Quitting the room, he locked the heavy door. The girl on the bed buried her head in the dusty, scarlet draperies and began to cry.
Penny waited only until she was certain Father Benedict was far down the corridor. Then she rapped softly on the closet wall.
Through the peephole, she saw the girl start violently and look about the room.
“Hist!” Penny whispered. “Over here!”
She rapped again, and this time the girl saw the tiny hole in the wall. Leaping from bed, she came across the room.
“Who are you?” she demanded, unable to see Penny’s face.
“A friend! I’m here to help you.”
“Can you get me out of this room?”
“Father Benedict seems to have the only key,” Penny told her. “I’ll sneak out of here and telephone the police. But first, I must know exactly what case we have against Father Benedict.”
“He’s mean and cruel! He half starves the people who live here and takes all their money and jewels!”