Clue of the Silken Ladder by Mildred A. Wirt

Author:Mildred A. Wirt
Language: eng
Format: azw3, mobi, epub
Tags: Parker, Gangsters -- Juvenile fiction, Penny (Fictitious character) -- Juvenile fiction, Adventure and adventurers -- Juvenile fiction, Women detectives -- Juvenile fiction, Mystery and detective stories
Published: 2010-12-07T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

14

WET PAINT

Promptly at two o’clock the following afternoon, Penny and Mrs. Weems presented themselves at the Hodges’ cottage for the appointed séance. Already Mr. Gepper awaited them in the darkened apartment on the second floor.

Penny’s glance about the room found everything in the same order as upon the previous visit, save that an easel with a large black sheet of artist’s paper stood beside the cabinet.

She moved as if to examine it. Al Gepper intercepted her by saying:

“Sit here, if you please. Beside Mrs. Weems. I’ll call the Hodges and we’ll start at once.”

The medium went to the door and shouted down the stairway. Penny noticed that he remained where he could watch her every move in a mirror which hung on the wall. She shrewdly guessed that he was afraid she might attempt to examine either the cabinet or the easel.

Mr. and Mrs. Hodges came in response to the call, taking chairs about the circular table. The gaze which they fastened upon Al Gepper was almost worshipful.

“Now today I hope to materialize the Spirit of Cousin David,” announced the medium. “The task will be difficult, as you must realize. After the séance begins I am compelled to request absolute quiet. The slightest movement may frighten away the Spirits.”

“Why are spirits so timid?” asked Penny.

“Because their beings are so sensitive that they instantly feel an unfriendly presence,” the man responded glibly. “Please hold hands, and use every precaution that contact is not broken.”

Mrs. Weems took one of Penny’s hands and Mr. Hodges the other. Mrs. Hodges sat next to her husband.

After lowering black curtains over the window blinds to further darken the room, the medium returned to his chair. Those at the table were unable to distinguish his form, and for a time there was no sound save the scratching music of a phonograph record.

Presently the medium exhorted the Spirit of Cousin David to appear. For at least ten minutes there was no indication that communication was to be established. Then a cowbell tinkled, causing Mrs. Weems to shake and tremble.

“Are you there, David?” called the medium.

The bell jingled violently.

“We are ready, David,” intoned the medium. “Have you a message for us?”

To Penny’s amazement, a pair of shapely white hands slowly materialized, apparently pulling aside the curtain of the cabinet above the medium’s head. In the darkness they glowed with a weird phosphorescent light.

Next appeared a white-rimmed slate, upon which luminous words were written: “I am the Spirit of Cousin David. Is Maud here?”

“Yes, yes,” responded Mrs. Weems, quivering with excitement. “Have you a message for me?”

Again the hand wrote: “My happiness in this world beyond is disturbed. Maud, do not squander the money which I gave to you.”

“Squander it?” the housekeeper said aloud. “Why, I’ve scarcely spent a penny!”

“A trip to California is ill-advised,” wrote the hand. “Invest your money in good eight per cent securities. There are many excellent companies—the Brantwell Corporation, White and Edwards, the Bierkamp Company.”

The slate vanished and once more the jingling of the cowbell denoted that the spirit was moving away.

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