Before Rosanna could stop her she moved to the door and flung it open. A man in oilskins confronted her. His face was half hidden by the felt hat which he wore low over his eyes.

"What do you want?" Penny asked nervously.

Without answering, the man stepped into the room. Under the electric light he did not look as terrifying as he had at first glance. Penny saw when he swept off his dripping hat that he was an elderly man although spry for his years. She felt slightly reassured.

"I came to find out what you mean by entering Mr. Winters' house when he's away?" the man demanded curtly. "Don't stand there staring like a blind owl! Answer."

Rosanna had completely lost her power of speech, so Penny tried to explain the situation. She told how they had been caught by the storm and mentioned Rosanna's key and letter which gave her right to investigate the property.

"So you're old Jacob Winters' niece?" the man questioned gruffly, peering intently at Rosanna. "At least that's what you say."

"Of course he's my uncle, although I never saw him," Rosanna defended. "I can prove it by my letter."

"Probably wrote it yourself," the man snapped. "But let's see it anyway."

"Just a minute," Penny interposed, feeling that it was time the newcomer answered a few questions of his own. "Are you the caretaker of this house?"

"Yes, and no. I'm a neighbor of Mr. Winters and he asked me to keep an eye on his house while he was away. I saw the light in the windows and came to see what was wrong."

"My uncle is dead," Rosanna said quietly. "I have inherited the estate."

"Jacob Winters dead!" the man exploded. "Why, I had a card from him last week. Mailed from some place down in Africa. Let me see that letter you claim to have."

Rosanna opened her pocketbook and searched for it. A troubled look came over her face. She was certain she had placed both the letter and the key in the inside compartment. Now she could find neither.

"So you haven't got it?" the man said suspiciously.

"I must have it somewhere. I can't imagine how I misplaced it. You remember the letter don't you, Penny?"

"Of course. You had it in your pocketbook the last time I saw it. We're telling you the absolute truth Mr.--"

"Caleb Eckert," he supplied. "If you didn't have a key how did you get into the house?"

"Why, the door was open-that is, it was unlocked," Penny explained.

Caleb Eckert peered at her sharply as if trying to make up his mind if she were speaking the truth. Rosanna, who by this time had emptied her purse out upon the table, was growing more upset every minute.

"Oh, let's leave this house, Penny," she burst out. "I've lost the letter and the key and so we've no right to be here at all. I didn't mean to trespass. I wish we'd never have come at all. That letter has caused me so much grief."

Rosanna looked as if she might cry at any moment. Caleb Eckert softened.

"Now, I wouldn't want you to go out into this storm. As far as I'm concerned you may stay here for the night."

"We don't care to intrude," Rosanna said stiffly.

"It isn't safe to go down the mountain in this rain," the man declared, adopting a more friendly tone. "Now don't be offended by the way I acted. My bark is worse than my bite."

"We can't blame you for being suspicious," Penny admitted. "It may be that someone played a joke on Rosanna in sending her the letter and key. We were afraid of that from the first."

Caleb Eckert's eyes roved to the crackling fire, then to the splattered windows.

"Tell you what," he proposed gruffly. "You girls stay here for the night. In the morning we'll see if we can't straighten things out."

"But if Mr. Winters is alive we have no right to use this house," Rosanna protested weakly.

"You're his niece, aren't you?" Caleb demanded. "Jacob Winters wouldn't turn anyone out in a storm, much less one of his own kin folks. Have you had supper?"

The girls admitted that they had not had any food since lunch time. Caleb led them to the kitchen, showing them where canned goods were stored.

"If you're handy with a can opener there's no need to starve," he declared.

The girls thanked him for his trouble. Rosanna timidly ventured a few questions concerning her uncle.

"Did you never see him?" Caleb asked.

"No, once I wrote him a letter but he never answered. I've heard Uncle Jacob was very eccentric."

"Some might call him that. He liked to live alone and mind his own business which is more than most folks do. He traveled a lot too. I guess he must have visited every country in the world." He added slyly: "If Jacob is dead, you'll come into possession of some valuable things."

"I hope that nothing has happened to him," Rosanna said sincerely. "I don't really care for riches. All I want is a home."

"Jacob Winters never liked girls."

"I know," Rosanna sighed. "I guess that's why he never answered my letter."

"You counted a lot on the inheritance, didn't you?" Caleb questioned shrewdly.

Rosanna flushed but did not deny the accusation.

"I thought that it might make my future more secure," she acknowledged. "Since Mother died I've battered around from one rooming house to another. But even if I don't come into the inheritance, I'll be glad that my uncle is still alive."

"I don't know that he is," Caleb Eckert said hastily. "He was alive when he sent that postcard from Africa. Since then we've had no word from him here at Raven Ridge."

While the girls prepared food for themselves, Caleb sat by the kitchen stove watching. He showed them how to start a fire in the range but would not partake of supper when it was cooked.

"Had mine four hours ago. I'll show you where you can sleep and be getting on home."

"Do you live near here?" Penny asked curiously.

"Not far. If the rain would let up you could see my cabin through the dining room window. It's perched on the edge of the cliff, overlooking Lake Chippewa."

Rosanna remarked that the scenery around Raven Ridge must be beautiful.

"'Tis," Caleb agreed enthusiastically. "You'll have to walk down to the lake in the morning. There are some mighty pretty trails to follow too."

"If we have time before we go, we'll surely explore," Penny promised.

Caleb conducted them upstairs, opening the door of one of the bedrooms. It was stuffy and dusty but otherwise ready for occupancy. Penny turned back the coverlet of the bed and found that it was equipped with clean sheets and blankets. The furniture was massive and all hand carved.

"I guess you can make out here for one night," Caleb said.

"We'll be very comfortable," Penny assured him.

Returning to the lower floor, Caleb lighted his lantern and prepared to leave. With his hand on the door knob he turned to face the girls again.

"Oh, yes, there was something I forgot to mention. If you hear queer noises in the night don't be upset."

"Queer noises?" Penny echoed.

Caleb nodded soberly.

"Folks around here claim the house is haunted but I never took stock in such stories myself. I just thought I'd warn you."

And before the girls could recover from their astonishment, he firmly closed the door, disappearing into the rain.