Hoofbeats on the Turnpike
Page 16
CHAPTER 16 _A FRUITLESS SEARCH_
"We'll give Mrs. Lear a little start and then follow," Penny instructed."Undoubtedly she'll return to the brook to meet the Headless Horseman."
"Then you believe she's been behind the scheme from the first?" Louiseasked, backing away from the cliff's crumbling edge. Below, on thegrounds of Sleepy Hollow, men roved about with lighted lanterns.Apparently no very vigorous effort was being made to pursue themysterious rider into the woods.
"Who else?" Penny countered. "At least she's been a party to it."
"But she's not actually the rider. We know that."
"She certainly knows the identity of the man," Penny said withconviction. "And we should too before the night's over. Come on!"
Fearful lest Mrs. Lear get too much of a start, the girls set off inpursuit. However, they had not gone far before they realized that the oldlady was not returning to the brook. Instead she seemed to be heading forhome.
"We didn't figure this so well after all!" Penny observed in deepdisgust. "Now it's too late to go back to the brook, so we've lost ourchance to learn who the fellow is."
"Maybe not," Louise said cheerfully. "Someone will have to bring Trinidadhome."
They had now reached the main road with Mrs. Lear's cabin visible overthe hill. Not once glancing over her shoulder, the old lady trod a muddypath to her own gate. Once inside the grounds, she peered up at thewindows of the bedroom Penny and Louise had occupied. Satisfied that nolight was burning, she quietly entered the house.
The two girls waited for awhile in the woods. They thought it wise togive the old lady ample time to go to bed and fall asleep.
"Come on, we've waited long enough," Penny said at last.
They crossed the road and stole to the front door. To their astonishmentit was locked. The back door also was fastened from the inside.
"We'll have to try a window," Penny proposed.
The windows also were locked or so stuck by dampness that they could notbe budged.
"If this isn't a pretty mess!" Penny exclaimed impatiently. "Mrs. Learnever used to lock anything. She must have started doing it since thedeed to her property disappeared."
"What are we going to do? Sleep in the barn?"
"That might not be such a bad idea. Then if Trinidad ever comes home we'dbe able to see who rode him!"
"You'll have to get another idea!" Louise retorted. "That old barn hasrats and mice. I wouldn't sleep there for a million dollars."
Penny circled the house, searching for a way out of the difficulty. Shecould find no ladder. A rose trellis rising along the front wallsuggested that if they could use it to reach the second story, they mightcreep along the porch roof to their own room. There at least, the windowhad been left unlocked.
"It looks flimsy," Penny said, testing the structure. "I'll try itfirst."
Gingerly she climbed the trellis, trying to avoid the thorns of awithered rose plant. She reached the porch roof and skillfully rolledonto it. From there she motioned for her chum to follow.
Louise was heavier than Penny and less adept at climbing. The rose bushtore at her clothing and wounded her arms. Just as she was reaching forPenny's outstretched hand one of the cross pieces gave way. Startled,Louise let out a scream of terror.
"Now you've done it!" Penny muttered, pulling her by brute force onto theporch. "Mrs. Lear's deaf if she didn't hear that!"
Tiptoeing with frantic haste across the porch roof, they tested thewindow of their bedroom. It raised easily. But as they scrambled over thesill, the girls were dismayed to hear Mrs. Lear's door open farther downthe hall.
"She heard us!" Louise whispered tensely. "Now what'll we do?"
"Into bed and cover up!" Penny ordered.
Not even taking time to remove their shoes, they made a dive for the bigfour-poster bed. Scarcely had they pulled the coverlet up to their earsthan they heard Mrs. Lear just outside the door.
"Are you all right?" she called anxiously. "I thought I heard a scream."
The girls did not answer. They closed their eyes and pretended to beasleep. Mrs. Lear opened the door and peeped inside. Not entirelysatisfied she crossed the room and stood for a moment at the open window.Closing it half way, she then tiptoed out the door.
"Was that a close call!" Penny whispered, sitting up in bed. "Lucky forus she didn't notice anything wrong."
Waiting a few minutes longer, the girls slid from beneath the covers andquickly undressed.
"At least we learned one important thing tonight," Penny observed,quietly lowering a shoe to the floor. "Mrs. Lear is behind this HeadlessHorseman escapade. But who is the fellow?"
"Silas Malcom perhaps. Only he's a bit too old for pranks."
Penny did not reply. Moving to the window, she gazed thoughtfully towardthe barn.
"Someone may bring Trinidad back," she commented. "By watching--"
"Not for me," Louise cut in. She rolled back into bed. "I'm going to getmyself a little shut-eye before dawn."
Penny drew a chair up to the window. The room was cold. Her chair wasstraight-backed and hard. Minutes dragged by and still Trinidad did notput in an appearance.
"The horse may not come back tonight," Penny thought, covering a yawn."Guess I'll jump into bed. I can hear just as well from there."
She snuggled in beside Louise and enjoyed the warmth of the covers. Adelightful drowsiness took possession of her. Though she struggled tostay awake, her eyelids became heavier and heavier.
Presently Penny slept. She slept soundly. When she awakened, the firstrays of morning light were seeping in through the window. But it was notthe sun that had aroused her from slumber. As she stirred drowsily, shebecame aware of an unusual sound. At first she could not place it. Thenshe realized that someone was pounding on the downstairs screen door.
Penny nudged Louise. When that did not arouse her, she gave her avigorous shake.
"What now?" Louise mumbled crossly.
"Wake up! Someone's downstairs pounding on the screen door."
"Let 'em pound." Louise rolled away from her chum's grasp and tried to goback to sleep.
The thumping noise was repeated, louder and more insistent. Penny wassure she heard the rumble of many voices. Thoroughly puzzled, she swungout of bed and reached for a robe.
"Open up!" called a man's voice from below.
Penny ran to the window. The porch roof half obstructed her view, but inthe yard she could see at least half a dozen men. Others were at thedoor, hammering to be let in.
By this time the thumpings had thoroughly awakened Louise. She toodeserted the bed and went to the window.
"Something's wrong!" she exclaimed. "Just see that mob of men! I'llwarrant they're here to make trouble for Mrs. Lear--perhaps because ofwhat happened last night!"