Penny Nichols and the Mystery of the Lost Key Part 19

"Remain as long as you wish," her father wired. "Am enjoying good rest here."

From an upstairs window Mrs. Leeds had noted the arrival of the messenger boy. She came hurrying down to see if the message was for her. While Penny read the communication, the woman eyed her suspiciously.

At last her curiosity could no longer be restrained. She asked carelessly: "I don't suppose your wire has anything to do with Jacob Winters or the estate?"

"Only indirectly," Penny responded mischievously.

To avoid further questioning, the girls went outdoors.

"Let's see if Caleb is at home," Penny proposed.

They rapped several times upon the door of the cabin and were about to turn away, when the old man opened it.

"Sorry to bother you," Penny apologized. "I wanted to ask a few more questions about Mr. Winters."

Caleb looked ill at ease. "Questions!" he fumed. "Well, what is it you want to know this time?"

"Tell me, isn't there a pipe organ on the third floor of Mr. Winters'

house?"

"Certainly. Jacob was a talented musician. He installed the organ nearly fifteen years ago. But what of it may I ask?"

"We'd like very much to see the organ."

"Well, why don't you look at it then?"

"We can't because the door is locked."

"Locked?" Caleb seemed surprised. "That's funny. I didn't know Mr.

Winters ever locked up his conservatory."

"Then you haven't a key?" Penny asked.

"Why should I have a key?" Caleb snorted. "You act as if I'm the caretaker of that house. It's nothing to me what goes on there, except that I don't like to see folks overrun the place and steal Mr. Winters'

fine things."

"You needn't look at us so accusingly," Rosanna said with surprising spirit. "We wouldn't take or damage one single thing in that house."

Caleb's face softened.

"I didn't mean to suggest that you would. I believe you two girls aren't like those others. But you were speaking of the organ. Why are you so interested in it?"

"Because we've been hearing music at night," Penny informed. "It seems to come from that room on the third floor."

Caleb regarded her in awe. "Then it's true, the things they say."

"What things?" Rosanna asked impatiently.

"That the house is haunted. If Mr. Winters really is dead it may be----"

"Nonsense!" Penny cut in. "Rosanna and I don't believe in ghosts. And what's more, I doubt if you do, Caleb Eckert! That so-called ghost is a very live one. If you won't help me, I'll solve the mystery alone!"

And with this declaration, Penny stalked from the cabin, followed by the faithful Rosanna.

"Perhaps you've antagonized him now," the latter said as they went back to the house on the cliff.

"I don't care if I have! Caleb knows a great deal more than he pretends.

He could help us if he wanted to!"

No one was stirring on the lower floor of the Winters' house when the girls entered. To Penny it seemed an admirable time to inst.i.tute a search of the premises.

"We'll let Mrs. Leeds hunt for the will," Penny declared, "but we'll look for something which may prove equally valuable."

"What?" Rosanna asked curiously.

"A picture of Jacob Winters."

"I can't see what good it will do to find one except that I'd like to have a photo of my uncle as a keepsake."

"If my plans work out I'll have a more important use for it," Penny smiled mysteriously.

"I should think we could find one somewhere in the house," Rosanna declared. "Most people have old photographs stuck around in odd places."

For nearly an hour the girls poked about in drawers and clothes closets until Rosanna protested that she felt as prying and sneaking as Mrs.

Leeds.

"This is in a better cause," Penny laughed.

"It looks that way to us because it's my cause," Rosanna smiled. "Still, I'd never examine private papers or locked drawers."

Penny made no response for in a lower table drawer she had come upon an old alb.u.m. She displayed her discovery and page by page the girls went through it, laughing a little at the strange old-fas.h.i.+oned costumes and the stiff poses of the subjects. Names were written under a few of the photographs but Rosanna recognized only one or two as relatives.

"I never knew many of my relation," she admitted. "If Mrs. Leeds and her daughter are samples, perhaps it's just as well."

"The people in this alb.u.m look nice, Rosanna. I suppose most of them are dead by this time."

Penny turned a page and stared blankly down at an empty folder.

"Why, here is your uncle's name," she cried, indicating a signature at the bottom of the page. "But the photo is gone!"

"Oh, how disappointing."

"Someone removed the photo, Rosanna. Perhaps deliberately too."

"What makes you think that?"

"I only said it. I have no evidence of course. Oh, all my plans will be upset if I don't find the photograph!"