ng back on squeaking hinges, Penny and her father caught a
whiff of stale air.

"Just as I thought!" exclaimed Penny. "The place hasn't been opened up
in weeks."

Mr. Nichols passed through the doorway into the dark kitchen. He
groped about for the electric light switch and could not find it.

"Wait here," he told Penny. "I'll have to go back and get Mr.
Kilkane's lantern."

"I'll wait outside the door. It's too stuffy in here."

Penny stood on the sagging porch until her father returned with the
lighted lantern. The bright beam illuminated a wide circle of barren
kitchen. An old cook stove occupied one corner of the room; there was
a plain table with four chairs and a make-shift sink with old-fashioned
pump. The floors were without carpet or linoleum. Every piece of
furniture was covered by several inches of dust.

"Wait until I see that man Kilkane!" said Mr. Nichols indignantly.
"Why, the electricity hasn't even been turned on. We can't live in a
place like this!"

"Let's look at the other rooms, Dad."

There was no dining room, as the builder evidently had intended that
the occupants should eat in the kitchen. The living room had a large
fireplace but no other item of comfort. The three chairs were all
straight-backed, the carpet was moth-eaten and dusty, and a small table
still bore a vase filled with shriveled flowers which someone had
forgotten to throw away.

"Come along, Penny," said Mr. Nichols starting toward the door. "We'll
not stay here."

"But where will we go?" Penny placed a detaining hand on his arm.
"There's no hotel in the village."

"It would be more pleasant sleeping in the car."

"You know we'd be stiff in every muscle if we tried that, Dad. Let's
open a few windows. It won't seem so bad then."

Mr. Nichols raised several windows and they were then able to breathe
more freely. An inspection of the adjoining bedrooms left them
somewhat encouraged. The mattresses were fairly soft, and Penny found
clean linen in one of the bureau drawers.

"I can have these beds made up in just a few minutes," she said
cheerfully. "And we can bring in our own blankets from the car."

"Maybe that would be best," the detective agreed. "But we'll leave in
the morning."

Penny was abroad at daybreak the next morning. While her father still
slept, she explored the grounds, discovering a deep and rather lovely
ravine not far from the cottage door. To the right stretched a dense
woo