CHAPTER 21 _CEREMONIAL CAVE_
The tunnel sloped gently downward, apparently toward the river beach. Asthe girls moved along, the pulsing of the drums came with increasingcrescendo. They could hear the wailing chant plainly now, an incantationin which many voices were united.
"Better switch off the light," Lorinda advised in a whisper. "We'regetting close."
Penny darkened the flashlight, groping her way along the damp, rockywall. The passage now had widened, and suddenly ahead, she saw theflickering flame of a torch.
In the shadowy light swayed a half dozen celebrants of the weird rites.The room was circular, a cavern carved from the rocks years before by theaction of water.
Penny's gaze focused upon the dancing figures. Anton, barefooted andgrotesque with a red turban wound about his head, led the procession,beating out a rhythm and shaking the gourd rattle which had been stolenfrom the thatched cottage.
Behind him came a drummer Penny did not recognize, and three otherdancers, who carried aloft a banner upon which were metallic, glitteringserpentine symbols.
But it was Celeste, garbed in scarlet with an embroidered stole over hershoulders, who dominated the scene. Seated before an altar where two tallcandles burned, she pounded out the basic rhythm on a long, narrow drum.
"The Zudi!" whispered Lorinda. "She stole it from the safe!"
"Let's make her give it up!"
"No! No!" Lorinda grasped Penny's arm, holding her back. "It would befolly to show ourselves now. Anton, Celeste and their stupid converts arehypnotized by their own music. If they knew we were watching their rites,there's no telling what they would do."
"Celeste is a cruel, dangerous woman."
"We'll turn her over to the police. I realize now it's the only thing todo."
Fascinated, the girls watched the strange sight. The drums were beatingfaster now, and at each boom of the Zudi, Anton leaped with frenzied gleerigid as an arrow into the air.
"Who are the others?" Penny whispered.
Lorinda shook her head. "No-good friends of Anton and Celeste probably,"she returned. "Recruits from the slums of Riverview."
On the altar were many objects, a basket of bread, a basin of cookedfish, a carved wooden serpent and a wreath of feathers. A kettlecontained a brew from which the dancers at intervals dipped with a gourdcup and drank.
Outside the cave, the wind howled an accompaniment to the wild ceremony,covering the shrill shrieks and savage laughter.
"We've seen enough of this!" whispered Penny. "Let's get the police andbreak it up!"
"All right," agreed Lorinda. "I hate to turn Anton and Celeste over tothe authorities, but I'm convinced now they have reverted to heathenways, and may even be responsible for Mother's sickness."
They started to retreat, making no sound. In the darkness Lorindastumbled over a small rock. She made no outcry as she saved herself froma fall, but her shoes scuffed noisily and her body thudded heavilyagainst the wall.
Instantly the Zudi drum ceased its rhythm. "What was that?" they heardCeleste ask sharply.
The girls huddled against the wall. An instant later, Anton, a torch inhis hand, peered down the tunnel.
His cry told the girls they had been seen. In panic, they started downthe passageway with Anton in hot pursuit. And close at his heels cameCeleste and her followers.
Escape was impossible. Before the girls had gone a half dozen yards theywere overtaken. Though they struggled to free themselves, Anton's graspwas like a steel bracelet upon their arms. They were half dragged back tothe cave.
"Anton! Celeste! What is the meaning of this?" Lorinda demanded, seekingto regain control of the servants by sheer power of will.
She tried to shake herself free, but Anton did not release her. Heawaited the word of his wife.
"Tie them up!" said Celeste harshly.
"Celeste, have you lost your mind!" Lorinda cried.
In the flickering light of the torch, the woman's face was like a rigidmask. Eyes burned with hatred; cheeks were deeply indrawn. Lorinda feltas if she were gazing upon a stranger, and suddenly was afraid.
"You dared to steal Father's drum!" she challenged.
"It is now my drum," retorted Celeste.
"You spied upon me many times until you learned the combination of thesafe!" Lorinda accused.
Celeste did not deny the charge. She was burrowing behind the low altarand from the box-like structure drew forth a long stout cord. Severing itwith the blade of a sharp knife, she handed the two pieces to Anton whoattempted to tie Lorinda's hands behind her.
The girl fought like a wild cat, and Penny, held by one of Celeste'sfollowers, sought to free herself, but it was useless. She too wastightly bound and thrown down on the floor of the cave.
"Celeste, why are you doing this cruel thing?" Lorinda asked in apleading tone. "Does it mean nothing to you that Father brought you here,fed you, clothed you--gave you many advantages?"
For a moment Celeste softened and seemed to hesitate. Lorinda was quickto press the advantage.
"My father and my mother have been very kind to you--"
Mention of her mother's name proved unfortunate. Celeste's face hardenedinto rigid lines again and she said furiously:
"I hate her! May her flesh rot away and her bones be torn asunder!"
"Celeste! And to think we ever trusted you! Mother is ill because youhave willed it so--it was you who made the wicked effigy doll--you whokept planting in her mind the idea that she would become ill and die!"
"And I have the will too!" the woman said gleefully. "I told Anton to getit from the library! Then I called you to your mother's room so he couldsnatch it from the table!"
"But why did you do it, Celeste? What have you gained?"
"You will not steal my master's money! The will is destroyed--burned!"
"Steal my stepfather's money? Indeed, you are out of your mind, Celeste!My stepfather has disappeared and may never be seen again."
"He lives."
"How do you know?" Lorinda cried eagerly.
"Celeste know--feel it here." The woman touched her breast.
"You've seen him--talked to him since he went away!" Lorinda accused.
"No!"
"Then unless you've had a message from him, you couldn't know whether heis alive or dead."
"Celeste know," the woman replied stubbornly. "We save the money forhim."
"If my stepfather returns I'll be perfectly happy for him to haveMother's estate. You're all mixed up, Celeste. Now let's put an end tothis nonsense. Free us!"
"No," retorted the grim woman. "Celeste and Anton go away now. Perhapsfind master. You will stay in cave."
"Celeste, how did you know about this passage and cave?" Lorinda asked,stalling for time.
"Anton help build it."
"But why should my stepfather build the passageway?" Lorinda murmured."It doesn't seem like him."
Celeste did not answer. Gathering up the machete, the Zudi drum, theembroidered altar cloth and other stolen treasures, she prepared toleave.
"It was you who whispered the warning at the thatched cottage!" accusedPenny. "You wanted to prevent discovery of this cave!"
Celeste's cruel smile acknowledged the truth. Saying something to Antonin their own language, she padded off down the passageway.
All save Anton now had gone. He blew out the altar candles, picked up thepine torch and would have blown out the cocoanut shell lamp, had Pennynot said pleadingly:
"Please leave us a tiny light, Anton. It will be so dark here in thecave."
The man hesitated, glancing down the passage as if fearful Celeste wouldpunish him for such a display of weakness. But he did as Penny requested.First, however, he noted that the lamp was nearly empty of oil and couldnot burn many minutes. Without extinguishing it, he disappeared into thetunnel.
Waiting only until she was certain Celeste, Anton and their converts wereout of
the passage, Lorinda said excitedly:
"They forgot to gag us! We can shout for help!"
"With a hurricane roaring outside, it's a waste of breath," repliedPenny. "No one will be on the beach tonight, and our voices wouldn'tcarry a dozen yards."
"Then what are we to do? Anton and Celeste mean to run away now. Thepolice never will be able to find them unless we act quickly."
"I have an idea, but it may not work."
Penny, her hands and feet securely tied, began to roll toward thecocoanut oil lamp.
"What are you trying to do?" Lorinda asked anxiously.
"Maybe I can burn the cords on my wrists. That's why I asked Anton toleave the lamp."
"Perhaps you can!" cried Lorinda, taking hope. "But it will be dangerousand very hard to do. The oil is almost gone. You'll have to work fast,Penny, or you'll lose your chance!"