CHAPTER 24 _CHAMBER OF THE DEAD_
Furious at herself because she had been so careless, Penny quickly testedthe door. Finding it securely fastened as she had known it would be, shereached for her flashlight. It was missing from her pocket.
Though she groped about in the darkness, she could not find it. Givingup, she next turned her attention to Rhoda Hawthorne.
Thongs about the girl's wrists and ankles had been loosely tied. In aminute, Penny had set her free.
"Now to find a way out of here!" she exclaimed. "Highland and Winkeyprobably are driving to the river dock by this time!"
"It's no use trying to get out," Rhoda said despairingly as she rubbedher bruised wrists. "I'm sure this door is the only exit. Look in theadjoining room and you'll see what I mean."
Even as Penny started for the inner doorway, she heard a low moan of painfrom someone imprisoned there.
"Who is it?" she asked tensely.
"I don't know," Rhoda admitted, huddling close beside Penny. "Two men,one of them in frightful condition."
"Can't we set them free? Rhoda, try to find my flashlight. It fellsomewhere near the stairway."
While Rhoda groped for the flashlight, Penny entered the inner prisonroom. Not until she was very close could she see two men who were chainedto a supporting pillar. Gags covered the mouths of both victims.
Penny untied the cloths. The first man she thus freed was someone shenever before had seen. But as she jerked the gag from the lips of thesecond prisoner, she was startled to recognize Mr. Ayling.
"You!" she exclaimed.
"In the flesh, or what's left of it," the investigator attempted tobanter. "Nice fix for an investigator, eh? The company probably will giveme a merit award for this!"
"How were you enticed here?"
"It's a long story," sighed Mr. Ayling. "I've not been chained here long,fortunately. My companion, Joseph Merkill, is in much worse shape. He'sbeen here a couple of days."
"I'll set him free first," Penny offered. She groped along the chainswhich fastened the man to the stone column. "Handcuffs? How can I getthem off?"
"You can't, without a key," replied Mr. Ayling. "You'll have to go forhelp, or if there's no escape, wait until someone finds us here."
"That may not be before morning! Even if police should come here tonight,they might not see the stairway to the crypt."
"Any chance to break down the door?"
"I doubt it. Rhoda and I can try though."
"Rhoda Hawthorne! So it was her voice I heard! She and her grandmotherare imprisoned also?"
"Yes, Rhoda's with me. Her grandmother, seriously ill, is locked in abedroom upstairs. Who is Mr. Merkill?"
"His wife is an inmate here," the investigator explained. "JayHighland--I know now he's a notorious jewel thief--induced Mrs. Merkillto come to the monastery. After he fleeced her of a diamond necklace, shesmuggled a note out, telling how she was being mistreated. Her husband,from whom she had been estranged, decided to investigate. He came herealone. Discovering what was going on, he threatened to expose Highland tothe police."
"Highland tricked me," Mr. Merkill added. "He promised I could take myformer wife away and he would close the monastery. To show there were nohard feelings, he suggested we have coffee together. I drank it andbecame so sleepy I had to go to bed. That's all I remember until I wokeup here, chained to a post!"
"I should have been more suspicious of Highland the first time I methim," Mr. Ayling blamed himself.
"Why did you go to Chicago?" Penny asked as she worked at the chains.
"I know now it was Highland who sent me the fake telegram. He wanted toget me away from here. While in Chicago, I contacted my home office andobtained information which convinced me Highland was a gem thief. So Icame here, intending to demand a police investigation."
"I met one train," said Penny. "You weren't on it."
"I didn't arrive until early tonight. When the train came in, Winkey andMr. Highland were waiting at the station."
"For you, obviously?"
"Yes, they told me Mrs. Hawthorne was at the monastery, seriously sickand wanted to see me at once. The story fitted with my own conclusionthat despite Highland's previous statements, Mrs. Hawthorne was here. SoI foolishly agreed to accompany them."
"Then what happened?"
"In the car, speeding out here, I realized I was being foolhardy toreturn to the monastery without police escort. At an intersection I triedto get out. Winkey slugged me. That's the last I knew until I foundmyself in this crypt."
Rhoda now groped her way to the door of the inner prison room.
"I found the flashlight but it's broken," she reported.
"With or without a light, we must get out of here and bring the police!"Penny exclaimed. "We haven't a chance to free Mr. Ayling and Mr. Merkillourselves."
"And you haven't a chance to get out of here either--not until someonebreaks into the house," Mr. Ayling added. "The only door is the oneHighland locked."
"There is another exit!" Penny recalled. "Mr. Eckenrod showed it to me onthe map of this old building. If only we can find it!"
Filled with hope, she began to grope about the walls of the inner room.In the semi-darkness, she could find no break anywhere on the rough stonesurface.
"According to the map, the opening should be along this wall," she toldRhoda who joined her in the search. "But there's nothing here."
"Maybe the opening was sealed up years ago."
Though half convinced Rhoda was right, Penny would not give up. Evenafter her friend had abandoned the search, she kept tapping the walls.
One section, adjoining a large stone tomb, gave off a hollow sound. Buttry as she would, Penny could not find a moveable section of wall.
"It's no use," she admitted, "unless--"
"Unless what?" Rhoda demanded as Penny's voice trailed off.
"What a dud I am! I remember now, Mr. Eckenrod said the hidden passagecomes out through a tomb in the churchyard! So the entrance to the tunnelmay be through this tomb which stands against the wall!"
"The wall did give off a hollow sound when you tapped it," Rhodadeclared, hope reviving.
"See if you can open the door of the tomb!" Mr. Ayling urged, becomingexcited. "I have a hunch you're on the right track!"
Thus urged, Penny overcame her own reluctance. The latch on the big stonedoor appeared to be locked. She experimented with it for awhile, and wasrewarded to hear a sharp click. As she pulled on the door with all herstrength, it slowly swung backwards.
Peering in, she saw that the tomb was empty. Also, the back wall wasmissing.
"The entrance to the passageway!" she cried. "We've found it!"
As Rhoda sprang to her feet, Penny hesitated. She felt it would be cruelto abandon the two men who remained chained to the column.
"Go as fast as you can!" Mr. Ayling urged. "It's our only hope! If youget out safely, send the police after Highland and Winkey! Then bringhelp."
"We'll hurry!" Penny promised.
She grasped Rhoda's trembling hand and started through the opening into anarrow, low passageway vaulted over with brick.
"You say we'll come out in the churchyard?" Rhoda gasped, huddling closebehind her friend.
"I imagine so. This passage can't be very long. I only hope it isn'tblocked by a cave-in."
Their anxiety increased as they inched their way along. Frequently theywere forced to climb over piles of brick which had fallen from theceiling.
Once they were certain the passage was completely blocked. However, Pennypulled aside a mass of debris, enabling them to climb through and go on.
Then at last the tunnel began to ascend over wet, slippery ground.
"We're coming out!" Penny announced jubilantly. "I can see a crack oflight ahead!"
A few feet farther and the passageway was blocked by a small stone door.However, dim light shone beneath it and the girls could
feel cold nightair on their cheeks.
Penny tugged at the door and it opened readily. The pair emerged intoanother empty tomb. Closing the stone door carefully behind them, theymade their way out into the night.
"We're still on the grounds!" Penny observed in a hushed voice as shelooked alertly about. "In the old graveyard."
"Any sign of Father Benedict or the dogs?" Rhoda whispered nervously.
"Nary a trace. The car at the rear of the monastery is gone! We must getto a telephone as quickly as we can!"
Alternately stumbling over fragments of stone and mounds of earth, thegirls raced for the front gate. Even as they reached it, a car skidded toa standstill close beside the fence.
"It's someone from the _Star_ office!" Penny cried, recognizing one ofthe newspaper-owned automobiles.
As she struggled with the latch of the big gate, her father, JerryLivingston, and Salt Sommers leaped from the car.
"That you, Penny?" called Mr. Parker anxiously. "We were getting mightyworried about you. What kept you here so long?"
"This and that," replied Penny, opening the gate. "It will take too longto tell. We need help and need it fast!"
As rapidly as she could, she related the essential facts of JayHighland's flight, apparently to the river docks.
"Salt, streak for the nearest phone and turn in a police alarm!" Mr.Parker ordered.
"It may be too late to overtake Highland," Penny said anxiously. "But ifwe don't catch him, the Hawthorne sapphire will be lost!"
"Don't bother about the suitcase under the dock," Rhoda interposed. "Justget Mr. Ayling, my grandmother and all those poor folks out of themonastery. That's the important thing."
"Salt can come back here and wait until police open up the monastery,"Mr. Parker said, thinking fast. "Jerry and I will try to pick upHighland's trail!"
"I'll send another squad to the river," Salt promised, starting off at arun toward Vernon Eckenrod's cabin across the fields.
"Highland and Winkey are heading for Dock Fourteen," Penny said. "Dad,I'll go with you to point it out."
"The suitcase really doesn't matter," Rhoda interrupted again. "You see,the sapphire--"
Jerry, Mr. Parker and Penny were not listening. Already they were runningto the press car. The publisher started the engine with a roar, and theautomobile raced off to make a quick turn and speed toward the city.
Disregarding the icy road, Mr. Parker drove at high speed. Once the carskidded dangerously and barely missed a ditch.
Soon they approached the outskirts of the city. Penny watched theriverfront intently. She was the first to glimpse the familiar long,black automobile parked close to the dock where Rhoda had hidden hersuitcase.
"There's Highland's car!" she cried. "He and Winkey must be here!Probably they're under the dock now! Highland is armed, Dad."
"Then our best bet is to try to keep the men in sight until police catchup with us," Mr. Parker said, pulling up beside the other car. "We'reunarmed and can put up no fight."
"If those birds are under the dock on the ice, they're taking their livesin hand," observed Jerry quietly. "All day, the river's been on the vergeof breaking up. When she goes, it will be with a bang!"
Penny opened the car door and leaped out. "I can't see anyone downthere," she said anxiously. "Do you suppose they abandoned the car aftergetting the suitcase?"
Fearful that they had arrived too late, the trio ran down a boardwalk tothe docks.
Suddenly, Mr. Parker caught Penny by the arm, restraining her.
"There they are!" he whispered. "See! Just coming out from under thedock!"
Two men, easily recognized as Jay Highland and Winkey, climbed frombeneath the long dock. The hunchback was burdened with a suitcase.
"What will we do?" Penny whispered. "We can't let them escape with thesapphire!"
"Listen!" commanded Jerry. "I have a hunch we won't need to do anythingexcept wait!"
Even as he spoke, a loud crack not unlike the report of a gun, soundedalong the riverfront. The ice was breaking up!
Jay Highland and his companion, well aware of their danger, began to run.Frantically, they sought a place at which to climb up over the highdocks. But too late. Already the river ice was clearing away. A greatcrack appeared directly in front of the two men.
In panic, they started the other way, only to see water on all sides.Then the block on which they stood, began to drift slowly off.
"Help!" shouted Winkey hoarsely. "Help!"
In panic, the hunchback turned his eyes shoreward. Seeing Penny, herfather and Jerry on the planking above, he realized that only arrestfaced him if he were rescued. Fear gave way to blind rage.
"You'll never get the sapphire!" he shouted. "I'll see it in the bottomof the river first!"
Raising the case high over his head, he hurled it into the churningwater. The next instant the ice beneath his feet gave way, and both heand his master plunged into the river!
CHAPTER 25 _THE STAR SAPPHIRE_
In a moment, the two men reappeared above the surface of the water,struggling frantically for grips on the floating cakes of ice.
Coiled around a dock post lay an old rope which had not been taken in forthe winter. Jerry and Mr. Parker quickly obtained it and tossed itsquarely between the two men.
Both grasped it and were pulled slowly toward shore.
Just then a police car drove up at high speed, parking close by.
"Salt's telephone call went through!" Penny cried, signaling to theofficers who piled out of the car. "The police arrived just when we needthem!"
The shivering pair had no opportunity to attempt escape. As they werepulled out of the water, officers placed them under arrest.
"All right! You've got us!" snarled Winkey. "But you'll never find thesuitcase! It's at the bottom of the river!"
"Quiet!" Jay Highland warned him. "Anything you say will be used againstus!"
Gazing gloomily at the churning water where the suitcase had been lost,Penny asked if the river might not be dragged after the ice had gone out.
"We'll mark the place," an officer promised. "Don't count on the casebeing found though. The current is fast here. Objects could be carried along distance."
Sullen and silent, the two prisoners were removed to the police car.After consulting with Mr. Parker, officers agreed to take Highland andWinkey to the monastery enroute to the lockup. By confronting them withtheir victims, it was hoped Winkey at least, might make damagingstatements.
Penny, Jerry, and Mr. Parker followed close behind as the police car spedto the monastery. Other policemen had arrived there, summoned by Salt.The front door had been broken in, and a search was being made of thebuilding.
Spying Salt at the gate, Penny ran to ask if Mr. Ayling, Mr. Merkill, andRhoda's grandmother had been released.
"Rhoda's inside now, showing the officers the different rooms," thephotographer explained. "Why don't you go on in?"
"Guess I will," Penny agreed, starting up the driveway. "I certainly hateto tell her the bad news though. The sapphire has been lost in the river!It was in her suitcase."
Jerry and Mr. Parker overtook the girl as she entered the monastery.Hearing voices in Mr. Highland's study, they all went there.
A fire had been rebuilt in the grate, and cult members, released fromtheir rooms, were being herded into the chamber. Mrs. Hawthorne, lookingvery ill, lay on a couch, covered by coats. Beside her, Rhoda hoveredanxiously.
Seeing Penny, the girl crossed the room to whisper: "Grandmother is verysick, but Captain Duveen of the police force says she will pull throughall right. We've sent for an ambulance to take her to the hospital."
"Have Mr. Ayling and Mr. Merkill been freed yet?"
"Police are down in the crypt now. Did you catch Winkey and that cruelJay Highland?"
"We did," Penny replied, "but the story is too long to tell now. I'mafraid though, I have bad news."
&n
bsp; "How do you mean?"
"The sapphire is gone. Winkey hurled your suitcase into the river."
Rhoda's tense face relaxed into a little smile. "Has that been worryingyou?" she asked.
"Naturally."
"But I tried to tell you--you were in such a hurry you wouldn't listen!"
"You tried to tell me what?"
"Why, the sapphire wasn't in the suitcase. It's here in the house."
"But I thought you said you took it with you when you ran away!"
"I did. Then when I decided to leave my suitcase under the dock for aquick getaway should I try to escape from this place later on, I broughtthe sapphire back with me. I was afraid to leave it, even sewed up in adress hem, for fear someone would find the suitcase."
"Yet you substituted a fake gem for the real one."
"I did," Rhoda agreed, "because I was certain Highland sooner or laterwould attempt to steal the gem."
"Then what became of the real sapphire? Is it safe?"
"I hope so," Rhoda said earnestly. "Let's see if we can find it."
Taking Penny by the hand, she led her down the hall to the cloister. At aniche in the wall, she abruptly paused.
"It should be here, beneath this broken statuette," she declared. "Ifound a tiny crack in the stone, just large enough to insert the gem.Lend me a hairpin, please."
Penny gave her a bobbypin. Rhoda pried beneath the statuette andpresently found the small object for which she searched.
"It's here!" she announced triumphantly. "See!"
Into Penny's hand she dropped a star-shaped gem which under artificiallight had taken on a violet hue.
"By daylight it's even more beautiful," Rhoda explained. "It looks skyblue then."
"Never have I seen anything so gorgeous," Penny murmured in awe. "And tothink Jay Highland nearly made off with it! How clever of you to let himbelieve it was hidden in the suitcase!"
"I was desperate," Rhoda chuckled. "Grandfather willed the sapphire tome, and I intend to keep it always."
"Then you're not afraid of the old superstition, that harm will befallthe owner?"
"I should say not!" grinned Rhoda. "That was only Grandmother's idea. Ifordinary precautions are taken, the gem always will be safe. After all,it's highly insured."
"As Mr. Ayling now realizes to his sorrow," added Penny. "Let's see if heand Mr. Merkill are out of the crypt."
Before the girls could find the stairway leading down, policemenappeared, assisting the two men to the first floor of the monastery. Mr.Ayling, who had been imprisoned only a short time, was able to walk.However, it was necessary for officers to carry Mr. Merkill.
"Save my wife," he pleaded. "She is here somewhere. That crook stole adiamond necklace from her too!"
"Your wife is safe and in good health," the officer assured him. "We'vefound no jewelry though. Describe the necklace."
While he was being carried outside on an improvised stretcher, Mr.Merkill gave police a detailed description of the missing jewelry.
Other persons, members of the cult, also gathered around to press claimsfor articles Mr. Highland had taken from them.
Under guard, the former master of the monastery and Winkey, were removedfrom the patrol car to be confronted with victims they had fleeced. JayHighland arrogantly denied he had accepted or stolen any object of value.
"You have no evidence against me," he defied the group. "True, Iestablished a cult here, but entirely within the law. Not even thesapphire was found in my possession! These people lie if they say I tookjewelry from them. They were not charged a penny, even for room andlodging."
"You say you took nothing from them?" Penny inquired. "Look at this!"
From her pocket, she removed the charred sheet of paper rescued from thefireplace. Taking care that Highland should not get his hands on it, shegave it to one of the policemen.
"This is good evidence!" the officer declared. "These birds will talk allright after we get them to the station!"
Highland and Winkey were escorted back to the police car.
Before they could enter it, Mr. Eckenrod hobbled down the street. Hewalked with a cane and under his arm carried a large painting which hewas bringing home from the nearby art museum where it had been ondisplay.
"Well, what goes on here?" he demanded, pausing to stare at theprisoners. "Winkey and the great master under arrest!"
Told of the events that had led to the apprehension of the two crooks, hegrinned with undisguised delight. "Excellent! Excellent!" he chortled. "Ialways knew these two were criminals! Once they are convicted in court, Imay be able to buy this property and convert it into a real show place."
"At least you'll be allowed to complete your paintings without sneakinginto the monastery through the secret passageway!" laughed Penny."Showing me that building map certainly paid dividends!"
"I hope they give Winkey twenty years," said the artist. Purposely hespoke so that the hunchback could hear. "The little weasel deserves it!"
"Oh, I do, eh?" snarled Winkey. Breaking away from two policemen who wereshoving him into the police car, he hurled himself upon the startledartist.
Before the vicious little man could be pulled off, he had pummeled Mr.Eckenrod severely.
"Are you hurt?" Penny asked anxiously as the artist was helped to hisfeet.
"No!" he snapped. "Hold this cane and let me at that treacherousjailbird!"
Officers restrained the excited man as he would have attacked Winkey.Handcuffs were snapped on the hunchback's wrists. Just then, Pennyuttered a startled cry.
"Look at Winkey's hump!" she exclaimed. "It's all out of shape!"
Indeed, the fellow presented a ludicrous appearance as he stood there,his large hump far over on one shoulder.
"It's a fake!" the girl cried. "He's not a real hunchback!"
One of the policemen reached out, and with a quick jerk, ripped theartificial hump from beneath the man's shirt.
"Interesting," he commented. "This hump has made a safe carryall for theloot!"
As Penny, her friends, and cult members gathered close, the pouch wasopened. Inside were found the diamond necklace stolen from Mrs. Merkill,several valuable brooches, a black cameo, pearl earrings, an emerald-cutdiamond, and other items.
Eagerly, cult members identified their stolen property.
"This sews up our case," declared one of the officers in satisfaction."We'll not need a confession now to send these two up for a longstretch!"
The prisoners were hustled into the police car, which set off at topspeed for the Riverview Safety Building. Ambulances began to arrive toremove cult members deemed in need of medical attention.
"What about Old Julia?" Penny inquired. "Where is she to be sent?"
"She must be committed to a mental institution for treatment," Mr. Aylingsaid regretfully. "Perhaps with proper care, she will fully recover."
"Who is she, I wonder?"
"One of Highland's victims in an earlier deal, I judge," replied theinvestigator. "Obviously her mind became unhinged from the cruelty shewitnessed and experienced. Apparently, she has no friends or relatives."
"I'll never forget how she screamed at night," said Rhoda with a shiver.
"Nor will I," added Penny. "If it hadn't been for her cry which firstdrew me to the monastery--well, Highland would still be here, rulingsupreme."
Presently, along with other members of the strange household, Old Juliawas taken away. One of the last to be removed was Mrs. Hawthorne, whowould be sent to Riverview Hospital for a complete checkup.
Rhoda, preparing to accompany her grandmother, hurriedly said goodbye toPenny. "I'll see you tomorrow and really thank you for all you didtonight," she promised earnestly. "I hope we can be friends always."
Mr. Ayling then tried to express his appreciation to the Parkers.
"As an investigator, you're the tops," he praised Penny. "If it hadn'tbeen for you, Jay Highland certainly would have made off with thesapphire, and our company would have had to pay plenty. If ev
er I canrepay the favor, let me know."
Her reply was cut short by Mr. Parker who glanced nervously at his watch.
"I don't like to break up this little party, but we must hot-foot it tothe _Star_ office!" he exclaimed. "Penny, we have barely thirty minutesin which to catch the three-star edition!"
"That's so!" she agreed, looking startled. "I forgot all about theassignment Mr. DeWitt gave me! And this is a big story!"
"Tremendous!" her father corrected. "Think you can shoot copy fast, orwill you need Jerry to take over?"
"You'll hear no S.O.S. call from me," Penny laughed, her active mindalready thinking in terms of front page headlines. "Writing this storywill be duck soup compared to digging up the material. Just lead me to atypewriter!"
_End_
Transcriber's Notes
--Silently corrected a handful of palpable typos.
--Replaced the list of books in the series by the complete list, as in the final book, "The Cry at Midnight".
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