"I guess
that man was passing and took shelter in here, just as we intended
to. But there's another room. We may as well inspect that, and
there's another upstairs. That may be a little better. We'll look,
Ruth."
"We'll do nothing of the kind!" exclaimed Ruth. "We'll just stay
right by the door where we can run, in case--in case anything
happens," she finished, rather falteringly.
"Silly!" exclaimed Alice. "There is no one in this place."
"But that man might come back."
"Not likely. Besides, don't you know that it's the worst thing in the
world to stand in an open doorway, before a fireplace or in a draft
of any kind when there's lightning. Lightning is always attracted by
a draft, or a chimney, or something like that."
"Oh, why do you always think of such nervous, scary things?" cried
Ruth.
"Because they're true," answered Alice. "And I want to get you into
the other room. We might find out something. And if you won't come
upstairs, I'll go alone."
"And leave me down here? I'll not stay!"
"Then come along. We'll investigate. We may find a clue, as they say
in books."
Alice drew back from the open door, and started for the inner room.
Ruth stood for a moment, uncertain what to do. She looked across the
glade, but the strange man was not in sight.
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