The Cry at Midnight

RESPA

ding!" Penny exclaimed, reco

waited, but the sou

ervously, she clung to her chum's hand as they stood in the s

ght visible, yet she felt that not only was the building occupied, but als

help," she said in an unsteady voi

's hand, trying to pull her away. "Let's go, Penny

be ill and in n

" Louise replied with a shiver.

e gate, only to pause and gaze again at th

ual. Penny never willingly passed up an opportunity to obtain a good news story for the Riverview Star. She knew that if th

cream from a darkened house, a

"We can't leave without trying to find

place is so far from other hou

lied Penny grimly. "You wait

d to the big iron gate, and pushing it

than saw a dark figure crouching in the arched doorway of the ci

er imagination, a large, savage dog darted from inside the gatehous

called anxiously. "H

nvinced Penny that the animal had been trained

when in the gatehouse doorway, she be

Penny that for an inst

ne was a hulk of a man with large head a

pon the girl, he remained m

r dog!" Penny

re move from the doorw

ordered in a raspin

n's face. His skin was heavily lined and fell in deep folds at his stocky

ng," she sa

ond to the greeting. Ins

oin' on thi

the gate was unlocked," replied Penny.

turned on his flashlight, focusing it upon a f

ead, "No T

but stood her ground. "Are yo

't. I'm th

taken over t

" the hunchback de

rested, t

the hunchback informed her. "The new owner moved i

made Penny all the more determined to r

but a moment ago, I thought I heard a s

heard the howl

dly. "It's a comparatively quiet n

the gateman muttered. "Will you go now

h you

ped into the gatehouse and pressed a but

t later the front door opened. Framed on the thre

Winkey?" he cal

shouted the hunchback. "She says she hea

e driveway to the gate. His long, brown robes were impressive

he asked in a kindly,

t in," announced Winkey.

studied Penny wi

ear here?"

hen I passed this old building and heard the scream.

onk replied. "It was Old Julia, a poor woman, who un

ed Penny, regretting that her curiosity

ened up the old monastery for the purpose of restoring an ancient order in wh

l Old Julia-she

hose twisted mind never can be healed by doctors. Because s

y. "I'm very sorry t

else you wish to know? We have no secrets here

inquire y

ather Benedict. My baptismal n

y father owns th

The monk's in

in the city," P

sent you he

ing by and noticed the b

mentioning our work here. Should we become too well known, a path wil

t," Penny half-heartedly

the gate, she clo

ad heard only part of the conve

nded, falling into step with h

erything Jay High

t when you sum it up, he didn't tell mu

the s

an old woman named Julia lives in

for her chum to unlock the door. Quickly they stowed their skis and poles in the

witching on the windshield wiper. "We

t flakes pelted the glass. Once as the wiper stuck, Penny h

ed, as they drove slowly on along the narro

ned a moment later. "You

on, she saw directly in her path, a bent figure struggling along under the

, the pedestrian was walking a

as she too saw the girl with the