The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1946-01-04
CHAPTER II

While Tope began to get out
the bags, Bee and Mrs. Tope APP
preached the cabin and the girl pro-
duced key. Then, as she tried
the knob, she said, in surprised
tone, half to herself: "Why, that's
funnyl IT'S unlocked"
She entered and began to raise
shades and let in a flood Of light,
and when Tope followed, with bag
in each hand, she was explaining to
Mrs. Tope:
"You see, l had all the furniture
built in. It's cheaper than buying"
Tope set down the bags; and he
saw beds end to end along one wall,
and chest of drawers beyond. The
beds appeared to promise comfort.
The carpenter had built frames to
support the springs and sheathed
these frames down to the floor, SO
there was no chance for dust and
rubbish to accumulate underneath.
There were windows in front and
rear and toward the brook; and
fireplace at one end, with birch logs
ready for the match, and kindling
and a crumpled newspaper under
them on the clean hearth upon
which, clearly, there had never been
a fire.
Said Bee Dewain: "I'll open the
windows. It seems stuffy. Would
you like a blazer"
II think So" Mrs. Tope agreed. ut
may turn chilly"
Tope crossed to touch match to
the paper under the kindling; but
as he stopped down, he noticed some
thing lying on the hearth, and held
his hand.
It was thing of no apparent inn
portance. Another man, even though
he saw it, would have discovered in
this object no implications at all. It
was simply a match which had been
lighted and allowed to burn down
till only half an inch of uncharred
wood remained.
TOPICS eye was caught by this
match almost completely burned,
and he saw two or three more, ly-
ing here and there. He had an old
habit of noticing unimportant things,
of suspecting importance in them;
so now before he lighted the fire,
he searched in the kindling and in
the crumpled paper and on the
hearth behind and beneath the logs,
till he collected eleven matches
which had like the first been lighted
and burned almost to the ends be-
fore they were thrown away.
Bee Dewain was saying: "And
supper will be ready at seven
o'clock. Now if there's anything
else you want"
''You say we're the first ones to
occupy this camp?" Tope asked
mildly.
''The very first" Bee assured him.
81 do hope you'll be comfortable.
She turned to the door. when sup
per's ready we ring a belli You'll
be sure to heart"
AS the girls steps passed out Of
hearing, Mrs. Tope said: "Oh, we
forgot to give her the message from
Adam Brucel"
~ was thinking Of something
else" Tope confessed; and he
asked: '4Need anything more out Of
the carr"
''Not for just one night"
1--WE might stay longer" he sug-
gested, andsshe smiled.
Because a. brook runs past the
door,"
when I see a place that looks
fshy, / always want to try it out, !"
he confessed. Something in his tone
made her look at him; but he .chuc-
kled disarmingly. She began to
unpack the few things they would
need.
''It's nice knowing we're the very
first ones in herel" she suggested.
He said, half to himself: 81 won
der why they didn't turn on the
lights"
"Why should she? It's still broad
daylight"
Instead of using matches?" he
persisted, In deep abstraction; and
Mrs. Tope looked at him with
amusement.
II discover new virtues in you
livery day." she remarked, "but
you've unsupported vices, tool It's
time you quit detecting at your time
Of life. my dear. What are you won
dering about now?"
He hesitated, said at last: "Why,
thesei" He pointed to the mantel:
she came to look, and he showed
her those eleven burned stubs Of
matches which he had arranged in
order there. ~ found them in the
fireplace" he said, watching her.
why not?" she protested,
amused. Probably the carpenters
or the plumbers or the electricians
threw them there. when they were
finishing up the cabin"
'They wouldn't be working at
night. he insisted.
"At night2 OF course notl But
they'd be smoking, lighting pipes
and things"