Clue of the Silken Ladder Part 20

"How do you suppose they made things jump around as if they were alive?"

Louise remarked as the girls walked slowly toward home. "It frightened me."

"Everything was done by trickery. I'm sure of that, Lou. Just as soon as Dad returns I shall make a full report to him. We'll see what he can do about it."

By the time Penny arrived home, Mrs. Weems had retired to her room.

However, the light still burned and the door was open a crack. Rapping, the girl entered, for she was eager to tell the housekeeper about her visit to the Celestial Temple.

Mrs. Weems sat at the desk. Hastily she closed one of the drawers, and turned the key.

"You startled me, Penny!" she exclaimed. "I do wish you would give more warning before you descend upon one."

"Sorry," apologized Penny, glancing curiously toward the desk. "Oh, I see!"

"You see what?" demanded the housekeeper.

"Six thousand dollars reposing in a desk drawer!"

Mrs. Weems' look of consternation betrayed her. She glanced at the locked drawer, and then laughed.

"For an instant I thought you actually could see the money, Penny."

"Then my guess was right?"

"I keep the money in the drawer," Mrs. Weems admitted.

Penny sat down on the edge of the bed, drawing up her knees for a chin rest.

"Mrs. Weems, don't you think it's risky keeping so much money here?"

"It will only be for a few days, Penny. I'll have it converted into traveler's cheques as soon as I am ready to start west."

"The desk doesn't seem a safe place to me."

"You're the only person who knows where I keep the money, Penny. Oh, yes, I told Mrs. Hodges, but she is to be trusted. No one can steal it as long as I have the key."

Mrs. Weems tapped a black velvet ribbon which she wore about her neck.

"I keep this on me day and night," she declared. "No thief ever will get it way from me."

Penny said nothing more about the matter. Instead, she launched into a highly colored account of her visit to the Celestial Temple. The housekeeper expressed disapproval, remarking that she never would have granted permission had she known in advance where the girls were going.

Nevertheless, her eager questions made it evident that she was deeply interested in the demonstration which had been witnessed.

"I don't see how you can call it trickery," she protested. "You have no proof, Penny."

"Never in the world will I believe that spirits can make tables do a dance, Mrs. Weems! Probably the furniture had special wiring or something of the sort."

"You can't say that about the table at Mrs. Hodges', Penny."

"No, it seemed to be just an ordinary piece of furniture," the girl admitted reluctantly. "All the same, Al Gepper is a fraud, and I wish you wouldn't attend his old seance tomorrow."

"But Penny, I gave my promise."

"I can run over to the house and tell him you've changed your mind."

Mrs. Weems shook her head. "No, Penny, I am curious to learn if he will be able to communicate with the spirits. Tomorrow's seance should provide a genuine test. The man knows nothing about me or my ancestors."

"Mrs. Hodges probably has provided all the information he'll require."

"I telephoned her yesterday and requested her not to tell Mr. Gepper anything about me. She'll respect my wishes. The test should prove a true one."

Penny sighed and arose from the bed. Knowing Mrs. Weems as she did, she realized that her opinion could not be changed by argument. It was her hope that Al Gepper would discredit himself by failing in the seance.

"Penny, please promise that you'll do nothing outrageous tomorrow," Mrs.

Weems begged as the girl started to leave. "I am sure Mr. Gepper feels that you are antagonistic."

"I'll try to behave myself," Penny laughed. "Yes, we'll give Mr. Gepper a chance to prove what he can do."

At two the following afternoon she and Mrs. Weems presented themselves at the Hodges' cottage. Both Mr. Hodges and his wife, who were to sit in at the seance, were trembling with antic.i.p.ation.

"Mr. Gepper is simply wonderful," the seamstress confided to Mrs. Weems.

"He tells me that I have great healing powers as well as a psychic personality."

"Jenny, I hope you haven't told him anything about me," the housekeeper mentioned.

"Oh, no, Maud. For that matter, he's said nothing about you since you were here."

Mrs. Weems cast Penny an "I-told-you-so" glance which was not lost upon Al Gepper who entered the room at that moment.

"I am ready for you, ladies," he said. "Kindly follow me."

In the upstairs room blinds had been drawn. Al Gepper indicated that his audience was to occupy the chairs around the circular table.

"Before we attempt to communicate with the departed souls, I wish to a.s.sure you that I employ no trickery," he announced, looking hard at Penny. "You may examine the table or the cabinet if you wish."

"Oh, no, Mr. Gepper," murmured Mrs. Hodges. "We trust you."

"I'll look, if you don't mind," said Penny.

She peered beneath the table, thumped it several times, and pulled aside the curtain of the cabinet. It was empty.

"Now if you are quite satisfied, shall we begin?" purred Mr. Gepper. "It will make it much easier, if each one of you will give me a personal object."

"A la the Celestial Temple method," muttered Penny beneath her breath.

"What was that?" questioned the medium sharply.

"Nothing. I was merely thinking to myself."