The Cry at Midnight

  CHAPTER 13 _OLD JULIA'S WARNING_

  Badly frightened, Louise came quickly to her chum's side.

  "Are you sure the door is locked?" she asked nervously. "Maybe it's onlystuck."

  "It's locked all right. We'll do no exploring today."

  "Let's scream for help! We've got to get out of here!"

  "Father Benedict is in the basement and wouldn't hear us," Penny said.

  "And he may have locked us in on purpose too! But I heard no key turn inthe lock."

  "Neither did I."

  "The door may have an automatic catch."

  "Probably that's so," Penny agreed to keep her chum from worrying."Father Benedict should be back soon. Let's not let him know we evennoticed the door was locked."

  "Do you think he fastened it on purpose?"

  "He may have," Penny said slowly. "Perhaps he didn't want us to wanderabout the monastery while he was gone."

  "What if he doesn't come back?"

  "He will, my pet. Now do stop worrying! The smart thing for us to do, isto learn what we can while we're here."

  "A lot we can learn locked up in this stuffy room!"

  Without replying, Penny wandered about the room, scrutinizing art objectsand each piece of furniture.

  "For a man who professes to live a life of poverty, Father Benedict showsquite a liking for luxury items," she remarked.

  Coming to a battered desk cluttered with papers, she paused and eyed itthoughtfully.

  "Penny, we wouldn't dare pry!" exclaimed Louise, guessing what was in herchum's mind.

  "I suppose not," sighed Penny, "only I'm sure Mr. Ayling would do it ifhe were here. Those papers in the pigeon holes look as though they'reunpaid bills--a whole stack of them too!"

  On the desk lay an open account book and the girl gazed at it with keeninterest. A long list of names had been written in ink. On one side ofthe ledger was a column marked "Contributions."

  "Penny, you are snooping!" accused Louise, but she added with an excitedlaugh: "If you find anything worth while, let me know!"

  "Then consider yourself officially notified!"

  Startled, Louise went quickly to the desk. "What have you found?" shedemanded.

  Penny showed her the book in which were listed many names.

  "This looks like a report covering donations made by cult members to thesociety!" she declared. "Do you suppose Mrs. Hawthorne's name is here?"

  Hurriedly the girls examined the tiny ledger. First on the list was aMrs. Carl Kingsley, who had contributed two diamond clips at estimatedvalue of $650.

  "Ever hear of her?" Penny asked, for the name was unfamiliar.

  "Never. She may not be from Riverview."

  Rapidly they scanned the entire list. There were many names, all ofwomen. Contributions included cash, pearls, silver bracelets, gold wristwatches, an emerald pin, and other articles of jewelry.

  However, the girls could not find Mrs. Hawthorne's name, nor that of hergranddaughter.

  "This list doesn't prove anything one way or the other," Penny said,carefully replacing the ledger on the desk where she had found it. "Mrs.Hawthorne could have joined the cult under a different name. FatherBenedict might not even know who she is."

  "Oh, Penny!" teased her companion. "You want to uncover a mystery sobadly! Actually, there's not one bit of evidence that Mrs. Hawthorne evercame here."

  "True," Penny acknowledged in a low tone, "but you will admit a lot ofqueer things have happened. For instance, who sent Mr. Ayling the faketelegram? And why hasn't he returned to Riverview as he said he would?"

  "He's hardly had time yet. Anyway, what connection could his absence havewith this monastery?"

  "None, perhaps. Unless Mrs. Hawthorne should be here--"

  "Oh, Penny! Father Benedict denied that she was, didn't he?"

  "Yes, but that crystal ball reading he gave for Mr. Ayling's benefit wasa strange affair. And Lou! The worst was, _he predicted harm would befallhim_! Maybe it has!"

  "So you're superstitious! Do you really believe in those crystal ballreadings?"

  "No, I'm not!" Penny denied hotly. "Not for a minute do I put any faithin that crystal ball! But--"

  "Mr. Ayling is delayed in Chicago, so you start to worry," completedLouise. "Penny, you're certainly building up a case!"

  "Maybe I am," Penny admitted with a shrug. "However, other things botherme too."

  "For instance?"

  "That scream we heard at midnight. Mr. Eckenrod and his wife told me theyhad been awakened by strange noises here."

  "Didn't you understand from Father Benedict that Old Julia causes thecommotion?"

  "Yes, and it's plain to see she is a poor demented creature. Still,there's something about her--when we came in today, I had a feeling thatshe was trying to tell us something."

  "She did warn us away. However, in her condition she might say anything.So I dismissed it."

  "I wish I could talk to Old Julia when Father Benedict isn't around,"Penny said soberly. "I have a hunch she could tell us interesting thingsabout this place!"

  "Then you do distrust Father Benedict!"

  "Not exactly," Penny denied. "He's been pleasant enough to us, and Isuppose he has a perfect right to start a crazy cult here if he chooses."

  "It's not only crazy but profitable," Louise reminded her. "Thosecontributions listed total up to several thousand dollars!"

  "According to Father Benedict, the money goes to charity. But whatcharity? It's a cinch he isn't spending much in supporting the members ofhis cult. This building is as barren as a barn, and I've not seen anysupplies come into the place while we've been around!"

  "And where are the cult members?"

  "They must stay in their rooms."

  "A fine life!"

  "I'm sure there are people in this household who aren't listed in theledger," Penny resumed thoughtfully. "For instance, that girl I saw whenI came here with Mr. Ayling. Who is she, and where does she keepherself?"

  "Why not ask Father Benedict--that is, if we ever get out of here."

  "I can't quite bring myself to do it, Lou. If ever I started askingquestions, I wouldn't know where to stop."

  "There's only one that bothers me," Louise said, roving toward the door."How are we going to get out of here? Let's call for help!"

  "Okay," Penny agreed reluctantly. "I hate to do it though."

  First testing the door again to be certain it was locked and not stuck,she pounded with her fists on the heavy oak paneling.

  "Let us out!" Louise called loudly. "Let us out! We're locked in!"

  "That ought to fetch someone!" chuckled Penny. "Listen! I think I hearfootsteps now."

  From down the corridor, the girls detected a soft patter and a creakingof boards. To attract attention to their plight, they again pounded onthe oaken panel.

  The footsteps approached the door and halted. Penny, her ear pressed tothe panel, could hear the sound of breathing on the other side.

  "Let us out!" she called. "We're locked in here!"

  "Sh!" came the loud hiss.

  "It must be Old Julia!" Penny whispered to Louise. "Do you suppose she'llhave sense enough to help us?"

  "I doubt it," Louise muttered, resigning herself to a long wait in themonk's study. "Maybe we can get across to her the idea that she shouldbring Father Benedict here."

  "Listen, Julia," Penny began, speaking slowly and as clearly as shecould. "We're locked in here and we need help. Can you bring yourmaster?"

  "No! No!" came the sharp answer.

  "Then unlock the door," Penny urged.

  "Key gone," the old woman mumbled.

  "Can't you find it? Don't you know where your master keeps them?"

  There was no answer, but the girls heard the old woman scurry away.

  "Has she gone to find a key, or has she just gone?" Louise sighed."Father Benedict probably still is in the basement with Winkey, so we canexpect no
help from that quarter."

  Impatiently, Penny glanced at her wrist watch. Actually, they had beenlocked in the room less than twenty minutes, but it seemed three timesthat long.

  "It's useless!" Louise said, seating herself by the fire again. "We'retrapped here until Father Benedict gets around to letting us out!"

  At the door, Penny's keen ears detected sound. Again the pad, pad offootsteps!

  "Old Julia's coming back!" she exclaimed. "Maybe she's not as stupid aswe thought!"

  Anxiously the girls waited. To their great relief, they heard a key turnin the lock. Then, an inch at a time, the door was pushed open.

  Old Julia, her eyes wild, and hair streaming down her face, staredblankly in at them.

  "Thanks, Julia!" said Penny. She tried to touch the woman's hand in agesture of friendship, only to have her shrink back.

  "Why, we won't hurt you," Penny attempted to sooth her.

  "Go!" the woman mumbled, her cracked lips quivering. "Go!"

  _Seeing us here always seems to upset her, Penny thought._ Aloud sheremarked: "Yes, we're leaving now. If Father Benedict wonders what becameof us, I'm afraid he'll just have to guess."

  The girls started toward the cloister with Old Julia following a stepbehind.

  "Hurry! Hurry!" she muttered. "No time!"

  "Oh, we have plenty of time, if that's what you mean," replied Penny,smiling at her in a friendly way. Suddenly she halted as the thoughtoccurred to her that she might obtain useful information from the womanif only she phrased her questions skillfully.

  "Julia, you must know everyone who lives here in the dormitory rooms,"she began. "Do you often see a girl about my age?"

  A strange light flickered for a moment in the old woman's watery grayeyes, then died. She merely stared at Penny.

  "No soap!" commented Louise. "Let's get out of here."

  Penny, however, was persistent.

  "Julia, you must have seen her--a girl like me," she emphasized. "Doesshe sleep here?"

  "Sleep--sleep--" the word seemingly had aroused an unpleasant chain ofthought in the old woman's twisted mind.

  "Where is the girl's room?" Penny probed.

  Julia did not act as if she had heard the question. She was mumbling toherself, a look of horror upon her face.

  "What's she saying?" Louise demanded, unable to catch a word.

  Penny bent closer. Distinctly she heard the old woman mutter: "Thecanopied bed! In the chapel room--"

  Then old Julia stiffened and she flattened herself against the wall ofthe passageway, her eyes wide with fear.

  Directly ahead, in the doorway opening onto the cloister, stood FatherBenedict.