CHAPTER 10 _OUIJA BOARD WISDOM_
"Trouble with the police!" Mrs. Hodges echoed, regarding Penny withunconcealed dismay. "How can it be illegal to rent Mr. Gepper theserooms?"
"Renting the rooms isn't illegal," Penny corrected. "But if the young manconducts public seances here--filches money from people--then you may beconsidered a party to the scheme. This city has a local ordinanceprohibiting fortune telling, mind reading and the like."
"I am sure the young man means no wrong."
"Penny," commented Mrs. Weems, "it seems to me that you are overlyconcerned. Why are you convinced that Mr. Gepper is a medium?"
"Doesn't this cabinet indicate it?"
"I thought it was some sort of wardrobe closet," Mrs. Hodges admitted.
"Al Gepper is a medium, or pretends to have spiritualistic powers," Pennyrepeated. "In my opinion you'll be very unwise to allow him to start anillegal business here."
"Oh, dear, I don't know what to do now," declared the seamstress. "I'llhave to ask Pa about it."
She and Mrs. Weems started downstairs, expecting that Penny would follow.Instead, the girl lingered to inspect the cabinet.
On the lower floor a door slammed, and there were footsteps ascending thestairway. She paid no heed, assuming that it was either Mr. Hodges or hiswife who approached.
The door swung open. Turning, Penny saw a young man, possibly thirtyyears of age, standing on the threshold. His dark eyes were sharp andappraising.
"Hello," he said, without smiling. "Aren't you afraid a monkey may jumpout of that cabinet?"
Penny, who seldom blushed, felt a wave of heat creeping over her cheeks.
"Hello," she stammered. "You must be Mrs. Hodges' new roomer."
"Al Gepper, at your service. Who are you, girlie?"
"You guessed it," said Penny shortly, edging away from the cabinet.
Al Gepper remained in the doorway, blocking the exit with his arm. He didnot move as the girl attempted to move past him.
"What's your hurry?" he drawled. "Stick around and let's get acquainted.I'll show you some neat card tricks."
"Thanks, but I haven't time, Mr. Gepper."
"What's your name anyhow?" he persisted. "You're not Mrs. Hodges'daughter."
"No, only a friend."
"You needn't be so icy about it," he rebuked. "Any friend of Mrs. Hodges'is a friend of mine."
"I never make friends easily," Penny replied. "For that matter, I don'tmind telling you that I have advised Mrs. Hodges not to rent you theserooms."
"Oh, you have?" inquired the man, his eyes hardening. "And what businessis it of yours?"
"None, perhaps. I merely am not going to allow her to be taken in if Ican prevent it!"
"Oh, indeed. Do you mind explaining?"
"It's perfectly obvious that you're one of these fake spiritualists,"Penny accused bluntly. "Your nickname should be Six-Raps Al!"
"A little spit-fire, aren't you?" the man retorted. "But you have style.Now I may be able to use you in my business."
"You admit that you're a medium?"
"I am a spiritualist. Not a fake, as you so crudely accuse. And I assureyou I have no intention of deceiving or taking advantage of your dearfriends, the Hodges."
"You expect to use these rooms for public seances?"
"I do."
"Then you are certain to get the Hodges into trouble with the police."
"Not unless you start squawking." Al Gepper's manner changed abruptly. Hegrasped Penny's wrist and pushed a leering face close to hers. "I'm notlooking for any trouble from you or anyone else--see! If you try to makeit, you'll wake up with a headache!"
Penny jerked free and, shouldering through the door, raced downstairs.
Glancing back, she saw that Al Gepper was following, though at a moreleisurely pace. Instantly she divined that he intended to make sure noreport of the incident was given to the Hodges, save in his presence.
Mrs. Weems and the old couple were talking in the kitchen.
"Well, Ma, it's for you to decide," Mr. Hodges was saying. "We gave ourword to the young feller, and it's kinda mean to turn him out so suddenlike."
"I regret Penny said anything about the matter." apologized Mrs. Weems."You know how out-spoken and impulsive she is. Of course, she has noinformation about Mr. Gepper."
"Oh, but I do have information," spoke Penny from the doorway. "Mr.Gepper has just admitted that he intends to use the room for publicseances. Isn't that true?"
Defiantly, she turned to face the young man who had followed her.
"Quite true," he acknowledged loftily. "One who has a great psychic giftis duty-bound to allow the world to benefit from one's talents. Theselection of this house as a Temple for Celestial Communication was notmine, but the bidding of the Spirits. In a dream I was instructed to comehere and take up residence."
"What night did you have the dream?" questioned Mrs. Hodges, deeplyimpressed.
"It was June fifteenth."
"The very night we heard the strange rappings on our bedroom wall, Pa."
"Dogonned if it wasn't!"
"Mr. Gepper, do you truly believe it is possible to communicate with thespiritual world?" Mrs. Weems inquired politely.
"My dear madam, I can best answer by offering a demonstration. Have you aouija board in the house?"
"Yes, we have," spoke Mrs. Hodges eagerly. "Pa and I got it from a mailorder house years ago, but it never worked for us. You fetch it, Pa."
Mr. Hodges brought a large, flat board which bore letters and figures.Upon it he placed a small, triangular piece with cushioned legs.
"This do-dad is supposed to spell out messages, ain't it?" he asked. "Maand I could never make it work right."
Al Gepper smiled in a superior way, and placing the board on his lap,motioned for Mrs. Weems to sit opposite him. However, before thehousekeeper could obey, Penny slid into the vacant chair. The mediumfrowned.
"Place your hands lightly on the triangular piece," he instructed."Concentrate with me as we await a message from the spiritual world."
Penny fastened her eyes on the distant wall with a blank stare.
A minute passed. The ouija board made several convulsive struggles, butseemed unable to move.
"The Spirits encounter resistance," the medium said testily. "They cansend no message when one's attitude is antagonistic."
"Shall I take off the brakes?" asked Penny.
Even as she spoke the pointer of the triangle began moving, rapidlyspelling a message.
"AL GEPPER IS A FRAUD," it wrote.
The medium sprang to his feet, allowing the board to fall from his lap.
"You pushed it!" he accused. "The test was unfair."
"Why, the very idea," chuckled Penny.
"Penny, please allow Mr. Gepper to conduct a true test," reproved Mrs.Weems severely. "Let me try."
Al Gepper, however, would have no more of the ouija board. Instead, hetook a pad of white paper from his pocket. Seating Mrs. Weems at thekitchen table he requested her to write a message, which, without beingshown to anyone in the room, was sealed in an envelope.
The medium pointedly requested Penny to examine the envelope to assureherself the writing could not be seen through the paper.
"You are satisfied that I have not read the message?" he asked.
"Yes," Penny admitted reluctantly.
The medium took the envelope, ran his fingers lightly over it, andreturned it still sealed to Mrs. Weems.
"If I am not mistaken, Madam, you wrote, 'Is the spirit of my cousin inthis room?'"
"Why, I did!" exclaimed Mrs. Weems. "Those were the exact words! How didyou know?"
Al Gepper smiled mysteriously.
"You have seen nothing, Madam," he said. "Now if conditions are right, itmay be possible for us to learn if a Spirit has joined our group. Lowerthe blinds, please."
Mr. Hodges hastened to obey. With the kitchen in sem
i-darkness, themedium motioned for his audience to move a few paces away. Taking his ownposition behind the kitchen table, he intoned:
"Oh, Spirit, if you are with us in the room, signal by lifting this pieceof furniture."
Slowly the man moved his hands above the table. At first nothinghappened, then to the astonishment of his audience, it lifted a fewinches from the floor. There it hung suspended a moment before droppinginto place again.
"You see?" With a triumphant ring to his voice, the medium crossed theroom to raise the window shades. "Now do you doubt me?"
"No! No!" cried Mrs. Hodges tremulously. "Only a Spirit could have movedthat table. Maud, perhaps it _was_ your Cousin David."
The medium gazed at Mrs. Weems with sympathetic interest.
"You have lost a loved one recently?" he inquired.
"Cousin David and I never were well acquainted," replied the housekeeper."That was why I was so surprised when he left me an inheritance."
"Mrs. Weems!" remonstrated Penny. She was dismayed by the revelation socasually offered.
"No doubt you would like to communicate with your departed cousin at somelater time," the medium said smoothly. "Allow me to offer my services asan intermediary. No charge, of course."
"Why, that's very generous of you, Mr. Gepper."
"Not at all. Friends of the Hodges are my friends. Shall we set adefinite date--say tomorrow at two o'clock?"
"Yes, I'll come. That is, if the Hodges are to be present."
"Assuredly. Mrs. Hodges is definitely psychic and should contribute toour seance."
It was with the greatest of difficulty that Penny finally induced thehousekeeper to leave the cottage. Al Gepper accompanied them to the door.
"Tomorrow at two," he repeated, smiling slyly at Penny. "And you may comealso, my little doubter. I assure you it will be well worth your time."