Clue of the Silken Ladder
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. Hewas 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 yourinheritance."
"How can you accuse him of being a fraud after you saw his marvelousdemonstration? The table actually rose from the floor."
"I know it did," Penny acknowledged unwillingly. "But it must have beentrickery."
"How could it have been? The table was an ordinary one. Mrs. Hodges usesit every day of her life."
"I don't know how he did it," Penny responded. "All the same, I am surehe's a trickster. Promise me you won't tell him anything more aboutyourself or the inheritance."
"Very well, I'll promise if it gives you satisfaction," the housekeeperreplied. "However, I do intend to keep my appointment."
Penny had no opportunity to relate to her father what had occurred at theHodges home, for Mr. Parker was absent on a two-day business trip to adistant town. Feeling that she must tell someone, she sought LouiseSidell, 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 toexpose Mr. Al Gepper if it's the last act of my life!"
Returning home later in the afternoon, she found Mrs. Weems sitting onthe 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 havestarted 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 oldphotographs enlarged for only twenty-five cents. I gave the man CousinDavid'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 tothe reading of travel books borrowed from the library. Penny could findno occupation to satisfy her. She turned the radio on, switched it offagain, and wandered restlessly from room to room. Finally she went to thetelephone and called Louise.
"How about a little adventure?" she proposed. "And don't ask forexplanations."
"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 andClinton Streets."
Mrs. Weems was so engrossed in her book that she merely nodded as Pennyexplained that she and Louise were going for a walk. Reaching theappointed corner the girl found her chum awaiting her.
"Tell me about this so-called adventure," she commanded. "Where are wegoing?"
"To the Celestial Temple, Lou. At least, we'll look at it from theoutside. 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 avery interesting time."
"Oh, all right," Louise consented reluctantly. "But I can't understandwhy you're so interested in the place."
The girls took a bus to the end of the line, then walked three blocksuntil they came to Butternut Lane. For long stretches there were onlyscattered houses and the street lamps were far between. Becomingincreasingly uneasy, Louise urged her chum to turn back.
"Why, we're at our destination now," Penny protested. "I am sure thatmust be the building."
She pointed to an old, rectangular brick structure only a few yardsahead. Obviously it once had been a church for there was a high belltower, and behind the building a cluster of neglected tombstones gleamedin the moonlight.
The evenly spaced windows were illuminated, and music could be heard.
"Are you sure this is the place?" Louise inquired dubiously. "It lookslike a church to me, and they're holding a service."
"Oh, the building hasn't been used for such purposes in over fifteenyears," Penny explained. "I investigated, so I know its history. Untilthree years ago it was used as a county fire station. Only recently itwas reclaimed by this Omar Society of Celestial Thought."
The girls moved closer. Through an open window they were able to seefifteen or twenty people seated in the pews. A woman played a wheezingorgan while a man led the off-key singing.
"Let's go inside," Penny proposed.
Louise held back. "Oh, no, we can see everything from here. It looks asif it were a very stupid sort of meeting."
"Appearances are often deceiving. I want a ringside seat."
Penny pulled her chum toward the entrance door. There they hesitated,reading a large placard which bore the invitation:
_The Public Is Invited. Services at eight p.m. daily._
"We're part of the public, Lou," urged Penny. "Come along."
She boldly opened the door, and there was no retreat.
Heads turned slightly as the girls entered the rear of the Temple. Asquickly they turned forward again, but not before Penny had gained animpression, of sharp, appraising faces.
A man arose, bowed, and offered the girls his bench, although many otherswere available. They slipped into the pew, accepting a song book whichwas placed in Louise's hand.
While her chum sang in a thin, squeaky voice, Penny allowed her gaze towander over the room. At the far end she saw a door which apparentlyopened into the bell tower. On a slightly raised platform where theleader stood, were two black-draped cabinets somewhat similar to the oneshe had seen at Mrs. Hodges' cottage. Otherwise, there was nothing ofunusual interest.
The services were decorous to the point of being boring. Yet as themeeting went on, Penny and Louise both felt that they were being studied.More than once they surprised persons gazing at them.
At the conclusion of the session which lasted no longer than thirtyminutes, the leader asked the audience if any "brother" were present whowished to attempt a spirit communication. Immediately, Penny sat up a bitstraighter, anticipating that interesting demonstrations were in store.
Nor was she mistaken. A thin, hard-faced man went to the rostrum, and ina loud voice began to call upon the spirits to make known their presence.Signs were at once forthcoming. The empty pews began to dance as ifalive. The speaker's table lifted a foot from the floor and a pitcher ofwater fell from it, smashing into a dozen pieces.
Louise, her eyes dilated with fear, edged closer to Penny.
"Let's go," she pleaded.
Penny shook her head.
A woman dressed in blue silk glided down the aisle, stopping beside thegirls. She held a tray upon which were a number of objects, an opal ring,a knife, and several pins.
"Dearie," she said to Penny, "if you would care to have a message from adeparted soul, place a trinket in this collection. Any personal object.Our leader will then exhort the spirit to appear."
"No, thank you," replied Louise, without giving her chum a chance tospeak.
"Perhaps, you would prefer a private reading," the woman murmured. "Igive them at my home, and the fee is trivial. Only a dollar."
"Thank you, no," Louise repeated firmly. "I'm not interested."
The woman shrugged and moved on down the aisle, pausing beside an elderlyman to whom she addressed herself.
"Lou, why did you discourage her?" Penny whispered. "We might havelearned something."
"I've learned quite enough. I'm leaving."
Louise squeezed past her chum, heading for the exit. Penny had no choicebut to follow.
Before they could reach the door, it suddenly opened from the outside. Ayoung
man who had not bothered to remove his hat, entered. Seeing thegirls, he abruptly halted, then turned and retreated.
Penny quickened her step. Taking Louise's hand she pulled her along at afaster pace. They reached the vestibule. It was deserted. Penny peered upand down the dark street.
"Well, he's gone," she remarked.
"Who?" Louise questioned in a puzzled voice. "You mean that man whoentered the Temple and then left so suddenly?"
"I do," responded Penny. "Unless my eyes tricked me, he was none otherthan Al Gepper!"