Clue of the Silken Ladder Part 18

"Oh, Spirit, if you are with us in the room, signal by lifting this piece of furniture."

Slowly the man moved his hands above the table. At first nothing happened, then to the astonishment of his audience, it lifted a few inches from the floor. There it hung suspended a moment before dropping into place again.

"You see?" With a triumphant ring to his voice, the medium crossed the room to raise the window shades. "Now do you doubt me?"

"No! No!" cried Mrs. Hodges tremulously. "Only a Spirit could have moved that table. Maud, perhaps it _was_ your Cousin David."

The medium gazed at Mrs. Weems with sympathetic interest.

"You have lost a loved one recently?" he inquired.

"Cousin David and I never were well acquainted," replied the housekeeper.

"That was why I was so surprised when he left me an inheritance."

"Mrs. Weems!" remonstrated Penny. She was dismayed by the revelation so casually offered.

"No doubt you would like to communicate with your departed cousin at some later time," the medium said smoothly. "Allow me to offer my services as an intermediary. No charge, of course."

"Why, that's very generous of you, Mr. Gepper."

"Not at all. Friends of the Hodges are my friends. Shall we set a definite date--say tomorrow at two o'clock?"

"Yes, I'll come. That is, if the Hodges are to be present."

"a.s.suredly. Mrs. Hodges is definitely psychic and should contribute to our seance."

It was with the greatest of difficulty that Penny finally induced the housekeeper to leave the cottage. Al Gepper accompanied them to the door.

"Tomorrow at two," he repeated, smiling slyly at Penny. "And you may come also, my little doubter. I a.s.sure you it will be well worth your time."

CHAPTER 11 _THE CELESTIAL TEMPLE_

"Penny, tell me the truth," Mrs. Weems urged as they drove home together.

"Didn't you push the ouija board?"

"Of course," laughed Penny. "But if I hadn't, Al Gepper would have. He was trying hard enough!"

"He said you were resisting the spirits."

"That was the worst sort of nonsense," Penny returned impatiently.

"Gepper is a fraud, and I wish you hadn't told him about your inheritance."

"How can you accuse him of being a fraud after you saw his marvelous demonstration? The table actually rose from the floor."

"I know it did," Penny acknowledged unwillingly. "But it must have been trickery."

"How could it have been? The table was an ordinary one. Mrs. Hodges uses it every day of her life."

"I don't know how he did it," Penny responded. "All the same, I am sure he's a trickster. Promise me you won't tell him anything more about yourself or the inheritance."

"Very well, I'll promise if it gives you satisfaction," the housekeeper replied. "However, I do intend to keep my appointment."

Penny had no opportunity to relate to her father what had occurred at the Hodges home, for Mr. Parker was absent on a two-day business trip to a distant town. Feeling that she must tell someone, she sought Louise Sidell, and they discussed every angle of the affair.

"Will you attend the seance with Mrs. Weems?" Louise asked her curiously.

"Will I?" Penny repeated. "I'll be right there with bells! I intend to expose Mr. Al Gepper if it's the last act of my life!"

Returning home later in the afternoon, she found Mrs. Weems sitting on the living room floor, sorting a drawer of old photographs.

"You're not packing your things already?" Penny asked in alarm.

"Only these photographs," the housekeeper responded. "I wouldn't have started the task, only I got into it when the agent came."

"Agent?"

"A man from the Clamont Photograph Studio."

"Never heard of the place."

"It's opening this week. They're having a special offer--three old photographs enlarged for only twenty-five cents. I gave the man Cousin David's picture and two others."

"That is a bargain," remarked Penny. "I wish I had been here."

The evening meal was served, and afterwards Mrs. Weems devoted herself to the reading of travel books borrowed from the library. Penny could find no occupation to satisfy her. She turned the radio on, switched it off again, and wandered restlessly from room to room. Finally she went to the telephone and called Louise.

"How about a little adventure?" she proposed. "And don't ask for explanations."

"Will we be home by ten o'clock? That's the parental deadline."

"Oh, yes, we'll make it easily. Meet me at the corner of Carabel and Clinton Streets."

Mrs. Weems was so engrossed in her book that she merely nodded as Penny explained that she and Louise were going for a walk. Reaching the appointed corner the girl found her chum awaiting her.

"Tell me about this so-called adventure," she commanded. "Where are we going?"

"To the Celestial Temple, Lou. At least, we'll look at it from the outside. Meetings are held there nearly every night at eight o'clock."

"Penny, I don't think I care to go."

"Nonsense! The meetings are open to the public, aren't they? We'll have a very interesting time."

"Oh, all right," Louise consented reluctantly. "But I can't understand why you're so interested in the place."

The girls took a bus to the end of the line, then walked three blocks until they came to b.u.t.ternut Lane. For long stretches there were only scattered houses and the street lamps were far between. Becoming increasingly uneasy, Louise urged her chum to turn back.