Penny Nichols and the Mystery of the Lost Key

ory Co

the long dark hall. She could hear the music distinctl

her fear, crept beside her friend.

f it," Penny whispered. "B

a chattered. "Let's lock the bedro

ng to localize the sound of the music. Never inclined to be superstitious, she had no thou

or an attic," she declared softly. "

ev

'm goin

iend walk into danger alone, hurriedly followed. Halfway down the hall she reached f

give warning th

anger. Penny noted that the doors of both were tightly closed. At the end of the hall she found s

not go up," Rosanna

a whisper. "If anything goes

d until it began again, and then, following the sound, crep

again. Actually, she was not as courageous as she h

tinguish nothing. The music had increased in volume and Penny

l landing from which branched two closed doors. After a slight he

d, Penny allowed the door to swing wide. She started forward, and suddenly tripped. Until that m

he worst, came run

enny! Are

ce, Penny scrambled to her fe

akily. "But I've done enough

ightened

ell you

lower floor. Down the hall, Mrs. Leeds

to the hallway. "Such a house I never saw! First it's mus

oked ridiculous in her curlers which were sticking out from her hea

let folks sleep!" she said irritably. "You'v

first time Rosanna or I have stirred from our roo

s breathed in awe. "I thought perh

ic all right," Pen

ered nervously. "That old man-what's his name-was trying to t

uced. "As for the scream, I can account for that. I tripped and fell. Now I think we may as well all go back to

is has happened," Mrs. Leeds decla

said indifferently.

she glanced rather sharply at the door of Ma

be a sound sleeper,"

oom, Rosanna demanded to kno

There's a pipe organ installed in this house. I might have discovered who was playi

deliberately

I don't care to do any more investigating tonight, but in t

e than I," Rosanna

efore turning out the light. It was twent

eplied thoughtfully, climbing into bed. "T

you go up t

. It isn't the music t

ere to be afraid of?

. "I can't explain-only it seems to me that so

n," Rosanna confessed. "L

settled herself more co

e you know! This is our own special mystery case, and

nny rolled over and

They dressed and went downstairs, finding the house quite deserted. Apparently

ng that," Penny commented. "I doubt if even a ghost could

nearby town. As they washed the dishes and stacked them away, Rosanna mentioned again tha

t the situation isn't a normal one either. If Mr. Eckert says it

ndered in a troubled tone. "If Mr. Eckert can'

Rosanna. I believe he kn

k in the pine woods. Wisps of thin smoke curled fro

im," she proposed impulsively. "It's t

eir timid knock. Instead he called out a he

his chair by the window, puffing at an old pipe. He arose

furnish us with a little infor

our rows of well-thumbed volumes. The titles were impressive. Caleb Eckert,

ot unkindly. "I've told you before that I'll have noth

the estate," Rosanna said. "But I should li

ain. I liked him because he attended to his own busine

bear skin which hung on the cabi

t year when he came back from his

r. Winters?" Penny asked, a

ed eagerly, but Penny sensed that the old man was trying to monopolize the conve

up the subject of Mr. Winters' ivory collection. C

ave one," he answered. "Folks said it was worth a

collection?" Penny

ted crossly. "Seems to me you gi

gized. "Only it struck me that Max Laponi has a

gely. "So you notice

man, Mr. Eckert. If Mr. Winters' collection of ivory is still in

o do," Caleb muttered,

e the ivory collection

inters tell me where he kept his valuables? Bosh! I tell you I

couch and closed his eyes. Thus dis

when they were out of earshot. "But even t

ow, I think our questions about the ivory colle

ctant to tell us

e house on the cliff. "Unless I'm sadly mistaken, that ivory collection is hidde