CHAPTER 23 A PRISONER IN THE BELFRY

Penny tried to scream, only to have Al Gepper clamp his hand over her mouth.

“None of that!” he said harshly. “Behave yourself or you’ll get rough treatment.”

Inside the Temple, lights suddenly were turned on, for the brief struggle had been heard by Pete. The squat, stupid-faced man appeared in the doorway of the building, peering down the lane.

“Who’s there?” he demanded suspiciously.

Al Gepper uttered an angry word beneath his breath. It was not to his liking that Pete should be drawn into the affair. However, he could not avoid detection.

“It’s Al!” he called softly. “This girl broke up my séance tonight, and I trailed her here. She was prowling around the bell tower.”

As he spoke, he dragged Penny toward the Temple entrance. His words convinced her that he had not observed her remove the silken ladder from the belfry wall, nor was he aware that Slippery was a prisoner in the tower.

“Let’s have a look at her,” said Pete. He flashed a light directly into Penny’s face.

“She’s the Parker girl—daughter of the publisher,” informed Al.

“Yeah,” commented Pete. “I saw her at one of our meetings. Another girl was with her. How much has she learned?”

“Enough to get us all run out of town. The question is, what shall we do with her?”

“Bring her inside, and we’ll talk it over,” said Pete. “Maybe we ought to call a meeting.”

“No,” replied Al Gepper impatiently, shoving Penny through the doorway. “We can take care of this ourselves.”

The door was locked from the inside. Al pushed Penny into a chair on the front platform.

“Now sit there,” he ordered. “One peep out of you and we’ll tie you up and tape your mouth. Understand?”

“Oui, oui, Monsieur,” said Penny, mockingly.

The two men stepped a few paces away and began to whisper together. Pete seemed to protest at Al’s proposals.

Penny watched them uneasily, speculating upon their final decision. Whatever it was, she would never be given an opportunity to report to the police until it was too late to apprehend members of the Temple.

“I was stupid not to realize that Gepper might trail me,” she told herself. “If only I had used an ounce of caution, I might have brought about the capture of the entire gang. Not to mention a grand scoop for Dad’s paper.”

Penny slumped lower in her chair. Her own predicament concerned her far less than the knowledge that she had bungled a golden opportunity.

Speculatively, her gaze shifted toward the bell tower room. The door was closed and she believed that it must be locked. There was no sound from the belfry, adding to her conviction that the man imprisoned there was fearful of attracting attention to his plight.

Al Gepper and Pete came toward her. With no explanation, the medium seized her arm and ordered her to walk toward the exit.

“Where are you taking me?” Penny asked.

“Never mind. You’ll find out in good time.”

“Wait!” exclaimed Penny, bracing her legs and refusing to be pushed. “If you’ll let me go, I’ll tell you something very much worth your while.”

Deliberately, she allowed the silken ladder to slip from beneath her coat. The men would not have heeded her words, but the familiar object served its purpose.

“Where did you get that ladder?” demanded Al Gepper.

“So you would like to know what became of your friend, Slippery?” responded Penny evenly. “You’ll be surprised when I tell you that he has double-crossed you both!”

“You’re lying,” accused Gepper.

Penny shrugged and did not speak.

“What were you going to say?” Gepper prodded in a moment. “Out with it! How did you get Slippery’s ladder?”

“It fell into my hands, literally and figuratively.”

“Stalling for time will get you nowhere,” snapped Gepper, losing patience. “If you know anything about Slippery spill it fast or you’ll not have another chance.”

“Your friend tried to double-cross you,” declared Penny. She decided to make a shrewd guess. “Tonight, after he robbed the Henley home he came here intending to loot the bell tower.”

“Why, the dirty sneak!” exclaimed Pete.

“Weren’t you here on guard all evening?” Gepper demanded, turning to him.

“Sure, I was. I never set foot outside the building.”

“Slippery wasn’t here?”

“Haven’t seen him since yesterday morning.”

“Then the girl is lying!”

“Oh, no, the girl isn’t,” refuted Penny. “If you care for proof you’ll find it in the tower.”

“Proof?”

“I mean Slippery. He’s hiding in the belfry now, hoping you’ll not discover him there. You see, he scaled the wall by means of this silk ladder. I removed the ladder, and I assume he’s still up there.”

“Why, the low-down skunk!” Pete exclaimed wrathfully. “So he planned to rob us! I’ll get him!”

Leaving Al to watch Penny, the guard ran to the tower room door and unlocked it. Stealthily he crept up the iron stairway which led to the belfry.

Suddenly those below heard a cry of rage, followed by the sound of scuffling. Al Gepper listened tensely, yet made no move to join the fight. He remained standing between Penny and the outside door.

“You were right,” he admitted in a stunned voice. “Slippery’s up there. He meant to get all the swag for himself.”

The fight increased in intensity as the two men struggled on the belfry steps. Over and over they rolled, first one delivering a hard blow, and then the other. Still locked, they finally toppled to the floor, but even then Al Gepper remained a bystander.

Penny was less concerned with the fight than with thoughts of escape. She had hoped that Al, too, would join the battle. Apparently, he was taking no chance of letting her get away.

She considered attempting a sudden break for freedom, but immediately abandoned it. The outside door had been locked by Pete. Before she could turn the key, Al would be upon her. As for the windows, none were open. While they might not be locked, it was out of the question to reach one quickly enough.

Penny’s gaze roved to the tower room once more, and the struggling men. High above their heads she saw something which previously had not drawn her attention. It was a loop of rope, hanging from the belfry.

“Why, that must be attached to the old church bell!” thought Penny. “If only I could reach it, I might be able to bring help here.”

However, the rope dangled high overhead. Even if she were able to reach the room leading to the tower, there was nothing upon which she could stand to grasp the loop. Obviously the rope had been cut short years before to prevent anyone from ringing the bell.

Penny glanced toward Al Gepper. The medium’s gaze was upon the two struggling men, not her. A golden opportunity presented itself, if only she had the wits to make use of it.

Almost at the girl’s feet lay the tangle of silken ladder. As she stared at it, a sudden idea took possession of her. The iron hooks would serve her purpose, but dared she try it? If she failed—and the chances were against her—punishment would be certain.

Yet, if she did nothing and merely waited, it was likely that Al Gepper and his pals never would be brought to justice. She must take the chance, no matter how great the personal risk.

For a moment Penny remained inactive, planning what she must do. If she made a single mistake, fumbled at the critical instant, everything would be lost. Above all, her aim must be accurate. If she missed the loop—

Slippery and Pete were beginning to tire, their blows becoming futile and ineffective. Further delay in executing her plan only increased the danger. She must act now or never.

Her mind made up, Penny no longer hesitated. With a quick movement she seized the silken ladder and darted to the doorway of the bell tower.

“Hey!” shouted Al Gepper, starting after her.

Penny slammed the door in his face. Taking careful aim, she hurled the silken ladder upward. One of the iron hooks caught in the loop of the rope. She jerked on it, and to her joy, the bell began to ring.