“No, I don’t. It might have been a couple of tramps. The railroad isn’t more than a quarter of a mile from here, and they may have been walking along the track and got hungry and came over to see what they could find. Only, how’d they know there was no one at home here?”
“That’s so,” murmured Harry. “It looks as though it must have been some one who knew that Mrs. Peel was away, doesn’t it?”
“Yes,” answered Chub, thoughtfully. “Well, whoever they were, they cleaned up the cash-drawer.” He walked over to it and stared into it, hands in pocket. “There ought to have been a lock on it, though I don’t suppose that would have kept them out.” He turned away, and as he did so something white on the floor under the counter caught his eye. Picking it up, he bore it to the light. It proved to be a crumpled wad of papers. Chub smoothed them out, revealing Harry’s memoranda of sales, the letter to Jennie, and the letter to Mrs. Peel. Both envelopes had been torn open.
“Guess they thought there might be money in them,” said Chub. Then—“Look here, Harry,” he said, “I’m going to read this one to Jennie and see if Mrs. Peel says when she’s coming back. Under the circumstances I think it’s allowable, don’t you?”
“Yes,” answered Harry. “I do. Because she ought to know what’s happened, and if she isn’t coming to-day or to-morrow we must write to her.”
So Chub opened the letter and read it aloud:
“Dear Jennie:—I found Millie was very much better when I got here, and there wasn’t any real need of my coming, except James was worried and upset and afraid she was going to be real sick. The doctor was here about half an hour ago and says she is doing nicely. It was just a touch of heat, but James thought it was a fever. She was doing a heavy washing, and the weather was terribly hot, and she just gave out like a flash. I tell James he must have a woman to come in Mondays and help Millie, and he agrees. Unless something unlooked-for happens, I will be home day after to-morrow afternoon, and if you have your bag packed you can go right home the minute I get there, if you want to. Your aunt Millie sends her love, and so does James.”
“Your aff. aunt,
“Amanda Peel.”
“When was it written?” asked Harry.
“Day before yesterday,” Chub answered. “That means that she will be back to-day. Well, all the better. I’ve had about all the storekeeping I want.”