"No need for Lyddy to come in here and have a conniption fit, too," thought the younger sister, "through coming unexpectedly upon that Thing in the case.
"And, my gracious! he might just as well have been the author of that mysterious speech I heard. I should think he _would_ be tired of staying shut up in that box," pursued the girl, giggling nervously, as she stood before the open case in which the horrid thing dangled.
Light enough came through the cracks in the closed shutters to reveal to her the rooms that the old doctor had so long occupied.
'Phemie closed the skeleton case and picked up her candle. Then she continued her investigation of the suite to the third room. Here were shelves and work-benches littered with a heterogeneous collection of bottles, tubes, retorts, filters, and other things of which 'Phemie did not even know the names or uses.
There was a door, too, that opened directly into the back yard. But this door was locked and double-bolted. She was sure that the person, or persons, whom she had heard talking the night before had not been in this room. When she withdrew from the east wing she locked the green-painted door as she had found it; but in addition, she removed the key and hid it where she was sure nobody but herself would be likely to find it.
"I don't suppose you--or any of your folks--were up here last night, Lucas?" she asked the young farmer, out of her sister's hearing.
"Me, Miss? I should say not!" replied the surprised Lucas.
"Who would be likely to come here at night?"
"Why, I never heard the beat o' that," declared Lucas. "No, ma'am!"
"Sh! don't let my sister hear," whispered 'Phemie. "She heard nothing."
"Air you sure----" began Lucas, but at that the young girl snapped him up quick enough:
"I am confident I even heard some things they said. They were men. It sounded as though they spoke over there by the east wing--_or in the cellar_."
"Ye don't mean it!" exclaimed the wondering Lucas, leading the way slowly to the cellar-hatch just under the windows of the old doctor's workshop.
This hatch was fastened by a big brass padlock.
"Dad's got the key to that," said Lucas. "Jest like I told you, we have stored vinegar in it, some. Ain't many barrels left at this time o' year. Dad sells off as he can during the winter."