CHAPTER 15 _MRS. RHETT'S ILLNESS_
News that a violent storm was sweeping toward Riverview held the frontpages throughout Monday, and became almost the only topic of conversationon the streets.
Skies remained sunny, however, and presently fears were somewhat quietedby national wire service reports that the hurricane was believed to beveering eastward. Government observers now were quoted as predicting onlythe edge of the hurricane would strike the coast, and inland states mightescape unscathed.
Accordingly, business went on much the same as usual. Lulled by theknowledge that never in the history of Riverview had a hurricane struck,the citizens now and then glanced at the falling barometer, but otherwisegave the matter little thought.
Although the disappearance of Hamilton Rhett had been crowded completelyfrom the front pages, Penny did not lose interest in the case. Twice shetelephoned the mansion, only to receive no response. She did not visitthe estate, for Editor DeWitt kept her busy with special assignments.
After school Tuesday, Penny was sent to the Hanover Steamship Co. officesto interview a tugboat captain. Enroute she ran into Louise Sidell. Herchum regarded her accusingly.
"A great pal you turned out to be, Penny Parker! Remember--you left mestanding at the door of the First National."
"I'm terribly sorry, Lou," Penny apologized. "I was inside much longerthan I expected to be and when I came out, you were gone."
"You never even telephoned to tell me what happened, you egg! I read allabout it in the papers."
"You may have read part of the story, but not all," Penny corrected. "Icalled for you on Sunday when you were out, and since then I've beenbusier than a hop toad. Right now I'm on my way to the steamship office.Want to come along?"
"I suppose it's the only way I'll get any information out of you," Louisegrumbled, falling into step.
As they walked toward the docks, she asked leading questions and, by thetime they reached the steamship offices, had gleaned most of the story.
"So you believe Mr. Rhett may be somewhere in Riverview?" she mused.
"Jerry and I thought so at first, but we've nearly abandoned the idea.The only clue we uncovered led to a dead end."
Pausing near the tugboat office, the girls stood for a moment watchingwaves pound against the docks. A chill, persistent wind had sprung upwhich penetrated their light clothing.
"B-r! It's getting colder!" Louise shivered, huddling close to Penny."Maybe that storm the newspapers predicted is heading in this directionafter all!"
Entering the tugboat office, the girls sought Captain Dolphin. The genialold fellow had been interviewed so many times that he knew the story ofhis life almost by heart and recited it with great gusto. Penny took afew notes and arose to leave.
"What do you think of the weather, captain?" she inquired casually.
His answer surprised her. "We don't like the look of 'er here," he said,frowning. "Barometer's been falling all day. I'm callin' in all my tugsoff the river."
"Then you believe the storm actually may strike here?"
"We're not takin' any chances," replied the captain. "Once when I was ayoung twirp shippin' on a freighter, a hurricane struck us off theFlorida Keys. We made port, but it was by the skin of a shark's tooth!Never want to see another storm like that one!"
Penny pocketed her notebook, and the girls went outside into the risingwind. More conscious now of its icy bite, they huddled for a moment inthe shelter of the office doorway.
Only a few doors away stood the Hartmann Steamship Company offices, whoselarge river boats plied up the Coast and on to distant world ports.
Through the plate glass window of the ticket office, Penny's attentionwas attracted to a slightly stooped man in rumpled clothing who wastalking to the man in charge. He turned slightly, and as she saw hisprofile, she was struck by his remarkable resemblance to the newspaperphotograph of Hamilton Rhett.
"Lou, see that man in the ticket office!" she exclaimed. "Doesn't he looklike the missing banker?"
Louise studied the stranger a moment and replied: "How should I know?I've never seen him."
"Surely you saw the picture the _Star_ published!"
"Yes, but I didn't pay much attention."
The man now was leaving the ticket office. Impulsively, Penny steppedforward to intercept him. "I beg your pardon--" she began.
Alert, wary eyes bore into her own as the stranger gazed straight at herfor an instant. He said nothing, waiting for her to continue.
"Aren't you Hamilton Rhett?" Penny asked, deciding to make a directapproach.
"No, you are mistaken," the man replied.
Pushing past Penny, he went hurriedly on down the street.
"You see!" commented Louise. "That's what you get for jumping to suchrash conclusions!"
Penny, however, was far from convinced that she had made a mistake.
"If that man wasn't Mr. Rhett, it was his double! Lou, did you notice ifhe wore a serpent ring?"
"He kept both hands in his pockets."
"That's so, he did!" agreed Penny. "Wait here for me! I'll ask the ticketagent a few questions!"
She was inside the office perhaps five minutes. When she returned,visibly excited, she glanced anxiously up the street. The stranger hadvanished from view down the short street, apparently having turned at thefirst corner.
"We must overtake him!" Penny cried. "I have a hunch we let Mr. Rhettpull a fast one!"
Hurriedly, the girls walked to the corner. The stranger was nowhere to beseen. Whether he had disappeared into a building, down an alley oranother street, they had no way of knowing. Penny stopped two pedestriansto inquire, but no one had noticed the man.
"We've lost him!" she exclaimed to Louise. "How disgusting!"
"What did the ticket man tell you, Penny?"
"That the man was inquiring about steamship accommodations to NewOrleans, and on to South America. He didn't give his name."
"Then how can you be sure it was Mr. Rhett?"
"It's only a hunch. But the agent said the man was wearing a ring--hedidn't notice the type."
"Any number of men wear rings," Louise scoffed. "Penny, aren't youindulging in a little wishful thinking? You want to find Mr. Rhett sobadly you're letting your imagination run riot."
"Maybe you're right," Penny admitted with a sigh. "Anyway, we've lost thefellow, so we may as well forget it."
Saying goodbye to Louise, she hastened off to the _Star_ office to writeup the interview with the tugboat captain. However, she could not put hermind on her work, and after making three false starts, she decided topostpone the story until after dinner.
Fortified by a good meal, she wrote the story much easier, but Penny wasfar from satisfied when she turned her finished copy in at the desk.
"Guess I'm off the beam tonight," she remarked to Jerry. "It took me anage to write that story."
Penny glanced at the clock. Time had passed swiftly for it was now afternine.
"You look tired," observed the night editor. "There's nothing more foryou to do. Why don't you skip out?"
"Guess I will," agreed Penny, reaching for her hat. "I have a geometrytest coming up tomorrow."
She was through the swinging barrier, and half way down the hall whenJerry called to her: "Telephone for you, Penny."
With a sigh, she returned to take the call. Weariness vanished and shebecame wide-awake as she recognized Lorinda Rhett's voice at the otherend of the line.
"Miss Parker?" the girl inquired in an agitated voice.
"Speaking."
"I'm sorry to bother you," Lorinda went on, "but could you possibly cometo our house right away?"
"Why, I think so," Penny said, instantly divining that something wasamiss at the mansion. "Is anything wrong?"
"Oh, yes! Everything! I can't tell you over the phone. Just come asquickly as you can. I need your help."
After hanging up the receiver
, Penny related the conversation to thenight editor. "I don't know exactly what the call means," she added."Possibly, Lorinda has learned something about her missing stepfather. Ifso, it should make a good story!"
"Give us a ring from the mansion if any thing develops," the night editorinstructed. "Better take Jerry along with you. No telling what may turnup."
Jerry already was on his feet, reaching for his hat. His car was parkedon the street. Traffic flow had dwindled, enabling them to reach themansion in record time.
The lower floor of the Rhett home was dark, but on the second floor,nearly all the rooms were ablaze with light.
"Wonder what's up!" mused Jerry, parking the car across the street.
"Lorinda is expecting me alone," Penny said. "Maybe it would be betterfor you to wait here until I have a chance to talk to her."
"Sure. Just signal if you need me."
Jerry switched off the car lights and settled himself for a lengthyvigil.
Penny ran up the walk and pounded on the door. In a moment, she heardfootsteps; the living room light flashed on; then the door was opened byLorinda.
"Is anything the matter?" Penny inquired anxiously.
"It's Mother," Lorinda explained. "She's very ill. We have the doctornow. I'm dreadfully worried."
Penny, at a loss to understand how she could be of help, noddedsympathetically.
"Come with me upstairs," Lorinda requested. "I want you to see and talkto Mother, and then tell me what you think."
"What seems to be the trouble?"
"She refuses food and she has rapidly failed since you last saw her. I'vetried to reason with her, but it is useless. She is convinced she has afatal illness and will die!"
Deeply troubled, Penny followed Lorinda upstairs to the luxuriouslyfurnished bed chamber. Celeste, in white starched uniform, was hoveringanxiously over the bed where Mrs. Rhett lay. Lorinda's mother looked tenyears older than when Penny had last seen her. Her face was pale andshriveled, her eyes listless.
"I don't want the food!" she said peevishly to Celeste, pushing aside aspoonful of custard which was held to her lips. "It is useless to eat."
On the other side of the bed stood a stout, middle-aged man whom Lorindaintroduced as Doctor Everett, a specialist.
"Mrs. Rhett," he said sternly, "you are acting very foolish in refusingfood. I have made a careful examination and can find nothing whatsoeverthe matter."
"I didn't call you to this house," the woman retorted. "Please go awayand leave me alone. One has a right to die in peace."
"You will not die," said the doctor patiently. "Your illness is only afancy of the mind."
Mrs. Rhett tossed her head on the pillow. "Go away!" she ordered. "It wasmy daughter who called you here--not I. No doctor can be of the slightestaid to me."
"Not unless you are willing to cooperate. Now I suggest that a trainednurse be called in to--"
"A trained nurse!" cried Celeste, straightening from the bedside. "Only Iwill tend my mistress! We will have no stranger in the household!"
"I want Celeste," agreed Mrs. Rhett, clinging to the servant's hand. "Sheis the only one who understands my ailment. Celeste will take care ofme--no one else."
The doctor shrugged. "Very well, it was only a suggestion. I should liketo help you, but under the circumstance, there is nothing I can do. Goodevening."
As the doctor reached for his black bag, Lorinda moved quickly across theroom. Her eyes pleaded with him to understand.
"Doctor Everett, you'll come again tomorrow?" she requested.
He smiled, but shook his head. "You might call Doctor Fellows, apsychiatrist," he advised. "There is nothing I can do."
While Lorinda accompanied the doctor to the front door, Penny remained inthe bedroom. No sooner had the physician left than Celeste moved close tothe bed, muttering:
"Good! He is gone! Only a fool would believe a doctor could help you.Until the _ouange_ is broken, food will only turn to poison in your body!You will weaken and die. But Celeste will save you--Celeste will find away to break the evil spell."
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