Ottaline rubbed her heavy eyes as she sat up in the dark room. Reaching over she gave her younger sister a shake. "Rovy, it's late we have to get to school," Hauling herself out of bed she quickly put on her light blue gingham dress and tied her pinafore over it.

"But it's still dark outside," Providence protested.

"It's just cloudy," Ottaline said taking her hair down then plating it into a single braid at her neck.

Providence dressed then let Ottaline help her tie her bow tight enough so it wouldn't come out. "Are you sure school wasn't canceled again."

"I'm sure," Ottaline said searching the room for their books. "Hurry we don't want to be late."

The girls finished dressing and packed biscuits and cheese in their pockets to eat later when they had time. Heavy clouds rolled over the mountains and thunder rumbled up high. The winds were calmer today and so far it hadn't started raining.

When the girls entered the school house Mr. Habersham was putting wood in the stove. Two other damp students sat at their desk rubbing their arms and legs.

"Do you need help, sir?" Ottaline offered.

"Not thank you, Ottaline just have a seat," the teacher said. "I'll have the room warmer in a minute."

The sisters sat and Providence looked over her shoulder out the door. "It looks so sinister," she said. "Like the harbinger of something evil."

Ottaline put her books in her desk and decided to work more on her sampler until class started. A few other students managed to show up but after twelve minutes it was raining hard. Since most of the children on this side of the tracks lived in poor conditions it wasn't expected to see a large attendance in such weather.

It was still raining when school turned out and the children waited in the classroom for a break in the weather. When one finally came, Mr. Habersham took his smallest student and walked her home while the older children ran off separately with him wishing them safety.

The children vanished into the woods but when the sisters reached it Providence pulled back. "Remember the falling trees, Ottaline?" she said. "We shouldn't go in."

Ottaline wanted nothing more than to get home, get out of her wet clothes and start a fire. She knew however that Providence was right about the dangers. "We can take the long way around through Kilgore Field." She took her sister's hand and they changed their course.

When Kilgore Field stretched out before them Providence sighed in relief. Her leg was aching and every step was agony.

Ottaline found a place in the fence that had fallen down and she climbed over then helped her sister.

Kilgore Field was often used in the summer by the children for ball games and races. The sisters remembered how two years ago they had bested Craig and Chris Kennedy in the three legged race. Ottaline attributed this feat to Providence who was use to not using one leg.

The tall golden grass shot in all directions as it was blown by the wind. The sisters clung to each other keeping home and warmth on their minds. By the time they did get home they were exhausted but Ottaline worked up enough energy to get a fire started.

"I don't think Daddy will expect you to bring him his lunch in this weather," Providence said as she came in from outside with Bambi's cage. She sat it on the floor and proceeded to dry the rabbit's damp fur. "He wouldn't want you to endanger yourself."

Ottaline nodded. Rain was not an issue but going out in a storm like this would greatly upset her father. She took a seat on the floor next to her sister and wrapped a wool blanket around them and the pet rabbit. As she sat she couldn't help but think of the wares below them. Knowing the stolen vases were there made her squirm. Tonight would be a good night to be rid of them for good.

/

Saturday seemed to dawn early. The band could be heard from the house and Providence and Ottaline danced around the muddy yard. Most houses were empty by now as everyone, rich, poor or otherwise had gone into town for the celebrations.

As the band played Oh Susannah Providence and Sabbath took their wagon down to the coast. The beach was darkened by the rain and debris littered the shoreline. Ottaline pulled the wagon while Providence walked back and forth collecting shells and driftwood. She glanced out at False Light Peak then across to Light House Row where an actual lighthouse stood.

"Ever wonder why they call it False Light?" she called to her sister in the morning wind.

Providence came up to her, dress skirts and pinafore blowing. "I heard Drakes say that during the old old times the citizens of the town feared pirates so they built a lighthouse at the Peak to lure them in. He said that the waters all around this part of the cost are filled with jagged rocks so when the ships got close they were ripped apart!"

"No one has ever told me that," Ottaline said. "I never gave it any thought until now."

Providence shrugged. "I've always thought about it," she said.

"There are too many legends in this town," Ottaline said. She squatted down and picked up a spiral shell. She had never seen one in such condition before. "Though I have to wonder if they are all made up."

Providence laughed. "Well I'm not sure about False Light Peak but I'm sure most of the stories are just made up. Except for maybe Richmond Wood."

Ottaline squinted up at her sister's face framed by the dim sun. "Do you think it's haunted?"

"I don't like to put it like that. I think that's just what they tell us to keep us out. And it works. I'd never go in there. Not alone or with a hundred others."

Ottaline looked down at the shell in her hands. "Rovy—"

"No detective games, Ottaline."

Ottaline stayed silent. Such games had not been what she wanted to talk about. She wanted to share with Providence what she knew was hidden in the floor boards. She often forgot her sister was a good listener and knew all the folktales of the town. That was why she loved to take her spying but Providence didn't share her enthusiasm.

"Hey look!"

Ottaline looked back at her sister then followed her gaze. She saw a man well up the beach with what looked like a wagon of his own.

"I know him!" Providence said. "That's my Mr. Idris." She hobbled away quickly leaving Ottaline to get the wagon.

"Wait for me, Rovy!"

"Mr. Idris!" Providence called as she came up to the man who raised his hand in greeting. "Good morning, or afternoon, I don't know what time it is." She stopped in front of him and smiled. "Why are you way out here, don't you want to see the celebrations."

"I just had something important to see to," Idris said as Ottaline arrived then with the wagon and stood next to Providence.

"This is my sister Ottaline," Providence introduced.

Idris tipped his hat to the pretty little girl in blue gingham. "Pleased to meet you young lady, your sister talks highly of you."

Ottaline had to smile. She knew no love for her like that of her sister's. She curtsied to the man feeling suddenly at ease. After all she had to admit that Providence had the best judgment of character.

"We're collecting storm treasures," Providence said lifting a conch shell out if their wagon. "Are you collecting things too?" she asked looking at his wagon.

"In a sense," Idris said. He then nodded to a cave shaded in fog in the rocky lighthouse cliff. "What's it called?"

"Indian Cove," Ottaline answered.

Providence nodded. "They say it's enchanted but there is nothing there but old bottles. That's what the grown children say."

Idris nodded. "Either of you ever been?"

"Certainly not, sir," Ottaline said. "Our daddy forbade us. He says there ain't nothing but trouble in curious places."

"Places like Richmond Wood?" Idris asked and both girls nodded.

"There are monsters in Richmond Wood," Providence said. "I knew a boy who had a dog once. The finest you ever did see. Well one day it went in the wood and got ate up. But you see there haven't been any wild animals spotted in the Wood for decades so no one knows what ate him."

Idris smiled. "Are they sure he was eaten."

Providence had to think. "Well I should think he would have come home."

Idris nodded. The legend got deeper. Obviously parents didn't want their children in the wood but he found it hard to believe it was due to something as simple as a missing dog. He thought about the woman Esau Richmond mentioned freezing to death but not even death by the elements would be enough to keep even the meekest of children out in the hot summers.

"Perhaps you are right," he finally said. "Maybe there really are monsters in the wood." He took up his wagon handle and walked on.

"May we walk with you, sir?" Providence asked. "We can show you what real storm treasures are and which ones to throw back."

"Sure you may," Idris said and the girls walked with him up the beach explaining how the storms would wash all sort of things to shore.

When they had spent over an hour walking up the coast Ottaline sat by the wagons watching Providence collecting shells and live crabs in the surf and warning Mr. Idris where not to put his bare feet. She laughed as the crab snapped at his hand. Leaning back she rested her head on the wagon. She thought to take a peek and see what sort of treasures the man had collected. It couldn't hurt just to take a quick look.

Ottaline flipped back the burlap that was covering the wagon, untying it first at the sides. The wind whipped at the burlap and she glanced over her shoulder to make sure her sister wasn't coming. Getting to her knees she peered into the wagon and frowned.

"Papers?" Curiosity getting the best of her she took up a stack of the collected papers held together in a folder tied closed with twine. She quickly opened it and scanned the first page. "Remember summer 1879," she read quietly. There wasn't anything else written on the sheet of paper and she was about to move to the next one when she heard Providence's uneven gate. She quickly stuffed the papers away feeling the warmth of guilt on her face.

"Guess what, Ottaline!" Providence shouted when she reached her sister. "Mr. Idris has an ox, a real ox that you can ride."

Ottaline looked up at the tall man. "Oh..." she said trying not to sound like she had been up to something. "Won't the horns harm you?"

Providence laughed. "Ottaline wouldn't ride him." she said. "She's even afraid of mules and horses."

Idris collected his socks and shoes. "Your sister here has been asking me question after question," he said to Ottaline. "I think it is my turn now."

"Sir?"

"How did you get the same name as the cemetery?"

Ottaline looked up at him slacked jawed, trying not to let her bottom lip hang like a thirsty horse. "Daddy says...Daddy says it's good to have a sound name that reflects the Word," she said. "He picked it all himself since he was an orphan. I don't think he knew he'd settle in a town with a cemetery bearing the same name."

Idris nodded. "I see." He turned in the direction of the lighthouse.

"If you want to know about the cemetery sir, you could always ask Mr. Arnold. Mr.

Arnold is the groundskeeper and he knows Mr. Dale who may know even more about it."

"Where can I find this man?"

"Not in Drinking Water," Providence said. "You have to look in Laurie. You could get their quickest if you cut through Richmond Wood."

Idris noticed the little smile she gave at the mention of the wood. He couldn't decide which sister housed more childish mischief.