CHAPTER 12 A MESSAGE FOR MRS. WEEMS
“I don’t know anyone answering to that name,” remarked Louise. “However, the fellow did act as if he were retreating from us.”
Penny glanced up and down the dark street. No one was to be seen, and since so little time had elapsed, she reasoned that the man had taken refuge either in the high weeds or the nearby cemetery.
“It must have been Gepper,” she declared. “Naturally he wouldn’t care to meet me here.” Quickly Penny recounted the events of the afternoon.
“Then you think he may be connected with the Temple, Penny?”
“That would be my guess. Lou, this place is nothing but a blind. The members of the society pretend to be honest spiritualists, while in reality they’re charlatans. They hold services for one purpose only—to solicit persons for private readings.”
“Isn’t that illegal?”
“Of course it is. The police should raid the place.”
“Then why don’t they, Penny?”
“Dad says it’s because they’ve been unable to obtain sufficient evidence. But they’ll have it after we report what we’ve seen tonight!”
“How do you suppose they made things jump around as if they were alive?” Louise remarked as the girls walked slowly toward home. “It frightened me.”
“Everything was done by trickery. I’m sure of that, Lou. Just as soon as Dad returns I shall make a full report to him. We’ll see what he can do about it.”
By the time Penny arrived home, Mrs. Weems had retired to her room. However, the light still burned and the door was open a crack. Rapping, the girl entered, for she was eager to tell the housekeeper about her visit to the Celestial Temple.
Mrs. Weems sat at the desk. Hastily she closed one of the drawers, and turned the key.
“You startled me, Penny!” she exclaimed. “I do wish you would give more warning before you descend upon one.”
“Sorry,” apologized Penny, glancing curiously toward the desk. “Oh, I see!”
“You see what?” demanded the housekeeper.
“Six thousand dollars reposing in a desk drawer!”
Mrs. Weems’ look of consternation betrayed her. She glanced at the locked drawer, and then laughed.
“For an instant I thought you actually could see the money, Penny.”
“Then my guess was right?”
“I keep the money in the drawer,” Mrs. Weems admitted.
Penny sat down on the edge of the bed, drawing up her knees for a chin rest.
“Mrs. Weems, don’t you think it’s risky keeping so much money here?”
“It will only be for a few days, Penny. I’ll have it converted into traveler’s cheques as soon as I am ready to start west.”
“The desk doesn’t seem a safe place to me.”
“You’re the only person who knows where I keep the money, Penny. Oh, yes, I told Mrs. Hodges, but she is to be trusted. No one can steal it as long as I have the key.”
Mrs. Weems tapped a black velvet ribbon which she wore about her neck.
“I keep this on me day and night,” she declared. “No thief ever will get it way from me.”
Penny said nothing more about the matter. Instead, she launched into a highly colored account of her visit to the Celestial Temple. The housekeeper expressed disapproval, remarking that she never would have granted permission had she known in advance where the girls were going. Nevertheless, her eager questions made it evident that she was deeply interested in the demonstration which had been witnessed.
“I don’t see how you can call it trickery,” she protested. “You have no proof, Penny.”
“Never in the world will I believe that spirits can make tables do a dance, Mrs. Weems! Probably the furniture had special wiring or something of the sort.”
“You can’t say that about the table at Mrs. Hodges’, Penny.”
“No, it seemed to be just an ordinary piece of furniture,” the girl admitted reluctantly. “All the same, Al Gepper is a fraud, and I wish you wouldn’t attend his old séance tomorrow.”
“But Penny, I gave my promise.”
“I can run over to the house and tell him you’ve changed your mind.”
Mrs. Weems shook her head. “No, Penny, I am curious to learn if he will be able to communicate with the spirits. Tomorrow’s séance should provide a genuine test. The man knows nothing about me or my ancestors.”
“Mrs. Hodges probably has provided all the information he’ll require.”
“I telephoned her yesterday and requested her not to tell Mr. Gepper anything about me. She’ll respect my wishes. The test should prove a true one.”
Penny sighed and arose from the bed. Knowing Mrs. Weems as she did, she realized that her opinion could not be changed by argument. It was her hope that Al Gepper would discredit himself by failing in the séance.
“Penny, please promise that you’ll do nothing outrageous tomorrow,” Mrs. Weems begged as the girl started to leave. “I am sure Mr. Gepper feels that you are antagonistic.”
“I’ll try to behave myself,” Penny laughed. “Yes, we’ll give Mr. Gepper a chance to prove what he can do.”
At two the following afternoon she and Mrs. Weems presented themselves at the Hodges’ cottage. Both Mr. Hodges and his wife, who were to sit in at the séance, were trembling with anticipation.
“Mr. Gepper is simply wonderful,” the seamstress confided to Mrs. Weems. “He tells me that I have great healing powers as well as a psychic personality.”
“Jenny, I hope you haven’t told him anything about me,” the housekeeper mentioned.
“Oh, no, Maud. For that matter, he’s said nothing about you since you were here.”
Mrs. Weems cast Penny an “I-told-you-so” glance which was not lost upon Al Gepper who entered the room at that moment.
“I am ready for you, ladies,” he said. “Kindly follow me.”
In the upstairs room blinds had been drawn. Al Gepper indicated that his audience was to occupy the chairs around the circular table.
“Before we attempt to communicate with the departed souls, I wish to assure you that I employ no trickery,” he announced, looking hard at Penny. “You may examine the table or the cabinet if you wish.”
“Oh, no, Mr. Gepper,” murmured Mrs. Hodges. “We trust you.”
“I’ll look, if you don’t mind,” said Penny.
She peered beneath the table, thumped it several times, and pulled aside the curtain of the cabinet. It was empty.
“Now if you are quite satisfied, shall we begin?” purred Mr. Gepper. “It will make it much easier, if each one of you will give me a personal object.”
“A la the Celestial Temple method,” muttered Penny beneath her breath.
“What was that?” questioned the medium sharply.
“Nothing. I was merely thinking to myself.”
“Then please think more quietly. I must warn you that this séance cannot be successful unless each person present concentrates, entering into the occasion with the deepest of sincerity.”
“I assure you, I am as sincere as yourself,” Penny responded gravely.
Mr. Hodges deposited his gold watch on the table. His wife offered a pin and Mrs. Weems a plain band ring. Penny parted with a handkerchief.
After everyone was seated about the table, Al Gepper played several phonograph records, all the while exhorting the Spirits to appear.
Taking Mrs. Weems’ ring from the tray before him, he pressed it to his forehead. A convulsive shudder wracked his body.
“Someone comes to me—” he mumbled. “Someone comes, giving the name of David—David Swester.”
“My cousin,” breathed Mrs. Weems in awe.
“He is tall and dark with a scar over his left eye,” resumed the medium. “I see him plainly now.”
“That is David!” cried the housekeeper, leaning forward in her eagerness.
“David, have you a message for us?” the medium intoned.
There was a long silence, during which the man could be seen writhing and twisting in the semi-darkness. Then his voice began again:
“David has a message for a person called Maud.”
“I am Maud,” said Mrs. Weems tremulously. “Oh, what does he say?”
“That he is well and happy in the Spirit World, but he is worried about Maud.”
“Worried about me? Why?”
The medium again seemed to undergo physical suffering, but presently the message “came through,” although not in an entirely clear form.
“David’s voice has faded. I am not certain, but it has something to do with six thousand dollars.”
“The exact amount he left to me!” Mrs. Weems murmured.
“David is afraid that you will not have the wisdom to invest the money wisely. He warns you that the present place where you have it deposited is not safe. He will tell you what to do with it. Now the voice is fading again. David has gone.”
With another convulsive shudder, Al Gepper straightened from the position into which he had slumped. Resuming his normal tone he said:
“That is all. The connection with Cousin David has been broken.”
“Can’t we contact him again?” Mrs. Weems asked in disappointment.
“Not today. Possibly tomorrow at this same hour.”
“Couldn’t you call up another Spirit by using my pin or Pa’s watch?” Mrs. Hodges suggested wistfully.
Al Gepper raised one of the window blinds. “I am very, very tired,” he said. “This séance was particularly exhausting due to the presence of someone antagonistic. Tomorrow if conditions are right, I hope actually to materialize Cousin David. The poor soul is trying so hard to get a message through to the one he calls Maud.”
“You mean I’ll be able to see him?” the housekeeper asked incredulously.
“I hope and believe so. I must rest now. After a séance I should refresh myself with sleep.”
“Of course,” agreed Mrs. Hodges. “We are selfish to overtax you.”
Recovering their trinkets, the elderly couple and Mrs. Weems went from the room. Penny was the last to leave.
“Well, sister?” inquired the medium in a low voice. “Were you convinced, or do you still think that you can show up Al Gepper?”
“I think,” said Penny softly, “that you are a very clever man. But clever as you are, one of your well-trained ghosts may yet lead you to the city jail!”
