“Not that I could see,” said Hedden.
“Strange—if anybody had been in here who had a key. Have you seen Ike M’Graw?”
“No, sir. The men who brought us up here said the man had gone away—had been away for a week, sir—but would return tonight.”
“Then he was not the person who built the fire the embers of which you found. The coals would not have burned for a week. He is the person who has a key to the Lodge, and nobody else.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Whoever got in here, of course, either departed when you came, Hedden, or before. Did you notice any tracks about the house?”
“Plenty, sir. But only of beasts and birds.”
“Ah-ha! Are the animals as tame as that up here?”
“There were footprints that the men from town assured me were those of a big cat of some kind, and there were dog footprints; only the men said they were those of wolves. They say the beasts are getting hungry early in the season, because of the deep and early snow, sir.”
“Humph! Better say nothing to the children about that,” said Mr. Howbridge. “Of course, this party’s being here will keep any marauding animals at a distance. We won’t care for that sort of visitor.”