urnt. Burnt down the day before yist'd'y aft'noon. A'n't hardly a
stick of her left. Ketehed Lord knows how, from the kitchen chimney, and
a high northwest wind blowin', that ca'd the sparks to the barn, and set
fire to that, too. Hasses gone; couldn't get round to 'em; only three of
us there, and mixed up so about the house till it was so late the
critters wouldn't come out. Folks from over Huddle way see the blaze, and
helped all they could; but it wa'n't no use. I guess all we saved, about,
was the flag-pole."

"But you're all right yourselves? Cynthia."

"Well, there was our misfortune," said Whitwell, while Westover's heart
stopped in a mere wantonness of apprehension. "If she'd be'n there, it
might ha' be'n diff'ent. We might ha' had more sense; or she would,
anyway. But she was over to Lovewell stockin' up for Thanksgivin', and I
had to make out the best I could, with Frank and Jombateeste. Why, that
Canuck didn't seem to have no more head on him than a hen. I was
disgusted; but Cynthy wouldn't let me say anything to him, and I d' know
as 't 'ould done any good, myself. We've talked it all over in every
light, ever since; guess we've set up most the time talkin', and nothin'
would do her but I should come down and see you before I took a single
step about it."

"How--step about what?" asked Westover, with a remote sense of hardship
at being brought in, tempered by the fact that it was Cynthia who had
brought him in.

"Why, that devil," said Whitwell, and Westover knew that he meant Jeff,
"went and piled on all the insurance he could pile on, before he left;
and I don't know what to do about it."

"I should think the best thing was to collect the insurance," Westover
suggested, distractedly.

"It a'n't so easy as what that comes to," said Whitwell. "I couldn't
collect the insurance; and here's the point, anyway. When a hotel's made
a bad season, and she's fully insured, she's pootty certain to burn up
some time in the winter. Everybody knows that comical devil wanted lion's
Head to burn up so 't he could build new, and I presume there a'n't a
man, woman, or child anywhere round but what believes I set her on fire.
Hired to do it. Now, see? Jeff off in Europe; daytime; no lives lost;
prop'ty total loss 's a clear case. Heigh? I tell you, I'm afraid I've
got trouble ahead."

Westover tried to protest, to say something in derision or defiance; but
he was shaken himself, and he ended by getting his hat and coa