ng to each other, listened.

It was the latch of the kitchen door they heard click now. And the door
was opening. In the kitchen they heard the sounds of cautious footsteps,
footsteps which entered the dining-room, which came on toward the
sitting-room. And a voice, a man's voice, whispered:

"I told you so! I--I told you so! I said I see a light. And--and that
door was undone and--and--By time! Obed Bangs, you can go on if you want
to, but I tell you you're riskin' your life. I--I ain't goin' to stay
no longer. I'm goin' to fetch the constable--or--or the minister or
somebody. I--"

Another voice interrupted.

"Shut up! Belay!" it ordered. "If there's anybody or anything in this
house we'll have a look at it, that's all. You can go to the minister
afterwards, if you want to. Just now you'll come along with me if I have
to haul you by the neck. Let's see what's in here."

There was a flash of light in the crack of the door leading from the
dining-room. That door was thrown open and the light became a blaze from
a big lantern held aloft.

"Hey! What!" exclaimed the second voice. "Who--women, by the
everlastin'!"

Mrs. Barnes and Emily clinging to each other, blinked in the lantern
light.

"Women! Two women!" said the voice again.

Thankful answered. The voice was real and it came from a human throat.
Anything human--and visible--she did not fear.

"Yes," she said, crisply, "we're women. What of it? Who are you?"

The man with the lantern entered the room. He was big and
broad-shouldered and bearded. His companion was short and stout and
smooth-faced; also he appeared very much frightened. Both men wore
oilskin coats and sou'westers.

"Who are you?" repeated Aunt Thankful.

The big man answered. His sunburned, good-humored face was wrinkled and
puckered with amazement.

"Well," he stammered, "I--we--Humph! well, we're neighbors
and--but--but, I don't know as I know you, ma'am, do I?"

"I don't know why you should. I don't know you, fur's that goes. What
are you doin' here? Did that depot-wagon man send you?"

"Depot-wagon man? No, ma'am; nobody sent us. Kenelm--er--Mr. Parker
here, saw a light a spell ago and, bein' as this house is supposed to be
empty, he--"

"Wait a minute!" Miss Howes interrupted. "Whose house is this?"

"Why--why, it ain't anybody's house, ma'am. That is, nobody lives here."

"But somebody used to live here, it's likely. What was his name?"

"His name? Well, old Laban Eldred