CHAPTER 6 _CREAKING WOOD_
As Penny peered down into the highly polished surface of the crystalclear glass, a multitude of dancing points of light drew and held herattention.
"Gaze deep--deeper," intoned the monk. "Do you not see a pictureforming?"
"The glass has become cloudy."
"Ah, yes. In a moment it will clear. Now what do you see?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all."
Father Benedict tapped the toe of his slipper impatiently. "You areresisting the glass," he muttered. "You do not believe."
Penny continued to stare fixedly into the crystal ball. "It's no use,"she said finally, pulling her eyes away. "Guess I haven't enough of thewitch in me!"
She stepped back from the dragon standard on which the globe stood, andfor a minute was stone blind.
"I can't see a thing!" she gasped in alarm.
"The optic nerve is paralyzed," said the monk, steadying her as sheswayed slightly. "Vision will be normal in a moment."
"I'm beginning to distinguish objects now," Penny admitted, reassured.
The monk released her arm. Seating himself before the crystal globe, heplaced his hands on the polished surface.
"Now shall I try?" he suggested. "What would you like to know about thefuture?"
"You might find Mrs. Hawthorne for me," the investigator said in jest.
In the darkened room, Father Benedict's hooded face looked grotesque aslight from the tall tapers flickered upon his angular jaw bones.
The moment was impressive. A tomb-like silence had fallen upon the three,and the only sound was the crackle of the fire.
Then, quite suddenly, Penny was certain she heard another noise. Thoughthe occasion should not have been one for alarm, she felt her skinprickle. A tiny chill caused her to shiver.
Or was it a chill? Against her cheek she felt a breath of icy wind.Somewhere beyond the room a door had opened. Unmistakably, she heard thecreak of old wood.
Penny's startled gaze roved to Mr. Ayling. Oblivious to all else, theinvestigator was watching Father Benedict closely.
Every sense now alert, the girl listened intently. Had someone stepped ona loose board as he crept along the passageway? Or had she merely heardthe old house groaning to itself?
The creaking sound was not repeated.
Trying to throw off the pall which had fallen upon her, Penny centeredher full attention upon the monk. As one hypnotized by the glass intowhich he peered, he mumbled words difficult to understand.
"Now the ball is clearing," he muttered. "What is this? I see a resortcity on the sea coast--the rush and roar of waves. Ah, a beach! On thesand are two bathers--one a girl of perhaps sixteen or seventeen withdark hair. She wears a green bathing suit. Upon her third finger is ablack cameo ring."
A startled look came upon Mr. Ayling's face, but he made no comment.
"Her companion is an elderly woman," continued the monk as if speaking ina trance. "Over her shoulders is flung a dark blue beach cape. Thepicture is fading now--I am losing the vision."
Penny's attention, wandering again, was drawn as if by a powerful magnetto the curtains covering the exit.
In fascination, she watched. An inch at a time, the door moved outward.Then a hand appeared between the black velvet draperies, cautiouslypulling them apart.
Penny wondered if her eyes were playing tricks upon her. She felt anoverpowering impulse to laugh or call out. Yet her throat was dry andtight.
The scene seemed fantastic. It couldn't be real, she told herself. Yetthose curtains steadily were moving farther apart.
An arm came into view, then the side of a human figure. Last of all, aface, ghostly pale against the dark background, slowly emerged.
For one fleeting instant Penny saw a girl only a little older thanherself, standing half wrapped in the folds of the velvet curtain. Theireyes met.
In that moment, through Penny's brain flashed the message that the onewho crouched in the doorway was the same girl she and Louise had pickedup on the road only the previous night.
"But that's crazy!" she thought. "It couldn't be the same person! I mustbe dreaming!"
The one behind the curtain had raised a finger to her lips as ifcommanding silence. Then the draperies were pulled together with a jerkand the figure was gone.
Another cold breath of air swept through the room, causing candles oneither side of the crystal ball to flicker. Again Penny heard the soft_creak_, _creak_ of wood as footsteps retreated.
She tried to speak, but the words stuck in her throat. Had herimagination played tricks upon her?
Slowly she turned her eyes upon Father Benedict, whose back had beentoward the curtained door.
"Another picture is forming in the crystal ball," he muttered. "I see aman walking through a lonely wood. But what is this? Evil persons lie inwait behind the tall pine trees. Now they are waylaying him!
"They fall upon him and beat him with their cudgels. Woe is me! Theyleave him lying on the ground. The man is dying--dead. Oh, evil, evil! Ican read no more in the glass today!"
Arising quickly, and brushing a hand over his glazed eyes, FatherBenedict leaned for a moment against the damp plaster wall.
"Excuse me, please," he apologized. "What I saw was most unnerving."
The monk poured himself a drink of water and lighted a lamp on the centertable.
"Now I can see again," he said in a more natural tone. "A reading alwaysis an exhausting experience."
"Your demonstration was most impressive," said Mr. Ayling. "How would youinterpret your vision of Mrs. Hawthorne?"
"I should say the woman and her granddaughter at this very moment areenjoying a pleasant vacation in a sunny climate. California perhaps, orFlorida."
"Mrs. Hawthorne was in Florida, but she bought a ticket to Riverview."
"Obviously, she never arrived here," replied the monk. "You see, thecrystal glass never lies."
"Then your advice would be to resume my search in Florida?" theinvestigator asked.
"I do not presume to advise you." From a cabinet, Father Benedict removeda black cloth which he used to polish away an imaginary speck on thecrystal globe. Then he covered the standard with a cloth hood and addedimpressively: "However, I consider it my duty to warn you of danger."
"Warn me?" exclaimed Mr. Ayling. "Of what danger?"
"My second vision was most disturbing," Father Benedict said gravely. "AsI interpret it, great harm--perhaps death, will pursue the man who walksalone in the woods, unless he alters his present course. You came toRiverview for a definite purpose, Mr. Ayling?"
"Why, yes, to find Mrs. Hawthorne."
"Mr. Ayling, for your own well being, you must abandon the search."
"Why?"
"Because," said the monk very low, "the vision was sent to me that youmay be saved from disaster. The man attacked in the woods was yourself,Mr. Ayling!"