Penny Nichols and the Mystery of the Lost Key Part 22

Curiously, the girls gazed about them. Everything was covered with a thick coating of dust and cobwebs hung in misty veils from the corners of the room. Penny crossed over to the organ. She indicated the bench in front of it.

"I guess that proves whether or not our ghost was real."

"You mean the imprint on the dusty surface of the organ bench?" Rosanna asked doubtfully.

"Yes, you can see where the organist sat."

"Perhaps one of us brushed off the dust without realizing it. You tried to play a few notes on the organ, you know."

"Yes, but I didn't sit down on the bench, Rosanna."

Losing interest in the organ, Penny began to search for the secret panel through which she was firmly convinced that the "ghost" had disappeared.

As her eyes moved swiftly over the smooth wall, she suddenly uttered a low exclamation.

"See, Rosanna! The imprint of a man's hand!"

The marking upon the wall was so faint that at first the other girl did not see it. But she too became excited as Penny pointed it out.

"How do you suppose it came to be there?" she asked in awe.

"I suspect our friend the organist was groping about in the dark searching for the secret panel. No doubt his hand was dusty and when he pressed it against the wall it left a faint imprint."

"If you're right, we have a valuable clue as to the location of the panel!"

Penny nodded eagerly. Already she was exploring the wall with her hand.

"It's funny," she murmured impatiently. "I'm as sure as anything that the panel is here----"

She broke off suddenly as her fingers touched a tiny round object which was hidden under the wall paper.

"I believe I've found it!" she exclaimed gleefully pressing the b.u.t.ton.

The girls heard a faint click. But the panel did not open.

"The stubborn thing!" Penny cried impatiently. "Why doesn't it open?"

She pushed with both hands against the section of wall where she felt convinced the panel was located. To her own surprise and the horror of her companion, it suddenly gave way.

Penny plunged headlong through the opening. And before Rosanna could recover from the shock of seeing her friend disappear, the panel fell back into place.

"Penny, Penny," she cried anxiously, pounding upon the wall. "Are you hurt?"

For several minutes there was no answer. Then Rosanna heard a smothered little giggle.

"All my bones are still together I guess. But I seem to have tumbled down a flight of stairs. Come on in."

"I don't know how to get in. The panel slammed shut when you fell through."

"It's hinged at the top I think. Find the little b.u.t.ton and press on it.

Then when you hear a click push on the panel. Only push easy or you'll take a tumble the way I did."

In a minute Rosanna had located the b.u.t.ton. She pressed upon it as she had seen Penny do. Then as the lock clicked, she cautiously pushed against the panel. Light as was her touch the sector of wall swung instantly back and she stepped through the opening. So concerned was she over Penny that she failed to hear the panel close behind her.

At first Rosanna could see nothing. Then as her eyes became accustomed to the gloomy interior she made out a long flight of stone steps leading downward into inky blackness.

She felt rea.s.sured when Penny grasped her hand.

"Come on, Rosanna! Isn't it exciting? Let's explore!"

"Oh, it's too dark!" Rosanna whispered nervously. "What if we should run into that dreadful man--the organist?"

"Well, perhaps it would be wiser to go back for a flashlight," Penny conceded. "Only we mustn't let Mrs. Leeds or Max Laponi suspect what we're up to. We must keep this discovery strictly to ourselves."

She returned to the head of the stairs but although she groped her hand carefully along the wall she could find no hidden b.u.t.ton or spring which controlled the panel. By this time Rosanna had grown frightened.

"Don't tell me we're locked in!"

Penny forced herself to speak calmly. She knew that it would never do to let Rosanna realize that she too was alarmed.

"For the moment I'm afraid we are," she admitted quietly. "But don't give up hope. We'll get out of here somehow."

CHAPTER XIII The Secret Stairs

Ten minutes of unrewarded search convinced Penny that they were only wasting their time in attempting to locate the hidden spring without a light.

"Let's follow the steps down and see where they lead," she suggested.

"Surely there must be another exit."

Rosanna permitted Penny to lead her down the steep flight of stairs. They presently reached the bottom. It was too dark to see very much but by feeling along the damp stone wall they discovered that they were in a narrow pa.s.sageway. As they moved cautiously forward a breath of cold air struck Penny's face.

"This must be the way to the exit," she declared cheerfully. "We'll soon be out of here now."

"It can't be too soon for me," Rosanna chattered.

Hand in hand they groped their way along the subterranean pa.s.sage. Soon they came to the end of it but instead of an exit they found another flight of steps leading downward at a steep angle.

"Careful or you'll fall," Penny warned as they began the treacherous descent. "Some of the stones are loose."

"I wish we had a light," Rosanna complained. "Where do you suppose we're going anyway?"

"Maybe to the center of the earth," Penny chuckled. "It seems like it anyway."

"Unless I'm mixed up in my directions we're moving toward the lake."