Penny Nichols and the Mystery of the Lost Key Page 7

  CHAPTER VII "Ghost" Music

  As Penny and Rosanna entered the living room, the stranger turned to facethem. For a long moment Penny was convinced that he was the shoplifterwho had stolen the diamond ring from the Belton City department store.His build was the same and the general lines of his face were similar.Then the man spoke and she was not certain at all. The tone of his voicewas entirely different as was his abrupt manner of speaking.

  A trifle nervously, or so it seemed to Penny, Caleb Eckert introduced thestranger.

  "Max Laponi," he said. "He represents himself as a nephew of JacobWinters."

  "Not only do I represent myself as such, but I have proof that I am UncleJacob's nephew," the stranger retorted. "You'll find my credentials inorder. I've come to take over the estate."

  The girls were not greatly surprised when he took from his pocket aletter similar to the one which Mrs. Leeds had produced. They were moreimpressed with the other papers which he offered for Caleb'sinspection--a birth certificate, a letter of identification from a wellknown Chicago banker and various legal documents.

  "It looks to me as if someone has played a joke on all you folks," Calebsaid slowly. "We don't know that Mr. Winters is even dead."

  "Oh, yes, we do," Max Laponi insisted, producing another letter. "Thiscame from my attorney this morning. It definitely states that Mr.Winters--Uncle Jacob--was buried at sea."

  Caleb sank down in a chair. He scarcely read the letter although his facehad turned an ashen hue.

  "I can't believe it even now," he murmured. "There must be some mistake."

  "There's no mistake," Max cut in sharply. "It's clear enough that I amthe heir too. By the way, didn't the old man have a valuable collectionof ivories?"

  Caleb stiffened visibly. "Ivories?" he asked blankly.

  "Sure, some pieces he collected years ago on his tours. Read about it inthe paper."

  "Oh, so you read about it?" Caleb echoed significantly.

  "Uncle Jacob told me about the collection too. He always intended me tohave it."

  "Then you should know where to find it," Caleb retorted bluntly. "I'msure I don't."

  With that he turned and walked to the door. There he paused to fling overhis shoulder:

  "I wash my hands of the whole matter. You folks will have to fight it outamong you."

  Mrs. Leeds had managed to hold her tongue very well, but the moment thatthe door closed behind Caleb, she began an angry attack upon Rosanna andthe newcomer, accusing both of being impostors. Unwilling to listen tosuch an unreasonable tirade, Penny and Rosanna fled out of doors.

  "Such a mad house!" Penny exclaimed, taking a deep breath. "I have tokeep pinching myself to believe it's real!"

  "I never saw such a hopeless muddle," Rosanna added. "Everyone is soeager for the property no one gives the slightest thought to the tragedywhich befell poor Mr. Winters."

  "Perhaps he isn't dead," Penny suggested.

  Rosanna stared. "What makes you think that? Didn't Mr. Laponi have proofof it?"

  "He seemed to have proof of everything," Penny admitted with a ruefullaugh. "That's what makes me suspicious. There's something strange aboutthis entire affair."

  "I agree with you there."

  "I'm convinced of one thing, Rosanna. Either Mrs. Leeds or this manLaponi is an impostor. At first I thought Laponi was the same person whostole the ring. Now I can't be sure."

  Rosanna did not believe that the two were identical although she admittedthere was a close resemblance. However, she was quite willing to agreethat the man seemed like an impostor despite his credentials.

  "He may have picked up that letter and key you lost," Penny went on,thinking aloud. "And there was something rather sinister in the way hementioned the collection of ivories."

  "I noticed that. Caleb seemed disturbed."

  "It wouldn't surprise me if he knows where Mr. Winters kept thecollection," Penny continued. "At any rate, he's wise to pretendignorance. With such a mad lot of people in the house, anything mighthappen."

  Noticing a nearby path which led to a spring house, the girls followedit, drinking of the cool mountain water. They sat down on a bench whichafforded a view of the tall chalk-like cliffs. After a time they feltsoothed and tranquil again. They presently walked back to the house.

  Max Laponi was nowhere to be seen although Alicia told them that he wasbusy moving his things into one of the upstairs bedrooms.

  "Mother's worried since he came," the girl confided, growing morefriendly. "They had a dreadful quarrel. Now she's hunting for the will."

  "But Caleb Eckert warned her not to do that," Penny protested.

  "That old meddler has nothing to do with this place," Alicia declaredwith a toss of her head. "I hope he minds his own business and staysaway."

  The girls found Mrs. Leeds in the library. She was going through thedrawers of the desk in systematic fashion, tossing papers carelessly onthe floor. One drawer was locked. She shook it viciously.

  "Like as not Jacob Winters' will is locked up in there," she saidirritably. "I'm half a notion to break into it."

  "Oh, you mustn't do that," Rosanna cried indignantly, before she couldcheck herself.

  "And why shouldn't I?" Mrs. Leeds demanded tartly. "Jacob Winters is deadisn't he? And his will must be found. I suppose you're afraid to have thedocument come to light for fear you'll be cut off completely."

  Rosanna's cheeks flushed.

  "I never thought of such a thing, Mrs. Leeds. I think it's disgracefulthe way everyone is acting about the property!"

  Before Mrs. Leeds could reply, she ran from the room. Penny loyallyfollowed, joining Rosanna in the bedroom which they shared. She found theorphan in tears.

  "Forget it," Penny advised kindly. "Mrs. Leeds is so intent on gettingthe money that she doesn't realize what she says."

  "I'm sorry I ever came here. I want no part in this disgraceful grab forUncle Jacob's money."

  "I know how you feel," Penny agreed, "but let's stay a day or two. I'mcurious to learn just what is going on here."

  In truth, she was completely baffled. It was difficult for her to make upher mind whether or not the entire arrangement was a hoax. Somehow shehad distrusted Laponi's credentials. She distrusted him too.

  "I don't believe he could be a nephew of Jacob Winters," she thought. "Iwish there was some way to trace down his past."

  It was clear to Penny that Rosanna would never defend her claim to theinheritance. Unless she personally took a hand in the affair, Mrs. Leedsand Max Laponi would ignore the orphan completely.

  "I'll let them make the first move," she decided shrewdly. "For the timebeing I'll play a waiting game."

  For the greater part of the afternoon, Penny and Rosanna remained intheir own room. Toward nightfall they walked about the grounds and latermotored to a nearby inn for dinner. At nine o'clock when they returned tothe big empty house, the downstairs was dark. They judged that Mrs. Leedsand Max Laponi had already gone to their rooms.

  "We may as well turn in too," Penny suggested. "The mountain air makesone drowsy."

  Both girls were soon sound asleep. However, sometime later Penny wasawakened by the sound of footsteps in the hall. She thought little of it,and rolling over, tried to go to sleep again. Suddenly she heard softmusic from above.

  She sat up in bed, listening. A strain of a famous opera resoundedthrough the room, rising in volume, then falling away. Penny knew thatshe was not imagining it. She nudged her companion who quickly awakened.

  "Do you hear the same thing I do?"

  Rosanna clutched the sheets more tightly about her.

  "Ghost music," she whispered in awe.

  "It sounds like pipe organ music coming from a long distance away," Pennywhispered. "I'm going to find out!"

  Before Rosanna could prevent it, she stole from bed and swiftly tiptoedto the door.