CHAPTER 10 _MR. ECKENROD'S SECRET_
Thus urged, Penny scrambled up the slippery, sloping side of the wall andreached the top safely.
Completely spent, she lay there a moment resting.
"Don't give up!" she called to Mr. Eckenrod. "I'll get back as fast as Ican!"
The closest house was the artist's own cabin in the woods. Plungingthrough the big drifts, the girl pounded on the door.
Almost at once it was opened by a middle-aged woman with graying hair andalert, blue eyes. Seeing the girl's rumpled hair and snow-caked skiingsuit, she immediately understood that something was wrong.
"You're Mrs. Eckenrod?" Penny gasped.
"Yes, I am. What has happened?"
"Your husband has had a bad fall and his leg may be broken! We'll need arope and a sled."
Mrs. Eckenrod won Penny's admiration by the cool manner with which sheaccepted the bad news. After the first quick intake of breath, shelistened attentively as Penny told her what had happened.
"You'll find a long rope in the shed," she directed.
"And a sled?"
"The only one we have is a very small one my grandchildren use when theycome here to play. It will have to do. You'll find it in the shed too.While you're getting the things, I'll telephone a doctor to come rightout!"
"We'll need a man to help us!"
"No one lives within miles except those folks who moved into themonastery."
"We'll get no help from there!" Penny said bitterly.
"I'll call Riverview for men!"
"We don't dare wait, Mrs. Eckenrod. Your husband is half frozen now.We'll have to get him out ourselves somehow."
"If we must, we can," replied the woman quietly. "I'll telephone thedoctor and be with you in a moment."
On her way to the shed, Penny looked hopefully across the darkening hillsfor a glimpse of the lone skier she had seen earlier in the afternoon. Hewas nowhere visible.
By the time Penny had found a rope and the sled, Mrs. Eckenrod joinedher. The woman had put on a heavy coat, galoshes, and carried woolenblankets.
"How did the accident happen?" she asked, as they plodded through thedrifts together.
Penny related the unfortunate argument involving the theft of firewood.
"Oh, dear! It's Vernon's dreadful temper again!" Mrs. Eckenrod exclaimed."He is a wonderful man, but ready to quarrel if anyone crosses him!"
"In this case, I think he was in the right," Penny replied, helping hercompanion over a big drift. "I saw the hunchback take the wood, and Iheard the argument."
"When those new people moved into the monastery, I was afraid we wouldhave trouble with them. Something queer seems to be going on there."
"How do you mean?" Penny asked, recalling that she had expressed theidentical thought at home.
"Well, the house is so quiet and deserted by day. Come night, one hearsall sorts of weird noises and sees roving lights. Last night I distinctlyheard a woman scream twice. It was most unnerving."
"Have you noticed anyone except the hunchback and his master leaving thebuilding?"
"Only a young girl."
"Then I didn't imagine it!" Penny exclaimed.
Mrs. Eckenrod stared at her, puzzled by the remark.
Penny did not take time to explain, for they now had reached thecrevasse. Anxiously, the rescuers peered down into the darkening hole.
"Vernon!" his wife cried.
At sound of her voice, he stirred and sat up.
Relieved that he was still conscious, Penny stretched out prone at thelip of the crevasse. Rapidly, she lowered the rope.
"Knot it around your waist!" she instructed.
Mr. Eckenrod obeyed and with a supreme effort, got up on his good leg.
"Now up you come!" Penny shouted encouragingly. "If you can help just alittle, I think we can make it."
Mrs. Eckenrod was a solidly built, strong woman. Even so, it was all thetwo could do to pull the artist up onto the overhanging ledge. Completelyspent, he lay there for a while as his rescuers recaptured their breath.Then, the remaining distance was made with less difficulty.
Penny and Mrs. Eckenrod rolled the man onto the sled, covering him withwarm blankets. Even then, their troubles were not over. To pull the sledthrough the drifts to the cabin, took the last of their strength.
"We did it!" Penny cried jubilantly as they made a saddle of their armsto carry the artist into the warm living room.
Mrs. Eckenrod threw a log on the fire and went to brew hot coffee. Pennysponged the blood from the artist's head but did not attempt to bandageit, knowing a doctor was on the way.
Twenty minutes later, Dr. Wallace arrived from Riverview. After carefullyexamining the artist's leg, he placed it in a splint and bandaged it.
"You'll be on crutches for a few days," he told Mr. Eckenrod. "The bonemay be cracked, but there is no break."
"That's the best news I've heard today!" Mr. Eckenrod declared in relief."I've got some important business to take up with a certain party!"
"Vernon!" remonstrated his wife.
After the doctor had gone, Mr. Eckenrod was put to bed on the davenport.But he refused to remain still. As the pain in his leg eased, heexperimented walking with the aid of a chair.
"I'll be using my pins in three days at the latest!" he predicted. "Justas soon as I can get around, I'm going to the monastery and punch thathunchback's nose!"
"Vernon!"
"Now don't 'Vernon' me," the artist glared at his wife. "The man richlydeserves it! He's a thief and bully!"
Penny gathered up her mittens which had been drying by the hearth. "Youmay have trouble getting into the monastery," she remarked. "If Winkeysees you first, he'll probably lock the gate."
"You think that would stop me?"
"How else could you get in? Over the fence?"
"I know a way," the artist hinted mysteriously.
"Not another gate?"
"No."
"A secret entrance?"
Mr. Eckenrod's quick grin told Penny that her guess had been right.
"You did me a good turn today, so I'll let you into the secret," theartist said. "Help me hobble into the studio, and I'll show you somethingthat will make your eyes pop!"