A frowsy, rat-faced woman and a gawky youth of fourteen stuck their heads out the doorway at either side of the man. “I ain't got nothin' to sell,” snapped the woman; but as she spoke her eyes fell upon the fat bank roll in the youth's hand. “Or, leastwise,” she amended, “I ain't got much more'n we need an' the price o' stuff's gone up so lately that I'll hev to ask ye more'n I would of last fall. 'Bout what did ye figger on wantin'?”
“Anything you can spare,” said the youth. “There are three of us and we're awful hungry.”
“Where yew stoppin'?” asked the woman.
“We're at the old Squibbs' place,” replied The Kid. “We got caught by the storm last night and had to put up there.”
“The Squibbs' place!” ejaculated the woman. “Yew didn't stop there over night?”
“Yes we did,” replied the youth.
“See anything funny?” asked Mrs. Case.
“We didn't SEE anything,” replied The Oskaloosa Kid; “but we heard things. At least we didn't see what we heard; but we saw a dead man on the floor when we went in and this morning he was gone.”
The Cases shuddered. “A dead man!” ejaculated Jeb Case. “Yew seen him?”
The Kid nodded.