Clue of the Silken Ladder

  CHAPTER 15 _HIDDEN MONEY_

  One of Penny's first acts upon arriving home was to scan the telephonedirectory under the heading, Investment Firms. The three companiesmentioned during the seance, White and Edwards, Brantwell, and Bierkamp,were unlisted.

  "Evidently there are no such firms in Riverview," she reflected. "But whywas Mrs. Weems advised to invest her money with one of them? It looksvery suspicious to me!"

  Not until after five o'clock did Mrs. Weems return from the Hodges'. Sheseemed rather upset, and when Penny tried to bring up the subject of theseance, said distantly:

  "Please, Penny, I prefer not to discuss it. Your conduct wasdisgraceful."

  "I apologize for grabbing at the ghost, Mrs. Weems. I only did it toprove that Al Gepper is a fraud."

  "Your motives were quite apparent. One could not blame Mr. Gepper forbeing angry."

  "Oh, Mrs. Weems," said Penny in desperation. "How can you be taken in byhis smooth line? His one purpose is to obtain your money."

  "You are very unjust," the housekeeper responded. "Today I tried to payMr. Gepper for the seance and he would not accept one penny."

  "That's because he is playing for higher stakes."

  "It's no use discussing the matter with you," Mrs. Weems shrugged. "Youare prejudiced and will give the man credit for nothing."

  "I give him credit for being very clever. Mrs. Weems, please promise thatyou'll not allow him to invest your money for you."

  "I have no intention of doing so, Penny. It does seem to me that I shouldconsider Cousin David's wishes in the matter. Very likely I shall abandonmy plans for the western trip."

  "And stay here with us?" Penny cried eagerly.

  "No, I am thinking of going to a larger city and taking an apartment.With my money invested in eight per cent securities, I should have acomfortable little income."

  "Mrs. Weems, I've heard Dad say over and over that sound securities willnot pay such a high rate of interest. Promise you won't invest your moneyuntil you've talked with him."

  "You're always asking me to promise something or other," the housekeepersighed. "This time I shall use my own judgment."

  Realizing that further argument was only a waste of breath, Pennywandered outside to await her father. When he came, they sat together onthe front porch steps, discussing the situation.

  "I'll drop a word of advice to Mrs. Weems at the first opportunity,"offered Mr. Parker. "If she is in the mood you describe, it would not bewise to bring up the subject tonight. She merely would resent myinterference."

  "What worries me is that I am afraid she may have told Al Gepper wherethe money is kept."

  "Tomorrow I'll urge her again to deposit it in a bank. We'll do our bestto protect her from these sharpers."

  The publisher had been very much interested in Penny's account of theseance. However, he was unable to explain how the various tricks had beenaccomplished.

  "Dad," Penny said thoughtfully, "you don't suppose there's any chance itwasn't trickery?"

  "Certainly not! I hope you're not falling under this fellow's spell?"

  "No, but it gave me a real shock when I saw Cousin David's facematerialize on the canvas. It was the absolute image of him--or rather ofa picture Mrs. Weems once showed me."

  A startled expression came over Penny's face. Without explanation, shesprang to her feet and ran to the kitchen.

  "Mrs. Weems," she cried, "did you ever get it back? Your picture!"

  "What picture, Penny?" The housekeeper scarcely glanced up as shevigorously scrubbed carrots.

  "I mean the one of Cousin David. You allowed a photographer to take itfor enlargement."

  "It hasn't been returned," Mrs. Weems admitted. "I can't imagine why thework takes so long."

  "I think I can," announced Penny. "But you never would believe me if Itold you, so I won't."

  Racing to the porch, she revealed to her father what she thought hadoccurred. It was her theory that the agent who had called at the Parkerhome days earlier had in actuality been one of Al Gepper's assistants.

  "Don't you see, Dad!" she cried. "The man obtained a picture of CousinDavid, and probably turned it over to the medium." Her face fellslightly. "Of course, that still doesn't explain how the painting slowlymaterialized."

  "Nor does it explain the ghost or the banjo. Penny, couldn't Gepper havepainted the picture himself in the darkness?"

  "There wasn't time, Dad. Besides, he held a flashlight on the painting.No human hand touched it."

  "You say, too, that the banjo was high overhead when it played?"

  "That's right, Dad. Gepper couldn't have reached the strings. Theinstrument floated free in the air."

  "Sounds fantastic."

  "Believe me, it was, Dad. It's no wonder Gepper is gaining such influenceover Mrs. Weems. He's as slick as a greased fox!"

  "I'll have Jerry go to the house and try to learn how the fellowoperates," declared Mr. Parker. "We can't break the story until we haveabsolute evidence that Gepper has obtained money under false pretenses."

  The next day Penny remained close at home. Mrs. Weems still treated hersomewhat distantly, leaving the house immediately after lunch anddeclining to explain where she was going. Penny was quite certain thather destination was the Hodges' cottage.

  "Guess I'll run over and see Louise," she thought restlessly. "Nothing todo here."

  Before she could leave the house, the doorbell rang. A man of perhapsthirty, well dressed, with a leather briefcase tucked under his arm,stood on the front porch. He bowed politely to Penny.

  "This is where Mrs. Weems resides, I believe?"

  "Yes, but she isn't here now."

  "When will she be home?"

  "I can't say," replied Penny. "Are you an agent?"

  The man's appearance displeased her although she could not have saidexactly why. His smile was too ingratiating, his eyes calculating andhard.

  "My name is Bierkamp," he explained. "I represent the Harold G. BierkampInvestment Company."

  Penny stiffened. She glared at the agent. "You mean you represent the AlGepper Spookus Company," she said in a cutting voice. "Well, Mrs. Weemsdoesn't want any of your wonderful eight per cent stocks! She'll not seeyou, so don't come here again!"

  "And who are you to speak for her?" the man retorted.

  "If you come here again, I'll call the police," Penny threatened. "Nowget out!"

  Without another word, the man retreated down the street. Penny watcheduntil he turned a corner and was lost to view. She was a trifle worriedas to what she had done.

  "If Mrs. Weems learns about this she'll never forgive me," she thoughtuneasily. "But he was a crook sent by Al Gepper. I know it."

  Wandering upstairs, she entered the bathroom, intending to wash beforegoing to Louise's home. On the tiled floor lay a velvet ribbon with a keyattached. At once, Penny realized that Mrs. Weems had left it thereinadvertently.

  "It's the key to her desk," she reflected, picking it up. "And sheinsists that her money is kept in a safe place! I have a notion to play ajoke on her."

  The longer Penny considered the idea, the more it pleased her.Jubilantly, she set forth for the Sidell home. Taking Louise into herconfidence, she visited a novelty shop and purchased a supply of fakemoney.

  Returning home, she then unlocked the drawer of Mrs. Weems' desk and,removing the six thousand dollars, replaced it with neat stacks ofimitation bills. Louise watched her with misgiving.

  "Penny, this joke of yours isn't likely to strike Mrs. Weems as veryfunny," she warned. "You're always doing things which get you intotrouble."

  "This is in a good cause, Lou. I am protecting Mrs. Weems from her ownfolly."

  "What will you do with the money?"

  "Deposit it in a bank."

  "You are taking matters into your hands with a vengeance! Suppose you'rerobbed on the way downtown?"

  "That would complicate my life. Upon second
thought, I'll send for anarmored truck."

  To Louise's amazement, Penny actually carried through her plan. A heavilyguarded express truck presently drew up before the Parker residence, andMrs. Weems' money was turned over to the two armed men who promised thatit would be delivered safely to the First National Bank.

  "There, that's a load off my mind," said Penny. "Just let Al Gepper tryto steal Mrs. Weems' money now!"

  Louise shook her head sadly. "You may be accused of stealing yourself. Iwouldn't be in your slippers when Mrs. Weems learns about this."

  "Oh, I'll be able to explain," laughed Penny.

  The joke she had played did not seem quite so funny an hour later. Mrs.Weems returned home and without comment recovered the key which had beenreplaced on the lavatory floor. She did not open her desk or mention themoney.

  At dinner Penny was so subdued that the housekeeper inquired if she wereill.

  "Not yet," the girl answered. "I'm just thinking about the future. It'sso depressing."

  "Perhaps a picture show would cheer us all," proposed Mr. Parker.

  Mrs. Weems displayed interest, and Penny, without enthusiasm, agreed togo. Eight o'clock found them at the Avalon, a neighborhood theatre. Theshow was not to Penny's liking, although her father and the housekeeperseemed to enjoy it. She squirmed restlessly, and finally whispered to herfather that she was returning home.

  In truth, as Penny well knew, she was suffering from an acute case of"conscience." Now that it was too late, she regretted having meddled withMrs. Weems' money.

  Gloomily she walked home alone. As she entered, she heard the telephoneringing, but before she could answer, the party hung up. With a sighPenny locked the front door again, switched out the lights and went tobed.

  For a long while she lay staring at a patch of moonlight on the bedroomcarpet. Although she felt tired she could not sleep.

  "It's just as Louise said," she reflected. "I'm always getting myselfinto hot water and for no good reason, either!"

  Her morose thoughts were interrupted as a hard object thudded against anearby wall. Penny sat up, listening. She believed that the sound hadcome from Mrs. Weems' room, yet she knew she was alone in the house.

  Rolling from bed, she groped for a robe, and without turning on thelights, tiptoed down the hall. Mrs. Weems' door stood open. Was someintruder hidden in that room?

  Peering inside, Penny at first noticed nothing amiss. Then her gazefastened on the window sill, plainly visible in the moonlight. Two ironhooks, evenly spaced, had been clamped over the ledge!