Clue of the Silken Ladder

  CHAPTER 13 _COUSIN DAVID'S GHOST_

  When Penny reached the lower floor she found Mrs. Weems and the Hodgesexcitedly discussing the seance. The seamstress and her husbandemphatically declared that they had given the medium no informationregarding either the housekeeper or the deceased Cousin David.

  "Then there can be only one explanation," Mrs. Weems said. "We were trulyin communication with a departed spirit."

  "Don't you agree, Penny?" inquired Mrs. Hodges.

  "I am afraid I can't," she replied.

  "The test was a fair one," Mrs. Weems insisted. "Mr. Gepper couldn't havedescribed Cousin David so accurately if he hadn't actually seen him as hematerialized from the spirit world."

  "Al Gepper could have obtained much of his information from persons inRiverview," Penny responded.

  "About me, perhaps," the housekeeper conceded. "But not about CousinDavid. Why, I doubt if anyone save myself knew he had a scar over hiseye. He received it in an automobile accident twelve or thirteen yearsago."

  "Just think!" murmured Mrs. Hodges. "Tomorrow you may actually be able tosee your departed cousin!"

  In vain Penny argued that Al Gepper was a trickster. She was unable tooffer the slightest evidence to support her contention while, on theother hand, the Hodges reminded her that the medium had never asked onepenny for his services.

  From the cottage Penny went directly to the _Star_ office, feelingcertain that her father would have returned there from his trip. Nor wasshe mistaken. Gaining admittance to the private office, she wasted nowords in relating everything which had transpired during his absence. Herfather's attention was flattering.

  "Penny, you actually saw all this?" he questioned when she had finished.

  "Oh, yes! At the Celestial Temple Louise was with me, too. We thought youmight take up the matter with the police."

  "That's exactly what I will do," decided Mr. Parker. "I've turned thematter over in my mind for several days. The _Star_ will take theinitiative in driving these mediums, character readers and the like outof Riverview!"

  "Oh, Dad, I was hoping you'd say that!"

  Mr. Parker pressed a desk buzzer. Summoning DeWitt, he told of his planto launch an active campaign.

  "Nothing will please me better, Chief," responded the city editor. "Wheredo we start?"

  "We'll tip the police to what is going on at the Celestial Temple. Havethem send detectives there for tonight's meeting. Then when the usualhocus-pocus starts, arrests can be made. Have photographers and a goodreporter on hand."

  "That should start the ball rolling," agreed DeWitt. "I'll assign JerryLivingston to the story. Salt Sommers is my best photographer."

  "Get busy right away," Mr. Parker ordered. "We'll play the story bigtomorrow--give it a spread."

  "How about Al Gepper?" Penny inquired after DeWitt had gone. "Could he bearrested without involving the Hodges?"

  "Not very easily if he lives at their place. Has he accepted money forthe seances he conducts there?"

  "He hasn't taken any yet from Mrs. Weems. I am sure he must have othercustomers."

  "You have no proof of it?"

  "No."

  "Suppose we forget Al Gepper for the time being, and concentrate on theCelestial Temple," Mr. Parker proposed. "In the meantime, learneverything you can about the man's methods."

  "No assignment would please me more, Dad. I've the same as promised Mr.Gepper he'll land in jail, and I want to make good."

  Mr. Parker began to pace the floor. "I'll write a scorching editorial,"he said. "We'll fight ignorance with information. Our reporters mustlearn how these mediums do their tricks, and expose them to the gulliblepublic."

  "I'll do everything I can to help," Penny promised eagerly. "May I haveAl Gepper for my particular fish bait?"

  "He's your assignment. And I'm depending upon you to see that he doesn'twork any of his trickery on Mrs. Weems. If she can't be persuaded toremain away from the Hodges', then we must protect her as best we can."

  "I'll try to accompany her every time she goes there, Dad. I am afraid hemay be after her money."

  "Gepper doesn't know she inherited six thousand dollars?" Mr. Parkerasked in alarm.

  "Yes, she dropped the information that she had come into money. Hesupplied figures himself."

  "I wonder how?"

  "I haven't the slightest idea, Dad. Gepper is as clever a man as ever Imet. Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if he does produce Cousin David attomorrow's seance."

  Mr. Parker snorted in disgust.

  "Tommyrot! The man will make an excuse about the conditions not beingright, and fail."

  "Perhaps, but he seems pretty confident."

  "You expect to attend the seance?"

  "Oh, definitely. Jungle beasts couldn't keep me away."

  "Then be alert every instant--without appearing too suspicious, ofcourse. Try to learn how the man accomplishes his tricks."

  "Leave it to me," chuckled Penny. "Mr. Al Gepper is due for his firstshock when he wakes up tomorrow and reads that the Celestial Temple hasbeen raided. Unless I am much mistaken, that place is one of his favoritehaunts."

  Leaving the newspaper office, Penny went directly home. She longed tostop at the Sidell home, but she had promised her father to say nothingabout the planned raid until it was an accomplished fact. Feeling theneed of work to occupy her time, she washed the maroon car and waxed thefading paint of Leaping Lena.

  At six o'clock her father came home for dinner.

  "Any news?" Penny asked, running to meet him.

  "Everything's set," he answered. "DeWitt laid your information before thepolice. Tonight three detectives will attend the meeting at the Temple.If anything out of the way happens, the raid will be staged."

  Penny was so tense with expectation that she was unable to do justice tothe delicious dinner which Mrs. Weems had prepared. Her father, too,seemed unusually restless. After dinner he made a pretense of reading thepaper, but actually his eyes did not see the print.

  The hands of the clock scarcely appeared to move, so slowly did timepass. Eight o'clock came, then nine. Suddenly the telephone rang.

  Penny was away in an instant to answer it. From the next room she calledto her father:

  "It's for you, Dad! DeWitt, I think."

  "I told him to telephone me as soon as the raid was staged." Mr. Parkerarose and went quickly to take the receiver. Penny hovered at his elbow.

  "Hello! DeWitt?" the publisher asked, and after a slight pause: "Oh, Isee. No, I don't think Penny was mistaken. It's more likely there was atip-off."

  He hung up the receiver and turned toward Penny who anticipated the news.

  "The raid was a failure?"

  "Yes, Penny. Detectives spent two hours at the meeting. Nothing happened.It was impossible to make arrests."

  "They must have been recognized as detectives."

  "Undoubtedly."

  "Others will be assigned to the case?"

  "I doubt it, Penny. DeWitt reports that the police have become convincedthat the spiritualists who use the Temple are not operating for profit."

  "Louise and I know better because she was approached." Penny anxiouslyregarded her father. "Dad, even if the police do give up, we won't, willwe?"

  "No, we're in this fight and we'll stay in it," he answered grimly."We'll put some new teeth in our trap. And the next time it's sprung, Iwarrant you we'll catch a crook."