case we have against Father Benedict."
"He's mean and cruel! He half starves the people who live here and takes
all their money and jewels!"
"Why did he shut you up here?"
"Because I've opposed him. Though I tried hard to prevent it, he coaxed
my grandmother to come to this horrible place."
"Have either of you been mistreated?" Penny asked.
"Until tonight, Father Benedict favored us above the other cult members.
Of course, that was only because as yet he hasn't been able to get his
thieving hands on the star sapphire!"
At mention of the gem, Penny's pulse leaped. No longer did she doubt that
the girl was the missing Hawthorne heiress sought by Mr. Ayling.
"You're the one I picked up on the road," she said. "But you've never
told me your name. Is it possible you're Rhoda--"
"Rhoda Hawthorne," the girl completed for her. "I refused to answer your
questions before because I distrusted everyone."
"And now?"
"I realize you're a true friend--the only one I have. Oh, you must get me
out of this room quickly! Please bring police at once!"
CHAPTER
19
_A DORMITORY ROOM_
"I'll get you out of this room somehow," Penny promised through the
peephole. "First, before I go for police, tell me more. Why were you
carrying a suitcase that night Louise and I met you on the road?"
"I was running away," Rhoda Hawthorne replied.
"Yet you returned here."
"I had to. When I thought about Grandmother alone in the clutches of
Father Benedict, I knew I couldn't desert her. She is putty in his
hands!"
"But why didn't you bring police here yourself, Rhoda?"
"What could I prove? Until tonight when Father Benedict locked me up, I
had no real evidence against him."
"Even now, we haven't very much," said Penny. "He'll deny he imprisoned
you unless police take him by surprise and find you here."
"Grandmother will be worrying about me," Rhoda said anxiously. "She's in
her room now, sick abed. I'm afraid it's from eating such vile food."
"What does the doctor think?"
"No doctor has seen her. Father Benedict won't allow anyone to call if he
can prevent it. He has only one thought--to get his hands on the sapphire
and leave here before police catch up with him."
"You're really convinced he is a crook?"
"I'm certain of it! Grandmother and I met him at a Florida resort. As
soon as he learned about the star sapphire, he attached himself to us
like a leech. Soon he found out Grandmother is superstitious about the
gem, so he started playing upon her feelings. He told her about this
wretched society of his and painted the monastery in such glowing colors
that Grandmother became fascinated."
"So he talked her into coming here?"
"Yes," Rhoda said bitterly, "it was only supposed to be for a day's
visit. But once we were inside the monastery, we became as prisoners.
Letters are confiscated and there is no telephone."
"You did get away once."
"With Julia's help--yes. Only once though. The place is guarded by Winkey
and he is very watchful."
"Tell me, have you seen Mr. Ayling, the insurance company investigator?"
"Mr. Ayling?" Rhoda was puzzled.
"I mean the man who was with me the day you peeped at us from behind the
curtain in Father Benedict's study," Penny explained.
"Oh! No, only on that day."
"Mr. Ayling came here to find you and your grandmother. Then he went to
Chicago and hasn't returned. I'm afraid something has happened to him."
"I've seen no one here except members of the society," Rhoda said.
"Sometimes though, I wonder what goes on in the cellar. Once I heard a
dreadful commotion! And the way Julia screams when she is upset!"
"She's a simple soul."
"Simple perhaps, but she knows more than anyone else about the real
secrets of this house."
"Speaking of secrets," said Penny hesitantly, "I'm wondering what ever
became of the star sapphire?"
"It's safe--at least I think so," Rhoda replied. "Not even Grandmother
knows where I have hidden it."
"Then there's no chance Father Benedict can get his hands on it while I
go for police?"
"Not unless he forces me to tell where the gem is hidden. And I'll die
first! But I'm afraid he may torture Grandmother in an attempt to make
her reveal what she doesn't know."
Penny prepared to close the peephole. "I'll go for the authorities now as
fast as I can," she promised. "Keep up your courage until I return."
"Do be careful," Rhoda warned nervously. "If Father Benedict should catch
you trying to escape, there's no guessing what he would do!"
Penny closed the peephole and stole out of the dark closet. The corridor
was deserted.
Retracing her way to the cloister, the girl paused beside a wall niche a
moment as she considered the safest way to attempt an escape.
"I'll try the kitchen window," she decided. "It worked well enough coming
in."
On tiptoe she approached the kitchen, only to halt as she heard voices.
Father Benedict was berating Old Julia again.
"There _were_ eleven bowls of soup served!" she heard him insist. "Mrs.
Hawthorne and her daughter were not in the dining room. So that makes one
extra person unaccounted for. Julia, someone entered this house tonight
to spy, and you know who the person is!"
"No! No! I dunno nothin'," the servant moaned. "Even if you strike me and
break my bones I can't tell you no different!"
"We'll see about that," said the monk harshly. "After a few hours below,
perhaps you'll be willing to talk!"
Julia uttered a squeal of terror. "Don't take me down into that awful
place where the tombs are!" she pleaded. "Please!"
"Then tell me who entered this house tonight."
"I'll tell, if you quit twisting my arm," Julia sobbed. "Only I didn't
want to get her into trouble. She didn't mean no harm."
"_She!_"
"It was just a girl."
"A blond?"
"I dunno. I guess so."
"It was that Parker girl!" Father Benedict muttered. "She represents the
_Riverview Star_, worse luck!" Giving Julia a hard shake, he demanded:
"She got in through the window?"
"I guess so. I dunno."
"You know nothing, especially when it suits your purpose!" Father
Benedict accused her furiously. "Where is the girl now? Did she get away
or is she still here?"
"I seen her a few minutes ago."
"Where?"
Penny's heart nearly failed her, for she was certain Old Julia would
reveal that she had hidden in the closet with the peephole.
To her great relief, the woman replied that she had taken part in the
cult ceremony and then had supped in the refectory.
"I knew that before, stupid!" Father Benedict shouted. "The girl must
still be in the building. I'll find her, and when I do--"
Waiting to hear no more, Penny retreated to the cloister. All candles had
been blown out and it was very dark.
"I must get out of here now or never!" she thought. "Father Benedict will
start looking for me and he'll probably order Winkey to watch the gates."
Starting hurriedly along the cloister, she heard approaching footsteps.
Momentarily confused, she started up a short, steep stairway to a balcony
overlooking the court.
Belatedly, Penny realized she had turned toward the dormitories.
Opening from the balcony was a bedroom door which stood partly ajar.
After listening for a moment, and hearing no movement inside, she
cautiously tiptoed into the room.
"A window here may be unlocked," she thought. "If the drop to the ground
isn't too far, maybe I can get out this way."
As Penny crossed the room, an elderly woman she had failed to see,
suddenly sat up in bed.
"Rhoda, is that you?" she asked in a whining voice. "Why have you been
gone so long? Oh, I've been so worried!"
Penny hesitated, then went over to the bed.
"I'm not Rhoda, but a friend of hers," she explained. "Do you mind if I
crawl out through the window?"
"It's nailed down and there are bars," the elderly woman replied. "Oh,
this is a horrible place! Rhoda tried to tell me. I wouldn't listen!"
Scarcely hearing, Penny ran to the window. As she pulled aside the dusty
velvet draperies, she saw for herself that the window was guarded by
ancient rusty bars. Everywhere escape seemed cut off!
Turning to the bed again, she observed with some alarm that the old lady
had fallen back on her pillow. Moonlight flooding in through the
diamond-shaped panes of glass accentuated her pallor.
"You're Mrs. Hawthorne, aren't you?" she inquired gently.
The woman nodded. She coughed several times and pulled the one thin
coverlet closer about her.
"Where is Rhoda?" she asked. "Why doesn't she come to me?"
Penny could not tell her the truth--that her granddaughter had been
locked in the chapel bedroom by Father Benedict. Nor could she express
the fear that an even worse fate was in store for the girl unless help
came quickly to the monastery.
As she groped for words, Mrs. Hawthorne suddenly gasped. Her face became
convulsed and she writhed in bed.
"Oh, those stomach cramps!" she moaned. "They're starting again!
Please--please, a doctor!"
Never had Penny felt so helpless as she watched the poor woman suffer.
Mrs. Hawthorne's wrinkled face broke out in perspiration. She gripped the
girl's hand with a pressure that was painful.
When the cramp had passed, she lay limp and exhausted.
"I'll get a doctor here as soon as I can," Penny promised. "Until then,
perhaps a hot water bottle will help."
"There's no hot water in the place," Mrs. Hawthorne mumbled. "Oh, if I
ever get away from here alive--"
"Sh!" Penny suddenly interrupted. She placed her fingertips on the
woman's lips.
Heavy footsteps warned her that someone approached.
"It may be Father Benedict!" Penny whispered. "Whatever you do, don't
give me away! I must hide!"
Frantically, she looked about for a safe place. The room had no closet.
"Under the bed," urged Mrs. Hawthorne.
Penny wriggled beneath it. Barely had she secreted herself, than Father
Benedict stamped into the bedroom.
CHAPTER
20
_TRICKERY_
Lighting his way with a tall, flickering candle, Father Benedict walked
directly to the bed where Mrs. Hawthorne lay.
"How are you feeling?" he inquired with a show of sympathy.
"Dreadful," the woman murmured. "I must have a doctor."
"Do you really believe that a doctor can help you, my good woman?"
The question startled Mrs. Hawthorne. She half-raised herself from the
pillow to stare at the monk.
"Why, what do you mean?" she asked. "Surely a doctor can give me medicine
to help these wretched pains. It is only a stomach disorder."
"My dear Mrs. Hawthorne, surely you must realize that your difficulty is
not one that a man of medicine can cure."
"You don't mean I have a serious, incurable disease?" the woman gasped.
"You are indeed suffering from a most serious malady which may take your
life," affirmed Father Benedict. "Is it not true that bad fortune has
pursued every owner of the star sapphire?"
Mrs. Hawthorne remained silent.
"Is it not so?" prodded the monk. "Think back over the history of the
gem. Even your husband met with misfortune."
"And now you believe my turn has come? Oh!"
"I dislike to distress you," resumed Father Benedict with malice, "but
perhaps by warning you I may yet save your life. Tonight in the crystal
globe I saw your face. A message came that you must dispose of the star
sapphire immediately or you too will die!"
"I--I always have hated and feared the gem," Mrs. Hawthorne whispered,
her lips trembling. "You are right. It has brought only misfortune upon
our family."
"Then your way is clear. You must dispose of the sapphire at
once--tonight."
"The gem is very valuable. You suggest that I give it to your society?"
"To our society," corrected the monk. "Once you have contributed the gem,
you will become our most honored member."
"The gem was left to me in trust for my granddaughter."
"You told me yourself you desire that it never should fall into her
hands."
"Only because I fear evil will befall her. I had planned to sell the gem
and place the money in her name."
Father Benedict beat an impatient tattoo with his foot. "The curse would
remain," he insisted. "Only by giving the gem to a worthy charity can
evil be erased. For your own sake and that of your granddaughter, I beg
of you, give us the sapphire."
"A few days ago, I might have considered it," said Mrs. Hawthorne
peevishly. "Now I don't even like this place. It is too much on the order
of a prison. The food is wretched! Tomorrow if I am stronger, I shall
take my granddaughter and leave."
"Indeed?" Father Benedict sneered. "For you there will be no tomorrow. I
have seen the face of a corpse in my glass!"
Penny knew that the words shocked Mrs. Hawthorne, for she heard her draw
in her breath sharply. But the woman retorted with spirit:
"You cannot frighten me with your predictions! Rhoda insisted from the
first that you are an imposter! She is right! You'll get no gem from me!"
"No?" Father Benedict's voice became mocking. "We shall see!"
Placing the candle on the floor close to the bed, he crossed the room to
the old fashioned dresser. One by one, he began to paw through the
drawers.
"Stop it!" cried Mrs. Hawthorne. "Don't dare touch my things!"
Father Benedict paid her not the slightest heed. Rapidly he emptied boxes
and containers and tossed clothing in a heap on the floor.