She swung herself through the opening and was about to lower herself to the floor of the storeroom when she thought of her shoes. They were soaking wet as well as muddy. If she walked across the floor, she would leave a trail.
“No use to court disaster,” she chuckled.
Quickly removing her shoes, she held them in one hand and dropped lightly to the floor below. Creeping to the far wall, she listened. To her satisfaction, she found that she could hear what was being said in the next room. Evidently, the three were engaged in a heated argument.
“I tell you we’ve got to settle up tonight and get out while the getting is good,” she heard Tom Tozzle say.
“Bud and I will never settle on your terms,” Mary replied angrily. “You want too much.”
Tom made a response which Nancy did not catch, but the next moment she was startled to hear Mary say:
“Oh! What a vivid flash of lightning! That must have come close. I wonder if all the windows are down?”
Nancy glanced guiltily toward the storeroom window. In the excitement of entering the house she had forgotten to close it. Before she could make a move she heard Mary say:
“I can hear water dripping somewhere. I think the storeroom window must be open. Wait a minute and I’ll shut it.”
Desperately, Nancy glanced about for a hiding place. She was convinced that her own carelessness had trapped her. Had there been time she would have vaulted out the window, but it was too late for that.