Penny Nichols and the Mystery of the Lost Key

by Joan Clark

  CHAPTER VI Midnight Visitors

  "I wish," Rosanna commented emphatically, "that I had never brought youto this queer old house."

  Penny laughed as she went over to the fireplace and dropped on anotherstick of wood. She stood watching the sparks fly up the chimney.

  "I think Caleb Eckert was only trying to be funny when he warned us ofghosts," she declared. "At any rate, I'm too tired and sleepy to caremuch whether the place is haunted or not."

  "It's a good night to sleep," Rosanna admitted, going to the window. "Ibelieve the storm is getting worse."

  Rain pounded steadily upon the roof and the wind was rising. It whistledweirdly around the corners of the house. The tall maple trees whichshaded the front porch bent and twisted and snapped.

  For a time the girls sat before the fire. Presently Penny suggested thatthey retire.

  "I don't believe I can sleep a wink tonight," Rosanna protested. "Eventhough Caleb Eckert said it was all right for us to stay here, I don'tfeel entirely easy about it."

  "I don't see why not," Penny protested as they mounted the creakingstairs to their bedroom. "According to the letter, you've inherited thehouse. And you have a key."

  "I had a key you mean. I can't understand how or where I lost it."

  In thinking back over the activities of the day, Rosanna could not recalltaking either the key or the letter from her purse. However, severaltimes for one purpose or another she had opened her pocketbook, and itwas quite likely that the articles had fallen out unobserved. She thoughtpossibly she might find them on the floor of Penny's car. She intended tosearch in the morning.

  The upstairs room was damp and chilly. The girls hurriedly prepared toretire. Penny put up the window, snapped out the light and made a greatrunning leap which landed her in bed.

  "Listen to the wind howl," she murmured, snuggling drowsily into herpillow. "Just the night for ghosts to be abroad."

  "Don't!" Rosanna shivered, gripping her friend's hand. "I can almostimagine that someone is coming up the stairway now! I'm afraid of thislonely old house."

  "I won't let any mean old ghost get you," Penny chuckled teasingly. "Ilove stormy nights."

  Rosanna lay awake long after her companion had fallen asleep. Shelistened restlessly to the crash of the tree branches against the roof,the creaking of old timbers and boards. But the steady beat of rain onthe windowpanes had a soothing effect upon tense nerves. Presently shedozed.

  Suddenly she found herself wide awake. She sat upright in bed, strainingto hear. She was convinced that some unusual sound had aroused her.

  Then she heard it again. A peculiar pounding noise downstairs.

  She clutched Penny by the arm.

  "What is it?" the latter muttered drowsily.

  "Wake up! I think someone is trying to break into the house!"

  As the words penetrated Penny's consciousness, she became instantlyalert. She too sat up, listening. Someone was pounding on the front door.

  "What shall we do?" Rosanna whispered in terror.

  Penny sprang from bed and snapped on the light. "I'm going to dress andgo down. It may be Caleb Eckert."

  "Or a ghost," Rosanna chattered. "If you're going down, so am I."

  With the appearance of a light in the bedroom, the clanging on the doorincreased in violence. Penny, who was dressing as rapidly as she could,began to grow irritated.

  "Are they trying to break down the door?" she grumbled. "I should thinkwhoever it is would know we're hurrying."

  Without delaying to lace up her shoes, she ran down the stairs, Rosannaclose at her elbow. Before snapping on the living room lights the girlspeered out the window.

  Slightly reassured by the appearance of the midnight visitors, theycautiously unbolted the front door.

  Mrs. Everett Leeds and her daughter Alicia, swept into the room. Bothwere bedraggled and obviously out of sorts.

  Mrs. Leeds shook the rain from her cape, flung her wet hat into thenearest chair, and then coldly surveyed the two girls.

  "What are you doing here, may I ask?" she inquired.

  "We _were_ sleeping," Penny smiled.

  "I mean, what are you doing in this house?"

  "It seems to belong to Rosanna," Penny said evenly. "She inherited itfrom her uncle, Jacob Winters."

  Mrs. Leeds' expression was difficult to interpret. For an instant shelooked stunned. But she quickly recovered her poise.

  "Nonsense!" she said shortly. "This house belongs to me. Jacob Winterswas my cousin. He died recently, leaving me everything. I have a letterand key to prove it. Naturally I couldn't use my key to get into thehouse for you had it bolted from the inside."

  Mrs. Leeds looked accusingly at the girls as she offered the letter toPenny. A casual glance assured the girls that it was identical with theone Rosanna had received and lost.

  "It's too late to go into this tonight," Penny protested. "Let's discussit in the morning."

  "Very well," Mrs. Leeds agreed coldly. "Where are we to sleep?"

  Penny informed her that there were several empty bedrooms upstairs. Sheled the way to the upper floor. Opening the door of one of the rooms, shewas surprised to see that it was not as well furnished as the bedroomwhich she and Rosanna shared. Mrs. Leeds uttered an exclamation ofdisgust.

  "Surely you don't expect me to sleep here, Miss Nichols. The room isdirty. Positively filthy."

  "Look at that long cobweb hanging from the ceiling!" Alicia addedindignantly. "I'd have hysterics if I slept here."

  "Perhaps the adjoining room is better," Penny commented.

  An inspection revealed that if anything it was even more neglected.

  "I'm afraid you'll just have to make the best of it for tonight," Pennydeclared, "unless you care to drive on to the next town."

  "We'll stay," Mrs. Leeds decided instantly. "I'd prefer to sit up allnight, rather than brave those horrible mountain roads again."

  "We slipped into a ditch coming here," Alicia informed. "That's what madeus so late. We've had a terrible time."

  In a closet at the end of the hall, Penny and Rosanna found blankets andlinen. As they made up the beds, neither Mrs. Leeds nor her daughteroffered to assist. It was after one o'clock when the girls went back totheir own room.

  "Mrs. Leeds means to make trouble about the inheritance," Penny remarkedin an undertone as they snapped out the light once more. "I wonder if byany chance she could have picked up your letter and key?"

  "Oh, I doubt it," Rosanna returned. "I remember when we were at Mt.Ashland she dropped the hint that she was going to Raven Ridge. At least,she acted strangely when we mentioned the place."

  "Yes, she did. I had forgotten for the moment. Oh well, in the morningwe'll learn exactly what she intends to do."

  Penny rolled over and soon was sleeping soundly. Toward morning she awoketo hear a clock somewhere in the house chiming four. At first she thoughtnothing of it, then it occurred to her that no one had wound any of thetimepieces the previous evening. While she was musing over such an oddhappening her keen ears detected the sound of soft footsteps in the longhall outside.

  "It's probably Mrs. Leeds or her daughter," she reasoned.

  The sounds persisted. At length Penny quietly arose and tiptoed to thedoor. She looked out into the dark hall. No one was within sight. Mrs.Leeds' door was closed.

  Penny went back to bed, taking care not to awaken Rosanna. Scarcely hadshe pulled the blankets up than the soft pad of footsteps could be heardagain.

  "I hope it isn't that ghost Caleb warned us about," she thought uneasily."Oh, bother! I know there aren't any ghosts!"

  Penny closed her eyes and tried to sleep but found it quite impossible.Even after the noise in the hall ceased she caught herself listening forthe footsteps. At a quarter to seven she dressed and stole downstairs tosee what she could find for breakfast.

  At eight o'clock when Rosanna came into the kitchen, Penny had coffee,cereal and crisp bacon ready.
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br />   "The larder seems very well supplied," she informed cheerfully. "Someoneleft milk on our doorstep too. I imagine it must have been Caleb."

  "I'm hungry enough to eat anything," Rosanna declared. "Shall I call Mrs.Leeds and Alicia?"

  "Yes, do, although I don't know how they'll take to my cooking."

  Rosanna went upstairs to rap on Mrs. Leeds' door. She returned a minutelater, reporting that neither of the guests would be down for breakfast.

  "They were quite put out at being disturbed so early," she told Pennyruefully.

  "We'll let them get their own breakfasts then. Come on, we'll have oursanyway."

  Penny had learned to cook very well under the tutelage of Mrs. Gallup.She had done remarkably well with the meager supplies at her disposal andRosanna declared that the breakfast was excellent.

  The girls had finished the dishes and were stacking them away when Aliciacame down the stairs.

  "Mother and I will take our breakfast now," she informed.

  Rosanna started toward the kitchen, but Penny neatly blocked the way.

  "Sorry," she said cheerfully, "but we've just finished ours. You'll findsupplies in the kitchen."

  Alicia started to reply but without waiting to hear what she might haveto say, Penny and Rosanna went out the back door.

  "While she cools off we may as well look over the grounds," Pennylaughed. "If Mrs. Leeds and Alicia expect to get along with me, they'llhave to learn that this household is going to operate on a cafeteriabasis."

  From the rear door a sandstone path led down a steep incline to the browof a high cliff. A river wound its way directly below, emptying into acrystal blue lake. Deep in the pine woods, some distance from the path, acabin could be seen. The girls decided that it must belong to CalebEckert.

  While they were admiring the rugged scenery, someone came up behind them.They wheeled about to face Caleb himself.

  "Well, well, you both look bright and gay this morning," he greetedheartily. "Sleep well?"

  "Quite well," Rosanna told him shyly. "That is, we did until the visitorsarrived."

  "Visitors?"

  Rosanna explained about Mrs. Leeds and her daughter while Penny addedomitted details. For some reason they both were beginning to feel thatCaleb was their ally.

  "All this talk about letters and keys and inheritances certainly has mepuzzled," he proclaimed, shaking his head. "It's hard to believe thatJacob Winters is dead. I think I'll walk back to the house with you andhave a little talk with Mrs. Leeds."

  "Did you leave milk at our doorstep this morning?" Penny questioned asthey returned together.

  Caleb admitted that he had placed it there.

  "You've been very kind," Rosanna said gratefully. "I want to thank youbefore we leave."

  "You're not aiming to leave today?" Caleb asked quickly.

  "Well, yes, I imagine we will. I don't feel right about staying here."

  Caleb lowered his voice. "Take my advice, Miss Winters, and don't leavewhile that other woman and her daughter are here. From what you've toldme, I think they mean to grab the property."

  "But what can I do?" Rosanna asked helplessly. "I've lost my letter andthe key. I haven't any proof that the property was left to me."

  "Maybe this Leeds woman hasn't any proof that it was left to her either,"Caleb said sagely. "Anyway, we'll find out what she has to say."

  At first, Mrs. Leeds, accosted in the living room of the old house, hadlittle comment to make. She was out of sorts from lack of sleep theprevious night, and the breakfast which she and Alicia had endeavored tocook had not been a success. Nor was she impressed with Caleb who worehigh boots, an old pair of dirty trousers and a crumpled felt hat.

  "I don't see why I should discuss my business affairs with you," she saidaloofly. "I have inherited this property from my cousin and I mean toremain here in possession of it indefinitely if necessary."

  "May I see the letter which you say you received?" Caleb inquired.

  Mrs. Leeds hesitated, then reluctantly handed it over. Caleb studied itbriefly and returned it.

  "You will require more than this as evidence of Mr. Winters' death," hesaid quietly. "For all I know, you may have forged this letter."

  "Preposterous!" Mrs. Leeds snapped. "I refuse to discuss the matter withyou further. I shall send for my attorney and he will straighten outeverything."

  "Not without the will, he can't," Caleb returned grimly. "And there's notelling what became of it."

  "The will?" Mrs. Leeds caught him up. "Are you sure there was a will?"

  "Mr. Winters told me once that he had made one and hidden it somewhere inthe house."

  "Then of course it can be found."

  "Mr. Winters wouldn't want anyone prying around in his private papers,"Caleb insisted. "Until I have definite word that he is dead, I can't letanyone hunt for it."

  "I shouldn't call searching for the will exactly prying!" Mrs. Leedsretorted indignantly. "What right have you to say what is to be donehere? Are you the caretaker?"

  "Well, not exactly, but Mr. Winters asked me to look after things untilhe got back."

  "That will must be found."

  Caleb's face tightened. "Mrs. Leeds," he said severely, "I repeat, thingsin this house must not be disturbed."

  Mrs. Leeds drew herself up proudly. "Unquestionably, the will leaveseverything to me."

  "That may be," Caleb acknowledged, "but this girl here has a claim too."He indicated Rosanna.

  Mrs. Leeds froze her with a glance. Her eyes snapped like brands of fireas she listened to Rosanna's account of the letter and key. But a look ofrelief, which was not lost upon either of the girls, came over her faceas she learned that they had been misplaced.

  "The story sounds ridiculous to me," Mrs. Leeds declared coldly. "If youcan't produce the letter or the key, what proof have you that youactually are Jacob Winters' niece?"

  "I could get evidence within a few days," Rosanna declared. "The letterand key may show up too."

  "I think perhaps you dropped them in the car," Penny interrupted. "Let'slook now."

  Leaving Mrs. Leeds and Caleb embroiled in another argument, they wentoutside where the automobile had been parked near the house. A carefulsearch of the flooring and pockets of the car did not reveal the missingletter or key. Rosanna was completely discouraged.

  "Do you think Mrs. Leeds could have picked it up?" she asked gloomily.

  "I don't see how," Penny returned thoughtfully. "But there's one thingcertain. She intends to make trouble. You surely don't intend to go awayfrom here while she and her daughter are camped in the house?"

  "What else can we do?"

  "Send a wire to Dad that we're staying on a day or two," Penny answeredinstantly.

  "But won't that inconvenience both of you?"

  "No, I suspect Dad will be grateful for the rest and as for myself, I'denjoy seeing this thing through."

  It required little urging to convince Rosanna of the wisdom of remainingon the scene. She had taken an immediate dislike to Mrs. Leeds and herdaughter, and agreed with Penny that they were determined to claim morethan a rightful share of the inheritance.

  Once the girls arrived at a decision they lost no time in driving to thenearest town where Penny dispatched a message to her father. Noticing aninviting looking restaurant, they ate lunch before motoring back to theWinters' mansion. It was nearly two o'clock when they reached the Ridgeagain.

  An unfamiliar car stood on the driveway. Penny was certain it did notbelong to Mrs. Leeds for her mud-splattered sedan was parked somedistance away.

  "It looks like more visitors," she commented as they crossed the verandatogether.

  At the doorway both girls involuntarily paused. Mrs. Leeds was engaged inconversation with a stranger.

  For an instant Penny and Rosanna stood and stared. It was the same manwho had refused them help on the road.