“You know I don’t believe that, Jane.”
“Then what do you believe? Why do you think that there will be another fire?”
“I think that either this crazy woman sets the cottages on fire herself, believing that she is appointed by the Lord, or else that somebody she knows is doing it, and she has inside information somehow.”
“More likely she’s just prattling,” remarked Jane.
“I hope so. But, anyhow, I want to be prepared to jump up at the first sign of smoke. I’m going to rig up a hose with the river, so that I can put it out if it does happen around our cottage.”
“You sound almost as crazy as the old lady, Mary Lou! Next thing you’ll be taking your pitcher out for river water!”
“Now, Jane, be yourself! You’ll sleep out with me, won’t you?”
“I suppose so. But let’s keep Silky with us, in case one of those gypsies comes along and grabs you, the way she did at Dark Cedars.”
“There aren’t any gypsies anywhere around here,” Mary Louise assured her.
“No, but there’s a tramp. Freckles saw him. And a crazy woman. And from the way Mr. Flick was carrying on this morning, he’ll soon be crazy.”