"Yes; but I don't believe she could ever have thought of such a
thing as this herself, so I believe it must be true," said the
Story Girl. "Anyway, this is the story, boys. You know the
Awkward Man has lived alone ever since his mother died, ten years
ago. Abel Griggs is his hired man, and he and his wife live in a
little house down the Awkward Man's lane. Mrs. Griggs makes his
bread for him, and she cleans up his house now and then. She
says he keeps it very neat. But till last fall there was one
room she never saw. It was always locked--the west one, looking
out over his garden. One day last fall the Awkward Man went to
Summerside, and Mrs. Griggs scrubbed his kitchen. Then she went
over the whole house and she tried the door of the west room.
Mrs. Griggs is a VERY curious woman. Uncle Roger says all women
have as much curiosity as is good for them, but Mrs. Griggs has
more. She expected to find the door locked as usual. It was NOT
locked. She opened it and went in. What do you suppose she
found?"

"Something like--like Bluebeard's chamber?" suggested Felix in a
scared tone.

"Oh, no, NO! Nothing like THAT could happen in Prince Edward
Island. But if there HAD been beautiful wives hanging up by
their hair all round the walls I don't believe Mrs. Griggs could
have been much more astonished. The room had never been
furnished in his mother's time, but now it was ELEGANTLY
furnished, though Mrs. Griggs says SHE doesn't know when or how
that furniture was brought there. She says she never saw a room
like it in a country farmhouse. It was like a bed-room and