"Maybe the man did fall and hurt himself," suggested Ruth. "And that, likely, was what made him limp."
"Well, I wish he'd limp away from here and stay away," complained Sandy. "I can't see, though, how he managed to hide himself in the barn. There's something strange about that place."
There was, but even Sandy had no suspicion of how very strange the matter was connected with the old structure.
"Oh dear!" exclaimed Ruth, when the chase for the man was over, "I'll be afraid to go to that barn dance now."
"Nonsense!" said Alice. "We'll all be there—and so will Russ," she added with a sly laugh.
"As if that made any difference!" answered Ruth, quickly.
"Oh, it might," and Alice seemed very innocent, but there was laughter in her eyes.
In spite of the fact that there were many men and boys at the barn dance, Ruth could not help looking around nervously now and then during the course of the little play, several scenes of which took place in the old building. But there was no further alarm, and no unbidden guests were discerned in the bright glare of the powerful lights.
