nto the room
after me, and shut the door behind him and stood with his back against
it, looking at me, I knew I was not the only one who felt uncomfortable
about the Urquharts. Rising from the chair where I had been
sitting, counting the cost of fitting up that room so as to make it look
habitable, I went toward him and met his gaze pretty sharply.

"Well, what is it?" I asked.

"I don't know," was the somewhat sullen reply. "I don't feel right about
those folks, and yet--" He stopped and scratched his head--"I don't know
what I'm afraid of. Are you sure they left nothing behind them?"

The last words were uttered in such a tone I did not know for a minute
what to say.

"Left anything behind them!" I replied. "They left their money, if that
is what you mean. I don't know what else they could have left."

Notwithstanding which assertion, I involuntarily glanced about the room
as if half expecting to see some one of their many belongings protruding
from a hitherto unsearched corner. His gaze followed mine, but presently
returned, and we stood again looking at each other.

"Nothing here," said I.

"Where is it, then?" he asked.

I frowned in displeasure.

"Where is what?" I demanded. "You speak like a fool. Explain yourself."

He took a step toward me and lowered his voice. Every one knows Burritt,
so I need not describe him. You can all imagine how he looked when he
said:

"Did you see me handling of the big box, ma'am?"

I nodded yes.

"Saw how I was the one to help carry it in, and also how I was the one
to first take hold on it when he wanted it carried out?" I again nodded
yes.

"Well, ma'am, that box was a heavy load to lift into the wagon, but,
ma'am"--here his voice became quite sepulchral--"it wasn't as heavy as
it was when we lifted it out, and it hadn't the same feel either. Now,
what had happened to it, and where is the stuff he took out of it?"

I own I had never in my life felt creepy before that minute. But with
his eyes staring at me so impressively, and his voice sunk to a depth
that made me lean forward to hear what he had to say, I do declare I
felt as if an icy breath had been blown across the roots of my hair.

"Burritt, you want to frighten me," I exclaimed, as soon as I could get
my voice. "The box seemed heavier to you than it did just now. There
was no change in it, there could not be, or we should find something
here to account for it. Remember you did not sleep last night, and