The Cry at Midnight Part 26

"You sure do," agreed Winkey, his laughter crackling. "I'll hand you the gold plated medal for that!"

Voices of the two men died away, informing Penny that they had gone. As she huddled in the cramped quarters, she could hear Julia moving about the kitchen. The woman sighed heavily and once muttered: "Woe is me!

Wisht I was dead, I do!"

Minutes elapsed and the girl became increasingly uncomfortable and impatient. Old Julia showed no inclination to leave the kitchen.

"I've got to get out of here or I'll miss the entire ceremony!" Penny told herself. "Well, here goes! If Julia screams, I'm a cooked goose!"

Opening the cupboard door a tiny crack, she peered out.

Old Julia had lighted candles. In their flickering light she could be seen with her back to Penny, stirring the soup. On the table beside her were ten wooden bowls.

"It's now or never!" the girl thought. "Julia may give me away, but I'll have to chance it!"

Opening the door wider, she moved noiselessly out and glided across the floor. A board creaked. But as Julia turned her head, Penny reached out and covered her mouth with her hand.

Seeing her, the old woman's eyes dilated with fear, but she could not speak.

"Don't try to scream! Don't say a word!" Penny warned. "I won't hurt you!

I'm here to help you."

The old woman tried to break from the girl's grasp. Penny kept talking to her in a soothing tone until gradually she relaxed.

"Will you keep quiet if I release you?" she finally demanded.

The old woman's head bobbed up and down.

Penny removed her hand, expecting the worst. But Julia did not scream.

Instead, she stared fixedly at the girl.

"Julia, I must see the ceremony, and Father Benedict isn't to know I am here," Penny whispered. "Will you keep my secret?"

Again Julia's head inclined, but the look of terror remained in her eyes.

"Go!" she whispered, pointing to the window. "Leave while there is time!"

"Not until I've seen the ceremony. Julia, I need a robe. Where can I find one?"

So stupidly did Julia stare at her that Penny was certain the woman did not understand. However, after a moment she shuffled to one of the storage cupboards where linen was kept. Returning with a white cotton robe, she placed it in the girl's hands.

Penny put the garment on over her coat, pulling the hood well down over her blond curls.

Then, with another whispered warning to Julia not to reveal her presence, she left the kitchen. The disguise gave her renewed confidence, for in the shadowy halls she felt that only at close range would anyone recognize her.

Three stone steps led up to the cloister. Approaching with great caution, Penny observed that it too had been lighted with candles.

In the center of the cloister near the old fountain, Father Benedict's crystal globe had been set up. On either side stood stately rows of tall candles.

Impressive as was the sight, Penny had no time to admire it, for a door had opened. Winkey came in, dragging a girl by the wrist.

With a shock Penny recognized her as the same girl she had seen while visiting the monastery with Mr. Ayling.

"And she's the same one Louise and I picked up in our car!" she thought.

The girl struggled to free herself from the hunchback's firm grasp.

"Let me go!" she cried, kicking at him. "Let me go!"

"Oh, no, you don't!" he taunted her. "This time you'll have to pay for sneaking out of the house and coming back!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" the girl retorted. "I've not been out of this house tonight! If I could get away, I'd bring the police and have you arrested! You can't mistreat me! Let go my wrist!"

Before Winkey could answer, another door opened to admit Father Benedict.

Walking straight toward the hunchback he exclaimed harshly:

"Fool! Don't bring her in here! The ceremony is starting! Lock her up and be quick about it!"

CHAPTER 17 _THE CULT CEREMONY_

As Penny watched from behind a pillar in the cloister, Winkey pulled the struggling girl through a doorway and out of sight.

Father Benedict then adjusted his long robe and rang a silver bell. With stately tread he retired to a position behind the crystal globe.

An instant later from the far side of the cloister, a door was flung open. A procession of ten persons in white robes moved slowly into the shadowy room.

As far as Penny could tell, all who partic.i.p.ated were women, many of advanced age. Leaders of the strange procession carried banners embroidered in silver and gold symbols.

The white robed figures moved slowly along the pa.s.sageway, and Penny saw that they would pa.s.s the pillar where she stood.

Fearing detection, she s.h.i.+fted position slightly to avoid being seen.

But as the mumbling, chanting group pa.s.sed her, she was overcome with a sudden impulse to join the procession.

"If I can get up close, I'll be able to hear what is said!" she thought.

"Maybe I'll learn the secret of Father Benedict's strange power over these people!"

As the procession pa.s.sed the pillar, Penny attached herself to the rear.

With bowed head, she followed the others who formed a semicircle about the fountain.

The monk began a chant in Latin which Penny could not understand.

However, his gestures were eloquent, and despite herself, she was impressed.

Presently he spoke in English, quoting the White Lady of Sir Walter Scott's "The Monastery."