CHAPTER 19 RISING WIND

The sound of crashing glass brought both Mrs. Weems and Mr. Parker to the bedroom. They found Penny standing at the window, the light off, peering down into the yard.

“What’s coming off here?” Mr. Parker demanded, his voice cross because he had been aroused from sound slumber. “Did something blow against the window?”

“This was thrown,” Penny revealed, holding up the packet. “Dad, can you see anyone hiding in the shrubbery?”

Mr. Parker moved to the window, gazing intently about the yard.

“I don’t see anyone.”

“Whoever it was, he’s probably gone now.” Penny carefully drew the blinds before snapping on the overhead light. She handed the packet to her father.

“What’s this, Penny?”

“It was thrown through the window. I suspect it’s intended as a bad luck omen, and to frighten me. Evidently my work on the Rhett case is not appreciated.”

“A jungle charm!” exclaimed Mrs. Weems, horrified. “Oh, Penny, I knew no good would come of your having anything to do with that queer family! Here, give that horrid thing to me—I’ll burn it in the furnace.”

“Not so fast,” chuckled Penny. “I intend to keep it as evidence.”

“But it may bring you bad luck.”

“Why, Mrs. Weems, I’m surprised at you,” teased Penny. “Surely you’re not superstitious?”

“No,” the housekeeper denied, “but from what you’ve told me about those queer Rhett servants, I distrust them. I don’t want you even to touch that ugly package!”

“These objects aren’t harmful,” Penny insisted, selecting the bit of bone and offering it to Mrs. Weems. “Why attach special significance to them?”

With a shudder, the housekeeper backed away.

“Penny is right,” declared Mr. Parker. “The packet is silly and has no meaning unless we build it up in our own minds. That, of course, is exactly what the one who hurled it intends us to do.”

“Penny mustn’t go to that dreadful place again!”

“Oh, Mrs. Weems! Don’t you see, that’s just what Antón and Celeste hope to accomplish. If they can keep me away from the mansion merely by throwing one of their stupid charms through my window, their trick has been successful.”

“I quite agree with Penny,” Mr. Parker declared. “In fact, I may call at the mansion myself! I’ve become interested in Antón and Celeste—they’re a very successful pair of bluffers.”

“Oh, Dad! Will you go with me tomorrow?”

“Perhaps,” he promised vaguely. “We’ll see, when the time comes. I foresee any number of troubles far more serious than our concern with the Rhett family.”

“With both of you against me, I’m only wasting my breath,” Mrs. Weems sighed, drawing her robe tightly about her. “I may as well go to bed.”

Penny put the black packet on the dresser after her father had finished inspecting it. “I intend to wear this charm around my neck the next time I go to the Rhetts’,” she declared. “It will be fun to see how Celeste and Antón react.”

“Don’t carry your fun too far,” her father advised. “While it’s true this charm has no significance or supernatural power, Antón and Celeste may be dangerous characters. They’ll bear watching.”

“And I’m the one to do it,” Penny chuckled. “I’m not a bit afraid of them, Dad. As you said, they’re a couple of bluffers.”

“I may have used the word ill-advisedly,” the publisher corrected. “Don’t make the mistake of underrating them. The case, as you well know, has sinister aspects.”

“I’ll be careful,” Penny promised soberly.

After her father had returned to his room, she went back to bed. A chill wind whistled in through the hole in the window, but she burrowed deep beneath the blankets and soon was sound asleep.

Next morning, as Mr. Parker had predicted, newspapers carried screaming headlines, announcing that the hurricane might reach Riverview by nightfall. Householders were advised to take every precaution to protect life and property.

School opened and was promptly dismissed at nine o’clock. At home, Penny helped Mrs. Weems carry in the porch awning, remove the shutters and all loose objects which were likely to be torn free by the wind.

By now, papers were blowing wildly, cluttering the yard. Each gust brought sticks or small limbs crashing down into the street.

Mrs. Weems, hovering near the radio to hear the last-minute reports, declared that the barometer continued to fall.

“The storm is steadily getting worse,” she said nervously.

After lunch, Penny went to the newspaper office to inquire if Mr. DeWitt had any special assignment for her.

“Nothing right now,” he said, rapidly scanning a page of copy. “But stick around. Anything may break.”

Penny waited, growing increasingly restless. She was certain DeWitt had forgotten all about her, when he slammed down a telephone receiver and glanced in her direction.

“Go out on the street and see what’s doing,” he ordered. “Might check the police station, too, on your way in.”

Penny nodded and went out through the barrier gate. The feel of the approaching hurricane was in the air. Walking toward the river, she saw blue-green water boiling into sinister white foam where it vaulted onto the docks.

Pedestrians were few in number and all hurrying. Business was at a standstill. Shutters were going up over plate glass windows, and street signs were being taken down.

Penny wandered about for a time and then, as a fine rain began to fall, sought the police station. Checking routine reports, she noted four injury cases caused by flying objects, several thefts of property, and more than the usual number of automobile accidents.

At the office once more, she wrote an impressionist account of what she had seen, then waited for another assignment.

“Penny, you may as well go home while you can get there,” DeWitt said presently. “City Traction is shutting off service at six o’clock, and after that you won’t be able to take a bus.”

At another time Penny might have been disappointed to be sent home when exciting news was breaking, but dismissal now fitted neatly into her plans. She was determined to make one last investigation of the thatched roof cottage at the Rhett mansion. However, to beat the storm, she must move fast.

Going out the door, Penny met Jerry who had just come in from the river front. His felt hat was dripping wet.

“It’s getting nasty outside,” he remarked. “How are you going home, Penny? By bus?”

“Eventually, but not just now,” she grinned. “First, I have a little errand at the Rhetts’.”

“Better skip it,” he advised. “This storm is the real McCoy.”

“Can’t afford to, Jerry. I want to look over that thatched cottage once more. If I don’t do it now, it probably won’t be there by tomorrow.”

“If you’re set on going out there, better make it a speedy trip,” Jerry returned. “The storm is rolling in fast.”

Reaching the mansion twenty minutes later, Penny was surprised to see an unfamiliar automobile parked on the Rhett driveway. As she went up the front walk, the door opened, and three men came outside. Without noticing the girl, they entered the car and drove away.

“Wonder who they are and what brought them here?” Penny mused.

In response to her knock, Celeste opened the door. Seeing Penny, the woman tried to close it in her face, but the girl pushed boldly past her into the hallway.

Penny purposely had worn the black packet on a string around her neck. While Celeste was closing the door, she pulled it from her dress front, and then opened her raincoat so that the housekeeper could not fail to see the object.

Celeste’s eyes instantly riveted upon the dangling packet.

“My good luck charm!” said Penny. “Someone gave it to me last night!”

Celeste’s lips dropped apart to show her uneven teeth.

“It is an evil packet!” she hissed. “If you wear it, sickness and death will pursue you!”

“Not this cookie,” chuckled Penny. “You see, I don’t believe such nonsense. Whoever tossed this thing through my window went to a lot of trouble for nothing.”

Celeste’s face, an interesting study in mixed emotions, suddenly became a blank mask. Hearing footsteps, the woman mumbled something and scurried away.

Lorinda came down the stairway. “Oh, Penny!” she exclaimed, grasping her hand. “I’m so glad you came! We’re in such trouble!”

“Your mother is worse?”

“Yes, she is failing rapidly, and the visit of those three bankers upset her dreadfully.”

“The men I met on the walk?”

“Yes, they’re members of the First National Bank board. They told Mother she must make up the $250,000 bond loss within forty-eight hours, or my stepfather will be exposed as a thief, and the estate sued! It seems Mr. Potts convinced them my stepfather had the bonds when he disappeared.”

“What will your mother do?”

“What can she do? Nearly all of her property is in real estate. She might be able to raise $30,000 cash within the required time, but never the amount they demand.”

“You’ve heard nothing from your stepfather?”

“Not a word. The police haven’t contributed any worthwhile clues either. They didn’t go deeply into the case.”

“Can you blame them? You and your mother withheld facts and discouraged them at every turn.”

“I know.”

“Why did you do it?”

“I thought you understood,” Lorinda answered in a low voice. “Mother and my stepfather quarreled violently on that last day at the bank. She didn’t want the truth to get out, so she tried to keep from answering questions.”

“Then your stepfather disappeared as a result of the quarrel?”

“I don’t know. It is a possibility.”

“You believe your stepfather may have stolen the bonds?”

“Oh, no! Never! He may have had them on his person when he went away or was spirited off, but I am sure he is no thief!”

Shutters were flapping in the wind. The porch furniture had not been brought into the house, and through the window, Penny saw that many loose, breakable objects remained in the garden. Abruptly changing the subject, she said:

“Lorinda, the storm is getting worse every minute. Can’t we bring in the porch furniture?”

“I told Antón to do it early this morning. He went off somewhere. Celeste has been no help either. They’re both acting so independent.”

“We don’t need their help. Come! We can do it together.”

Lorinda put on her rain cape and they went out onto the porch. Already the rug was rain soaked. They rolled it up and carried it to the basement, where they also took the furniture. Deciding it was too late to do anything about nailing down the shutters or taking them off, they brought in loose objects from the yard.

In passing the library, Penny noticed that a window was open. The curtain was drenched and rain was pouring in upon the floor.

With a cry of dismay, she ran to close it. As she turned around, she saw at once that the wall safe was exposed to view, and open.

“Lorinda!” she called.

Her friend came quickly to the doorway. “Anything wrong?” she inquired.

Penny directed her gaze toward the safe. “Did you leave it open?” she asked.

“No!” With a startled exclamation, Lorinda darted across the room. She thrust her arm into the circular opening, and withdrew it empty.

“The Zudi drum is gone!” she announced. “It’s been stolen!”