Whispering Walls
Page 12
CHAPTER 12 _SUPERSTITION_
Penny quickened her step. "Lorinda!" she called again.
The girl at the bonfire whirled around. Seeing Penny, she gave the woodendoll a shove with the toe of her shoe, trying to bury it beneath a pileof burning wood.
Penny was not to be so easily deceived. Reaching the fire, she askeddirectly: "Lorinda, what in the world are you doing?"
"Why, nothing."
"You're burning something you don't want me to see!"
"It's nothing. Just an old doll."
The wooden object had not yet caught fire, and Penny could still see itplainly.
"Why, it's an effigy doll!" she exclaimed, then observing the faceclearly, she added in a shocked voice: "A likeness of your mother!"
The scarlet string around the doll's body caught fire, and soon tonguesof flame began to consume the wood. Only then did Lorinda speak.
"Now it is destroyed! But I cannot so easily destroy the evil thatthreatens my mother!"
"Why, Lorinda! What do you mean? Why are you burning this doll?"
Lorinda sank down on the sand, her eyes upon the fire. "I hadn't intendedanyone to know. You swear you will never tell Mother?"
"Of course not."
"I found this doll in a downstairs coat closet. You saw for yourself thatit was an effigy of Mother and that it was wrapped with string?"
"Yes, but I fail to understand its significance."
"That scarlet wool string is known as a life-thread. Each day a little ofthe thread is unwound until finally it all is gone. Then the persondies."
"Not your mother, Lorinda! Surely, you don't believe such a crazysuperstition!"
"I don't," Lorinda answered, her voice barely above a whisper. "_ButMother will_ if she learns about the doll. That is why she will die,unless I can do something to break the spell."
To Penny the words seemed fantastic, but she realized Lorinda was deadlyin earnest and convinced that she was speaking the truth.
"Let's get to the bottom of this, Lorinda. How did the doll come into thehouse?"
"I only wish I knew. Obviously, it was brought by someone who hates mymother. The doll was carved in her image, and no doubt deadly _basiko_and _dayama_ incantations were chanted as the string was wrapped tightlyabout the body."
"Who told you all this lingo?" Penny demanded suspiciously. "Yourstepfather?"
"I learned a little of it from him," Lorinda admitted, "but most of myknowledge came from Celeste and Anton."
"Superstitious natives!"
"Laugh if you like, but this form of dark magic which is practiced in thejungles, is a sort of hypnotism. The victim weakens and dies because he_believes that he is doomed_."
"Then the antidote is simple. Just don't put any stock in such rot."
"Easily said, but the victim _always believes_."
"You think your mother will put faith in all this?" Penny scoffed.
Lorinda gave her a strange look. "I know she will, if she learns aboutthe doll. That's why I'm burning it."
"A very sensible act. The doll is destroyed. We'll keep this strictly toourselves, and the spell is broken!"
"You make it sound very easy."
"Your mother hasn't seen the doll?"
"No, I only found it a few minutes ago."
"Then she'll never hear about it. Haven't you any theory as to how theeffigy got into the house?"
"No," Lorinda replied, after a slight hesitation.
"Would your stepfather have had a hand in it?"
"Oh, I don't think so! It would be such a vicious, wicked thing to do!"
"He and your mother always got on well together?"
"No, they had frequent disagreements," Lorinda admitted, squirminguncomfortably. "All the same, my stepfather was not a cruel man."
"Do you have utter confidence in Anton and Celeste?"
"They have been fairly efficient servants. Mother always has treated themwell. What reason could they have for hating her?"
"I'm sure I can't see any. Yet someone brought the doll into the houseafter carving it in your mother's image." Penny thought a moment, andthen asked: "Could the Zudi drum have anything to do with it?"
"That angle occurred to me," Lorinda nodded. "From the first, I've beenafraid that natives would trail my stepfather here and try to revengethemselves upon him for taking the drum."
"Celeste and Anton are not members of the Zudi cult?"
"No, else they never would have aided my stepfather in acquiring thedrum. I understand he never would have heard of it if Celeste hadn't toldhim of its existence."
"It's all a queer puzzle," Penny commented. "While I suppose it'spossible natives could have followed your father to America and now seekrevenge upon his wife, such a theory doesn't quite ring the gong."
"Celeste thinks we should get rid of the Zudi drum. Unless we do, she'sconvinced Mother will die a slow lingering death."
"Celeste seems to have implanted quite a few ideas in your mind," Pennyobserved dryly. "If you ask me, I should say she's a sinister influenceon the household."
"Oh, Celeste means no harm. And the last few days since my stepfatherdisappeared, she's been very devoted to Mother, waiting on her as if shewere a baby."
"Your mother must be terribly worried. You've heard nothing from yourstepfather?"
"Not a word. Mother cries half the time, and this morning she refused toleave her room. Even now I'm afraid she is ill."
"Now Lorinda!" reproved Penny. "I'm afraid you're the one who has becomehypnotized by that doll!"
"I hope it's just that I'm silly, and that there's nothing to it. But I'mafraid--terribly afraid."
Penny picked up a stick and poked the dying embers. She could find only acharred piece of the doll left on the fire. Flames soon consumed it.
"There, it's gone!" she exclaimed. "Take my advice, Lorinda, and forgetthis entire incident. Don't tell your mother, Celeste, or anyone."
Lorinda scrambled up, brushing sand from her slacks.
"All right, I'll do as you say," she agreed. "This shall be our secret.At any rate, by burning the doll, I should have put an end to its evil."
Extinguishing the few remaining flames by covering them with sand, thegirls slowly climbed the steps. Penny inquired whether or not the policehad called at the mansion. Lorinda told her that they had spent nearlytwo hours questioning Mrs. Rhett.
"By the way," Penny remarked as they approached the house, "do you knowAlbert Potts?"
"My stepfather's secretary? I've met him a few times. Why?"
"He was quite a favorite with your stepfather, I suppose?"
"A favorite?" Lorinda chuckled. "On the contrary, he couldn't stand him!Potts was always at his elbow, trying to tell him what to do, and whatnot to do. In his way he was efficient--too efficient, if you know what Imean."
"I do," agreed Penny. "That was why I was surprised to learn he had beengranted a substantial salary increase after your stepfather disappeared."
Lorinda turned her head quickly. "A pay raise? By the board, you mean?"
"I don't know who gave it to him."
"I can't imagine anyone giving old Potts a raise, certainly not theboard. The members meet only once a month, on the fifteenth. Of course,it's possible a special session was called because of my stepfather'sabsence."
"That may have happened," agreed Penny. "At any rate, Mr. Potts seeminglyhas come into money."
Rounding a twist in the path, the girls came within view of the mansionterrace where Mrs. Rhett, in white, reclined.
"Why, Mother is downstairs!" Lorinda exclaimed in surprise.
The woman did not see the girls until they were very close. But as theyreached the terrace, she raised her eyes, and smiled in a brief, sadmanner. Penny instantly noted the pallor of her face.
"I appreciate your efforts, Lorinda," she said before either of the girlsspoke. "But it is useless."
"What is us
eless, Mother?" inquired her daughter.
"I saw smoke rising from your fire on the beach."
Lorinda glanced quickly at Penny, laughed nervously and said: "Oh, that!I was burning a little driftwood."
Mrs. Rhett held her daughter's eyes in a steady, knowing gaze.
"It is useless to try to deceive me," she said quietly. "I know youburned the doll."
"Whatever gave you such an idea, Mother?"
"I know," replied the woman with quiet finality. "First the burnt matchends and now the doll! My life thread is reaching its end, and I shallslowly weaken and die."