Penny Nichols and the Mystery of the Lost Key

by Joan Clark

  CHAPTER XI A Night Adventure

  Since taking leave of Mr. Nichols at Mt. Ashland, Penny had received noword from her father. She did not worry actively, yet it was a greatrelief when later in the afternoon a uniformed messenger boy delivered atelegram into her hand.

  "Remain as long as you wish," her father wired. "Am enjoying good resthere."

  From an upstairs window Mrs. Leeds had noted the arrival of the messengerboy. She came hurrying down to see if the message was for her. WhilePenny read the communication, the woman eyed her suspiciously.

  At last her curiosity could no longer be restrained. She askedcarelessly: "I don't suppose your wire has anything to do with JacobWinters or the estate?"

  "Only indirectly," Penny responded mischievously.

  To avoid further questioning, the girls went outdoors.

  "Let's see if Caleb is at home," Penny proposed.

  They rapped several times upon the door of the cabin and were about toturn away, when the old man opened it.

  "Sorry to bother you," Penny apologized. "I wanted to ask a few morequestions about Mr. Winters."

  Caleb looked ill at ease. "Questions!" he fumed. "Well, what is it youwant to know this time?"

  "Tell me, isn't there a pipe organ on the third floor of Mr. Winters'house?"

  "Certainly. Jacob was a talented musician. He installed the organ nearlyfifteen years ago. But what of it may I ask?"

  "We'd like very much to see the organ."

  "Well, why don't you look at it then?"

  "We can't because the door is locked."

  "Locked?" Caleb seemed surprised. "That's funny. I didn't know Mr.Winters ever locked up his conservatory."

  "Then you haven't a key?" Penny asked.

  "Why should I have a key?" Caleb snorted. "You act as if I'm thecaretaker of that house. It's nothing to me what goes on there, exceptthat I don't like to see folks overrun the place and steal Mr. Winters'fine things."

  "You needn't look at us so accusingly," Rosanna said with surprisingspirit. "We wouldn't take or damage one single thing in that house."

  Caleb's face softened.

  "I didn't mean to suggest that you would. I believe you two girls aren'tlike those others. But you were speaking of the organ. Why are you sointerested in it?"

  "Because we've been hearing music at night," Penny informed. "It seems tocome from that room on the third floor."

  Caleb regarded her in awe. "Then it's true, the things they say."

  "What things?" Rosanna asked impatiently.

  "That the house is haunted. If Mr. Winters really is dead it may be----"

  "Nonsense!" Penny cut in. "Rosanna and I don't believe in ghosts. Andwhat's more, I doubt if you do, Caleb Eckert! That so-called ghost is avery live one. If you won't help me, I'll solve the mystery alone!"

  And with this declaration, Penny stalked from the cabin, followed by thefaithful Rosanna.

  "Perhaps you've antagonized him now," the latter said as they went backto the house on the cliff.

  "I don't care if I have! Caleb knows a great deal more than he pretends.He could help us if he wanted to!"

  No one was stirring on the lower floor of the Winters' house when thegirls entered. To Penny it seemed an admirable time to institute a searchof the premises.

  "We'll let Mrs. Leeds hunt for the will," Penny declared, "but we'll lookfor something which may prove equally valuable."

  "What?" Rosanna asked curiously.

  "A picture of Jacob Winters."

  "I can't see what good it will do to find one except that I'd like tohave a photo of my uncle as a keepsake."

  "If my plans work out I'll have a more important use for it," Pennysmiled mysteriously.

  "I should think we could find one somewhere in the house," Rosannadeclared. "Most people have old photographs stuck around in odd places."

  For nearly an hour the girls poked about in drawers and clothes closetsuntil Rosanna protested that she felt as prying and sneaking as Mrs.Leeds.

  "This is in a better cause," Penny laughed.

  "It looks that way to us because it's my cause," Rosanna smiled. "Still,I'd never examine private papers or locked drawers."

  Penny made no response for in a lower table drawer she had come upon anold album. She displayed her discovery and page by page the girls wentthrough it, laughing a little at the strange old-fashioned costumes andthe stiff poses of the subjects. Names were written under a few of thephotographs but Rosanna recognized only one or two as relatives.

  "I never knew many of my relation," she admitted. "If Mrs. Leeds and herdaughter are samples, perhaps it's just as well."

  "The people in this album look nice, Rosanna. I suppose most of them aredead by this time."

  Penny turned a page and stared blankly down at an empty folder.

  "Why, here is your uncle's name," she cried, indicating a signature atthe bottom of the page. "But the photo is gone!"

  "Oh, how disappointing."

  "Someone removed the photo, Rosanna. Perhaps deliberately too."

  "What makes you think that?"

  "I only said it. I have no evidence of course. Oh, all my plans will beupset if I don't find the photograph!"

  The arrival of Mrs. Leeds cut short the conversation. The girls hastilyreturned the album to the table drawer but not quickly enough to avoidbeing detected. Mrs. Leeds triumphantly pounced on the leather boundbook.

  "Only an old-fashioned album," she said in disappointment, tossing itaside.

  "Did you think it was the will?" Penny chuckled as she and Rosannadeparted.

  The girls impatiently awaited the coming of night. Penny had determinedto make a supreme effort to discover the cause of the mysterious organmusic. At first Rosanna had been enthusiastic over the plan but asnightfall approached she tried to dissuade her friend.

  "It's too dangerous," she insisted. "Please give up the scheme."

  Penny shook her head. She had made up her mind to spend the night on thethird floor. Soon after the household retired she intended to stealupstairs and establish herself by the door of the conservatory.

  Evening came. At nine Mrs. Leeds and her daughter shut themselves intothe bedroom which they had selected since their upsetting experience withbats. At eleven Penny heard Max Laponi's door close.

  She looked out into the hall. It was dark and deserted.

  "Please don't attempt it," Rosanna shivered. "What if something shouldhappen?"

  "I hope it does," Penny said grimly. "It won't be any fun to sit up halfthe night without any purpose. I'll be disappointed if our ghost fails toprovide his usual midnight concert."

  "If anything goes wrong scream for help," Rosanna urged. "I'll run forassistance."

  Penny promised. While Rosanna stood at the bedroom door watching, shetiptoed down the hall, past Mrs. Leeds' room, past Laponi's chamber tothe third floor stairs.

  There she hesitated. Without a light the region above looked even moredark and awe-inspiring than she had remembered it.

  "Coward!" she accused herself, and quietly went up, leaving the doorunlocked behind her.

  All was quiet on the third floor. Penny tried the door to theconservatory expecting to find it locked. To her astonishment it opened.The discovery disconcerted her for an instant. A minute later shemustered her courage and stepped inside the room.

  In the darkness she could make out objects only vaguely. The organ withits huge pipes occupied one end of the room. Sheet-draped chairs gaveeverything a ghostly atmosphere not at all conducive to a peaceful stateof mind.

  After making a brief inspection of her quarters Penny sat down on thefloor with her back against the outside door. She riveted her eyes uponthe organ.

  Time dragged slowly. When it seemed to Penny that several hours must havepassed, she heard a clock downstairs striking eleven-thirty.

  "At least another half hour to wait," Penny thought, shifting into a morecomfortable position.

&nb
sp; She grew drowsy. Several times she caught herself on the verge ofnapping. She aroused herself only to find her eyes growing heavy again.It became increasingly difficult to watch the organ.

  "I wish that ghost would hurry up and come," she mused impatiently."Perhaps after all my trouble this won't be one of his working nights!"

  That was the last thought of which she was aware. Suddenly she heard softorgan music rolling and swelling about her. With a start she arousedherself. She had been sleeping.

  It took an instant for Penny to gather her wits. She was still sittingwith her back to the conservatory door. Yet at the far end of the greatroom, she distinctly could see a shadowy figure seated at the organ.

  Penny scrambled to her feet, starting forward. The floor creakedalarmingly.

  Penny halted, but too late. She had given warning of her presence.

  The shadowy figure at the organ jerked into alert attention. There was adiscordant crash of chords, then silence.

  Penny blinked. She thought she had heard a sharp click as if a secretpanel had opened and closed. That was all.

  And the organist had disappeared.