Penny Nichols and the Mystery of the Lost Key Page 10

  CHAPTER X The Wall Safe

  Recovering from her fright, Penny reached up and snapped on the light.She heard a door open down the hall. Mrs. Leeds, a dressing gown clutchedabout her unshapely figure, stumbled toward the girl.

  "There's something in my room! It struck my face while I was sleeping!Oh, oh, such a horrible house!"

  "Control yourself," Penny advised, taking her by the arm. "We'll see whatit is."

  Mrs. Leeds jerked away, assuming an attitude of tense listening. For thefirst time she had paid heed to the organ music from above.

  "There it is again!" she whispered in awe. "This house is haunted."

  Rosanna came down the hall, joining the two at Mrs. Leeds' door. Aliciahuddled nearby, too frightened to speak a word.

  Penny opened the door and groped for the electric switch. As the room wasflooded with light, she looked quickly about. Everything was in disorderbut that was because Mrs. Leeds had done no straightening or cleaningsince her arrival.

  Suddenly Penny began to laugh.

  "Pray what do you find that is so humorous?" Mrs. Leeds demandedindignantly.

  "Bats!" Penny answered, laughing again.

  There were four of them blinded by the light, cowering in the corners ofthe room. Penny opened a window and with Rosanna's help drove them outinto the night.

  "They must have come in through an open window," she said to Mrs. Leeds.

  "I didn't have a window open," the woman retorted. "I can't bear to sleepin this room again. Tomorrow I shall move into another. Come Alicia,we'll sit up until morning in the living room."

  Returning to her own room, Penny listened for the organ music. It hadceased as mysteriously as it had begun. She glanced curiously toward theroom occupied by Max Laponi. The door was closed. He alone of the entirehousehold seemed undisturbed by the strange things which went on abouthim.

  "I'd like to know if he really is in his room," Penny thought.

  She hesitated by the door but did not have the courage to try the knob.After a moment she followed Rosanna to their bedroom at the other end ofthe hall.

  Morning found Mrs. Leeds even more upset than upon the previous night.Her eyes were bloodshot, her face sallow, her clothes unpressed. Shequarreled with her daughter and ignored Penny and Rosanna. However, whenMax Laponi came down the stairs looking as dapper as ever, her attitudeinstantly changed. She spoke to him in a softer tone.

  "We were beginning to wonder if the ghost made off with you last night,"she said archly.

  "What ghost?"

  "You mean to say you didn't hear the music?"

  "Not a sound," Laponi told her. "I am a very hard sleeper."

  He seemed disinclined to listen to Mrs. Leeds' account of all that hadtranspired, and very shortly drove away in his automobile, ostensibly tohave breakfast in a nearby town.

  After straightening their room and making the bed, Rosanna and Penny wentfor a short walk. They sat down by the cliff where they could see theriver below, discussing the situation.

  "I don't see that it's doing a particle of good to stay here," Rosannainsisted. "I don't feel right about letting you waste so much time andmoney."

  Rosanna was thinking of the expensive meals which they bought at Andover.Because her own supply of cash had run so low, Penny paid for everything.Rosanna meant to settle the debt and it steadily grew larger.

  "Now don't worry," Penny advised kindly. "I'm staying on here largelybecause I've determined to discover the identity of our ghost. Then, too,I can't bear to see Mrs. Leeds gain what doesn't belong to her."

  "I'd be glad to stay if I thought it would do the slightest good--"

  "I think it will Rosanna. I have a scheme which I intend to try. It willtake a few days before we can work things out."

  Penny then explained a part of what was in her mind. She was not certainas to all the details of her plan, but little by little it was takingshape.

  After a time the girls walked down to Caleb Eckert's cabin. He was not athome. They sauntered leisurely back to the house on the cliff.

  Neither Mrs. Leeds' car nor the one belonging to Max Laponi was on thedriveway.

  "I guess we're the only ones here this morning," Penny commented.

  They entered by the front door. From the direction of the living roomthey heard a muffled exclamation of impatience. Signaling for silence,Penny tiptoed toward the velvet curtains which hid the living room fromview. She parted them.

  Caleb Eckert was working at the dials of a wall safe which had beenconcealed in a secret panel behind a large oil painting.

  Although the girls had made no sound, Caleb sensed their presence. Heturned and faced them.

  "Why, Mr. Eckert, doesn't this call for some explanation?" Penny asked inbewilderment. "Surely you have no right to tamper with Mr. Winters'safe."

  The old man plainly was embarrassed. He moistened his lips, looked away,then said gruffly:

  "I didn't come here to steal. I came because I wanted to protect Mr.Winters' valuables. There's folks in this house that I don't trust."

  "But how does it happen you know the combination of the safe?" Rosannainquired.

  "Mr. Winters gave it to me before he left. You see, he was my bestfriend. Jacob trusted me."

  "He must have," cut in a sneering voice from directly behind.

  Everyone turned to see Max Laponi standing in the doorway. His sharplittle eyes moved swiftly about the room taking in everything. They cameto rest upon the wall safe.

  Caleb spun the dials. He hastily pressed a concealed button and thepicture swung back into place, hiding the safe.

  "Neat little device," Laponi commented dryly. His eyes narrowed. "Tryingto steal the Winters' booty, were you?"

  "Certainly not," Caleb retorted angrily.

  Laponi caught him roughly by the shoulder, forcing him back against thewall.

  "You know a lot more than you let on," he accused. "Tell me, is thatwhere old Winters hid his ivory collection?"

  "I'll tell you nothing," Caleb snapped.

  "You'll tell or I'll--"

  "Mr. Laponi, you're hurting him!" Rosanna cried.

  "Perhaps we should call the police if there's to be trouble," Penny addedcunningly.

  At the mention of police, Laponi instantly released his grip on Caleb. Helaughed harshly.

  "We'll let it go this time," he said, "but I'm warning you, Eckert, stayaway from this house and this safe if you know what's good for you."

  "You might take that advice to yourself, too," the old man retorted,edging toward the door.

  From the window the girls watched him hurry down the path to his owncabin. His departure was almost flight. Obviously, Caleb was afraid.

  Penny did not know what to believe. An hour before she would have takenoath that he was strictly honest, devoted to the interests of JacobWinters. Now she could not be sure.

  Max Laponi lingered in the living room. Suspecting that he intended toinvestigate the wall safe the instant he was alone, Penny and Rosannasettled themselves for a long stay. They pretended to read.

  After an hour, Laponi grew tired of the game, and went off, grumbling tohimself.

  "We outlasted him that time," Penny chuckled. "However, we'll have to beon the lookout or he'll sneak back sometime when we're gone. I wonder ifMr. Winters did leave his ivory collection in the safe?"

  "Laponi seems to think so," Rosanna commented. "I'm glad he doesn't knowthe combination. I distrust him even more than I do Caleb."

  "So do I, but I intend to watch them both," Penny responded thoughtfully."I'm convinced there's a deep plot brewing--something far more sinisterthan we've suspected."