Penny Nichols and the Mystery of the Lost Key Page 9

  CHAPTER IX A Scrap of Paper

  Penny and Rosanna entered the house by the side door. Hearing a murmur ofvoices from the direction of the library, they involuntarily paused tolisten.

  "If we go into this thing as partners we're both bound to profit," theyheard a man say in an insistent tone. "Think it over and I know you'llsee how easily it can be accomplished. Those two girls are nit-wits.They'll make no trouble."

  Penny and Rosanna exchanged a startled glance. They recognized MaxLaponi's voice. So he was plotting against them! Undoubtedly, planning tosecure complete control of the Winters' estate.

  "I'm going to find out with whom he is talking," Penny whispered.

  Before Rosanna could protest, she walked to the library door and openedit. Mrs. Leeds and Max Laponi were sitting at the desk, examining somedocument which was spread out before them. As Penny came in, Laponiwhisked it into his pocket.

  "Oh, I beg your pardon," Penny said casually. "I didn't mean tointerrupt."

  "You aren't at all, my dear," Mrs. Leeds said more graciously than washer custom. "Mr. Laponi was just showing me a letter from his sister."

  "Yes, from my sister," Laponi echoed with a slight smirk. "She lives inNaples and writes such interesting letters."

  Penny found it difficult to refrain from smiling. She pretended to searchin the bookcase for a volume.

  "I thought possibly you had discovered the will," she remarkedmischievously.

  "The will! Oh, no!" Mrs. Leeds assured her.

  "That is a good joke," Laponi echoed. "Ha! Ha! Even a ferret couldn'tfind old Jacob Winters' will in this house!"

  Penny was aware that both Mrs. Leeds and Max Laponi were watching hershrewdly, trying to make up their minds if she had overheard anything.She dared say no more lest she betray herself. Picking up a book shequietly withdrew.

  "It's just as I thought," she told Rosanna when they were together intheir bedroom. "Laponi is trying to get Mrs. Leeds involved in somescheme to steal the property. Unless we watch out, Rosanna, they'll geteverything away from you."

  "I don't much care," Rosanna returned in disgust. "I never saw suchdisgraceful actions in all my life. As far as I'm concerned, I'd ratherleave this place tomorrow and let the lawyers settle everything."

  "There will be nothing left to settle when Mrs. Leeds and Laponi getthrough. It's pretty evident that one or the other is an impostor."

  "But we can't prove that, Penny. If only I hadn't lost my key and thecredentials!"

  "We're only starting to work on this case," Penny said cheerfully. "Let'skeep our eyes and ears open. We may discover something of value."

  Since their arrival at the old house, the girls had awaited anopportunity to inspect the third floor, hoping to discover the cause ofthe mysterious music which had disturbed the household. Penny suggestedthat while Mrs. Leeds and Laponi were occupied in the library they mightmake their tour of investigation. Rosanna agreed but without enthusiasm.She was not as venturesome as her companion.

  Penny led the way to the third floor landing. The hall was dark anddusty; cobwebs hung from the corners of the ceiling.

  Penny cast an appraising glance about her. The doors leading from thehall were all closed. She was certain that upon her previous visit onehad been slightly ajar.

  She reached for the knob and turned it. The door did not give. It waslocked.

  "That's funny," Penny murmured.

  "What is?"

  "I'm sure this door was unlocked before."

  "Perhaps it was the other one," Rosanna suggested.

  They moved on down the hall to try the second door. It too was securelyfastened.

  "I distinctly recall opening that other door," Penny maintained. "Istarted to go in and tripped over something. I suspect it was a ropestretched just inside the door."

  "Well, if we can't get in I guess we can't learn anything," Rosanna said,somewhat in relief.

  Penny made no response. She bent down to peer through the keyhole.

  "See anything?" Rosanna asked.

  "Just a big empty room. But there is something up against the far wall!Rosanna, it's a pipe organ!"

  After a minute she stepped away that her friend might see for herself.Rosanna agreed that the shadowy outline was an organ and a magnificentone.

  "The music came from this room all right," Penny said excitedly. "I wishwe could get in."

  After trying the door again, the girls returned to the second floor. AsPenny closed the stairway door she noticed that it had a key. Uponimpulse she turned it in the lock and pocketed the key with a smile ofsatisfaction.

  "That should put a stop to the music for a few nights," she remarked."I'll show that ghost I can lock a few doors myself!"

  As they reached their own bedroom, Rosanna said that she believed shewould lie down for a half hour. The events of the past few days had wornher down, both physically and mentally.

  "Do," Penny urged: "A sleep will refresh you. I think I'll go downstairsand see if I can discover what plot is brewing."

  She descended the spiral stairway and paused at the library. It wasempty. The house was strangely silent. Penny crossed the hall to theliving room. Heavy draperies screened the arched doorway. As Penny pulledthem aside to enter, she saw Mrs. Leeds standing at the fireplace, herback to the door. Something about her manner aroused Penny's suspicions.She waited and watched.

  Mrs. Leeds had built up a roaring fire on the hearth. She held a paper inher hand. Deliberately, she tore it into a dozen pieces and dropped theminto the flames.

  Penny hastily entered the room.

  Mrs. Leeds wheeled, her cheeks flushing. "How you startled me, MissNichols! You surely have a way of coming in quietly."

  "Sorry," Penny said, walking over to the hearth. "How nice to have afire, although it is a little warm today."

  "The room seemed damp," Mrs. Leeds said nervously. "I was cold. I thinkI'll go to my room and get a sweater."

  The instant Mrs. Leeds had disappeared, Penny snatched a charred piece ofpaper from the hearth. It was the only scrap which had not beencompletely consumed by the flames.

  Only a few scattered lines with many words missing were visible. Theothers were blackened or torn away.

  Penny distinguished a part of the writing: "Last will and testam-- --dobequeath to my niece, Ro--"

  "This must be a portion of Jacob Winters' will!" she thought. "Mrs. Leedsprobably found it somewhere in the house and decided to destroy itbecause she or her daughter weren't mentioned!"

  She stared at the word which began Ro----. The remaining letters had beentorn away. Had Mr. Winters written Rosanna's name? If only she hadentered the living room a minute earlier she might have prevented thedocument from being destroyed!

  In reviewing Mrs. Leeds' actions during the past two days, Penny couldnot doubt that the woman had actually found the missing will. Since herarrival at Raven Ridge she had spent most of her time poking about intoodd corners of the house. The locked drawer of the desk had annoyed herexceedingly.

  "I'll just take a look and see if it's still locked," Penny thought.

  She opened the desk and tried the drawer. It readily opened.

  "Empty," Penny commented grimly. "Just as I suspected."

  She examined the lock. It was evident at a glance that it had been brokenby a sharp instrument and not unlocked with a key.

  "The will was hidden in this drawer," she mused. "I feel confident of it.And it must have been drawn up in Rosanna's favor or Mrs. Leeds neverwould have destroyed it."

  Penny closed the desk and carefully placed the charred bit of paper inher dress pocket. She was deeply disturbed over the discovery, realizingthat Mrs. Leeds, by destroying the document, had gained a greatadvantage. However, she had no intention of abandoning the fight.

  "I'll keep this strictly to myself," she decided. "For the present I'llnot even tell Rosanna. It would only disappoint her to learn that thewill has been burned."

 
; Since Mrs. Leeds' arrival at Raven Ridge, Penny had done everything inher power to avoid a break with the arrogant society woman. She hadignored snubs and many unkind remarks. Now she felt that if Rosanna'sinterests were to be safeguarded, she no longer could afford to play awaiting game.

  "Mrs. Leeds and Max Laponi have shown their hand," she reflected. "Theymean to gain their ends by any possible means. But since they're stoopingto underhanded tricks, I may have a few little schemes of my own!"

  Penny was unusually silent that evening. Rosanna noticed it at once butthinking that her friend was absorbed in her own thoughts, refrained fromquestioning her.

  At six o'clock the girls motored to Andover for dinner. To their chagrin,Mrs. Leeds and her daughter Alicia chanced to select the same cafe. Allduring the meal, Penny noticed the woman's eyes upon her. As she andRosanna arose to leave, Mrs. Leeds hastily followed them.

  "Miss Winters, may I speak with you a moment?" she began coldly.

  "Why, yes, of course," Rosanna responded.

  "I mean alone."

  Rosanna hesitated and glanced at Penny. The latter started to move away.

  "No, don't go," Rosanna said quickly. "I am sure that anything Mrs. Leedsmay wish to say to me can be said in front of you."

  "Very well," Mrs. Leeds returned icily. "Evidence has reached me todaywhich proves conclusively that I am Jacob Winters' sole heir."

  Rosanna took the blow without the quiver of an eyelash.

  "What evidence, may I ask, Mrs. Leeds?"

  "I don't feel compelled to go into that, Miss Winters. Certainly not inthe presence of strangers or on the street."

  "Penny isn't exactly a stranger," Rosanna smiled.

  "From the first I have been very tolerant, I think," Mrs. Leeds went on,ignoring the orphan's remark. "By your own admission you have nocredentials--we have only your word that you are even related to JacobWinters."

  "I had a letter and key--the same as you," Rosanna faltered. "Either Ilost them or they were stolen."

  "And Rosanna happens to be a niece of Mr. Winters," Penny addedsignificantly. "I believe you are only a cousin, Mrs. Leeds?"

  The woman eyed her furiously.

  "Just what is it that you want me to do?" Rosanna asked.

  "I think you both should leave immediately."

  "And allow you to have everything your way," Penny interposed sweetly."Now wouldn't that be nice--for you!"

  She took Rosanna by the arm and urged her toward the car.

  "Don't allow Miss Nichols to poison your mind!" Mrs. Leeds pleaded,following Rosanna to the curbing. "Unless you leave immediately you willreceive no part of the fortune. If you go without making any furthertrouble, I might agree to some small settlement. After all, I mean to begenerous."

  "Thanks for telling us," Penny smiled.

  She closed the car door and they drove away.

  "Perhaps we shouldn't have been so short with her," Rosanna said uneasilyas they returned to the house on Snow Mountain. "If it's true that theproperty has been left to her, then she was being generous to offer togive me anything."

  "Don't worry, she'd forget her promise soon enough if she succeeded ingetting you away from here, Rosanna. I detest that woman. She thinks sheis so subtle and she's as transparent as glass!"

  "I wonder what evidence she referred to?" Rosanna mused.

  Penny started to speak, then changed her mind. Although Mrs. Leeds had nosuspicion that she guessed the truth, she was well aware of the nature ofthe new evidence. However, she refrained from mentioning the burned will,realizing that Rosanna, in her present depressed state of mind, would begreatly disturbed by the information. If the orphan believed that she nolonger had a definite claim to the fortune, she would insist upon leavingRaven Ridge without further delay.

  Penny did not intend to quit the scene until she had answered severalquestions to her satisfaction.

  The entire case seemed a trifle fantastic as she reviewed it. First,Rosanna had received the strange letter signed by a fictitious name.Then, although the orphan had lost the key, they had found the door ofthe Winters' mansion unlocked. Close upon the heels of their arrival,Mrs. Leeds, her daughter, and Max Laponi appeared. Since then, the househad been disturbed by haunting organ music and one baffling event hadcrowded upon another.

  "It's all very bewildering," Penny reflected. "But I believe thateverything can be fitted together if only I am able to learn the identityof the mysterious ghost."

  The night closed in dark and windy. Penny and Rosanna sat by the fire,trying to read. They were relieved when Mrs. Leeds and her daughterretired to their rooms shortly after eight o'clock for it gave them anopportunity to talk. At ten o'clock the girls went to their own room. MaxLaponi had not yet returned from Andover where he took his meals.

  Penny was tired and fell asleep almost as soon as her head touched thepillow. Hours later she was awakened by Rosanna who was sitting uprightin bed.

  "What is it?" Penny mumbled drowsily.

  Then she knew. The house reverberated with the soft chords of a pipeorgan.

  Without switching on the electric lights, Penny drew on her dressinggown. She started toward the door, then returned to grope in the drawerof the dresser where she found the key which locked the door leading tothe attic floor.

  "What are you going to do?" Rosanna asked anxiously, drawing thebedclothes closer about her.

  Penny already had gone. Stealing quietly down the dark hall she reachedthe end of it and stood listening. The door leading to the third floorwas closed. She could hear the music more distinctly than before and knewfor a certainty that it came from above.

  She gently tried the door. It was still locked.

  Penny was momentarily baffled. She had half expected to find the doorunlocked. She had been so confident that by taking the key she could puta stop to the ghost music.

  "How did the organist reach the third floor if he didn't pass throughthis door?" she debated. "That ghost must be quite a clever fellow if hecan enter without keys."

  The entire house had been carefully locked up for the night. Penny andRosanna had attended to it the last thing before retiring, knowing thatMax Laponi could come in later by using his own pass key. They hadsecured every door and window.

  "Well, I won't learn anything by standing here," Penny thoughtuncomfortably. "I'll have to go up there." Her usual courage was at lowebb. She dreaded the ordeal.

  However, before she could open the stairway door, a shrill scream echoeddown the hall.

  Terrified, Penny crouched back against the wall and waited.