Voice from the Cave

  CHAPTER 2 _STORMY WEATHER_

  For an hour the Parker car had rolled smoothly along the paved roadenroute to Sunset Beach. In the back seat, firmly wedged between boxesand suitcases, Penny squirmed and suffered.

  "How much farther, Dad?" she inquired, interrupting an animatedconversation he was having with Mrs. Deline.

  "Oh, about fifty miles," Mr. Parker tossed over his shoulder. "We can'tmake much time at thirty-five an hour."

  "How about lunch somewhere along the road?"

  "Well, should we take the time?" the publisher asked. He turned towardhis companion. "What do you think, Mrs. Deline?"

  "Picnics always seemed stupid to me," she replied in a bored manner."Perhaps we'll find a nice tea house along the way."

  "But Mrs. Weems prepared such a good lunch," Penny argued. "I thought--"

  "We can use the food after we make camp," Mr. Parker decided briskly. "Awarm meal will be much better."

  Penny subsided into hurt silence. Since the party had left Riverview shefelt that she had been pushed far into the background. Mrs. Deline hadmade no attempt to talk to her. On the other hand, the widow fairlyhypnotized Mr. Parker with her dazzling smile and conversation.

  "Dad," Penny began, determined to get in a word, "just before you camehome this afternoon, something queer happened."

  "That so?" he inquired carelessly.

  "Yes, I turned on the radio, and a station I'd never heard before camein. The announcer said: 'Attention Comrades, this is the Voice from theCave.'"

  "Sounds like a juvenile radio serial."

  "Oh, but it wasn't, Dad! I'm sure it was an outlaw station. Then theannouncer spoke very rapidly in a language I'd never heard before. Itreally sounded like code."

  "Sure you didn't imagine it? You know you do get ideas, Penny. Especiallywhen you're on the prowl for a mystery to solve."

  "Aren't children quaint?" Mrs. Deline laughed.

  Penny's lips tightened, but by great effort of will she kept silent. Achild indeed! She knew now that Mrs. Deline disliked her and that theyhad launched an undeclared war.

  "I heard the broadcast all right," she said. "For that matter, so didMrs. Weems and Louise. But probably it's of no consequence."

  The subject was dropped. It was stuffy in the closed car and Pennypresently rolled down a window. Immediately Mrs. Deline protested thatthe wind was blowing her hair helter-skelter. At a stern glance from herfather, Penny closed the window again, leaving only a tiny crack for air.

  "All the way, please," requested Mrs. Deline.

  "Penny, you're being very, very difficult," Mr. Parker added.

  Penny rolled the window shut, but her blue eyes cast off little sparks offire. As a rule, she was a very pleasant person, not in the leastspoiled. In Riverview where she had lived for fifteen happy, eventfulyears, her friends were beyond count. Penny liked people and nearlyeveryone liked her. But for some reason, she and Mrs. Deline had taken aninstant dislike to each other.

  "Maybe I'm jealous," Penny thought ruefully. "I shouldn't be, but Dad'sall I have."

  Between Mr. Parker and his daughter there existed a deep bond ofaffection. Penny's mother was dead and the noted publisher had devotedhimself to filling the great void in the girl's life. He had given hercompanionship and taught her to think straight. Knowing that she wasdependable, he allowed her more freedom than most girls her age werepermitted.

  Penny adored her father and seemingly had inherited his love of newspaperwork. Upon various occasions she had helped him at the _Riverview Star_,writing and obtaining some of the paper's most spectacular front pagestories. Only the past winter, following her father's severe illness, shehad acted as editor of the _Star_, managing the paper entirely herself.

  "And now Dad and Mrs. Deline treat me as if I were a child!" shereflected resentfully.

  Though very much upset, Penny kept her thoughts to herself. Curling upwith her head on a pile of blankets, she pretended to sleep.

  The car went over a hard bump. Penny bounced and opened her eyes. She wassurprised to see that it had grown quite dark. The automobile was movingin a wide curve between long rows of pine trees.

  "What time is it?" she asked, pressing her face to the window.

  "Not so late," replied her father. "We're running into a rain storm. Justour luck."

  Dark clouds had entirely blotted out the late afternoon sun. Even as Mr.Parker spoke, several big raindrops splashed against the windshield.

  Soon the rain came down in such a thick sheet that the road ahead wasobscured. Stopping suddenly for a crossroads traffic light, the car wentinto a slight skid. Mrs. Deline screamed in terror, and clutched Mr.Parker's arm.

  "Oh, can't we stop somewhere?" she pleaded. "I'm so afraid we'll have anaccident."

  "Yes, we'll stop," Mr. Parker agreed. "The storm is certainly gettingworse."

  A short distance ahead the party glimpsed a group of buildings. One was afilling station and beside it stood a small three-story hotel and tearoom.

  "Doesn't look too bad," Mr. Parker commented, pulling up close to thedoor. "We'll have dinner and by that time the storm may be over."

  While Penny and Mrs. Deline went into the tea room, the publisher tookthe car next door to the filling station to have the tank refueled. Herejoined them soon, shaking the raindrops from his coat.

  "It's coming down harder than ever," he reported. "And we still have along drive ahead of us."

  "Do you think we'll reach our camp site tonight, Dad?" Penny inquiredanxiously.

  "We'll be lucky to get to Sunset Beach. As for making camp, that's out ofthe question."

  "Maybe it will stop raining soon," Penny ventured hopefully.

  Mr. Parker ordered dinner for the party and an hour was consumed indining. The rain, however, showed no signs of slackening.

  "We could go on--" Mr. Parker said thoughtfully. "Of course, the roadsare slippery."

  "Oh, please let's not venture out in this," Mrs. Deline pleaded beforePenny could speak. "I know I am being silly, but I'm so afraid of anaccident. Once I was in a car that overturned and I've never forgottenit."

  "There's no great hurry," Mr. Parker replied. "If we can't reach SunsetBeach tonight, I suppose we could stay here."

  Mrs. Deline did not comment upon the suggestion, but from the way shesmiled, Penny was sure that the idea appealed to her. Taking her fatheraside, the girl urged him to try to drive on to Sunset Beach that night.

  "Our vacation is so short, Dad. Even now we'll lose almost a day insetting up camp."

  "We'll certainly push on if we can," he promised. "This storm complicateseverything."

  For two hours the rain fell steadily. With the prospects anything butimproved, Mr. Parker made inquiry as to lodging for the night. From thehotel keeper he learned that rooms already were at a premium.

  "We'll have to make up our minds soon," he reported to Penny and Mrs.Deline. "If we wait much longer we'll probably find ourselves sleeping inthe lobby."

  "Then let's stay," the widow urged. "Please engage a room and a bath forme. Preferably one at the rear of the building away from the highway."

  "I'm afraid you'll have no choice," Mr. Parker told her regretfully."We'll have to take what we can get."

  The publisher consulted with the hotel clerk, and returned to report thatonly two rooms remained available.

  "You and Penny will have to share one together," he explained. "I hopeyou won't mind."

  It was evident by the expression of Mrs. Deline's face that she minded agreat deal. However, she consented to the arrangement and the luggage wastaken upstairs. The door closed behind the bellboy. For the first timePenny and Mrs. Deline were left alone.

  "Such a cheap, dirty hotel!" the widow exclaimed petulantly. "And I dohate to share a room with anyone."

  Penny busied herself unpacking her over-night bag. Crossing to thewindow, she raised it half way.

  "Do put that down
!" Mrs. Deline ordered. "I detest air blowing directlyon me."

  Penny lowered the window.

  Mrs. Deline smoked a cigarette, carelessly allowing the ashes to fall onthe bed. Getting up, she moved nervously about the room.

  "This place is so small it seems like a prison," she complained. "Why doyou sit there and stare at me?"

  "I didn't realize I was staring," Penny apologized. "If you'll excuse me,I'll go to bed."

  Undressing quickly, she crawled beneath the covers. Mrs. Deline smokedstill another cigarette and then began to prepare for bed. As she removedthe jacket of her suit, Penny noticed that the woman wore a beautifuljade elephant pin.

  "Why, what an attractive ornament!" she exclaimed. "Is it a locket orjust a pin?"

  "I bought it in China," the widow answered without replying to thequestion.

  "In China! Have you been there?"

  "Of course!" Mrs. Deline gave Penny an amused glance. Without removingthe pin or offering to show it to the girl, she completed herpreparations for bed.

  Just at that moment there came a light tap on the door.

  "Oh, Penny!" Mr. Parker called.

  "Yes, Dad, what is it?" Penny leaped out of bed.

  "I'm worried about the car keys," he called through the transom. "Youdidn't by chance see them after we left the dining room?"

  "Why, yes," Penny reassured him. "You left them lying on the table. Ipicked them up and forgot to tell you. They're here on the dresser. I'llhand them out."

  "No, never mind. Keep them. I was just afraid they were lost. Goodnight."

  Mrs. Deline glanced curiously at the key ring on the dresser. Sheremarked that she had not seen Penny pick it up.

  "You were talking to Dad at the time," the girl replied.

  Leaving the keys on the dresser, she leaped into bed again and settledherself for a comfortable sleep. Mrs. Deline presently turned out thelight and took the other bed. For a time Penny was annoyed by voices fromthe hallway, then all became quiet. She slept.

  Much later Penny awoke. She stirred and rolled over. The rain had ceasedand moonlight was flooding into the room. A beam fell directly acrossMrs. Deline's bed, revealing a mass of crumpled sheets and covers.

  Penny stared, scarcely believing her eyes. The bed was empty.