way with Katie in close pursuit. After a few dozen yards Jimmy said, "I don't see any storage area. It must lead to a coal bin." His voice rose an octave in excitement, "Yeah! A coal bin means there's a dump chute and its top opening would have to be on the other side of the wall. We can climb the chute and escape to the city!" He picked up his pace only to soon run into the path's dead-end. "Shucks," disappointed. "It's not here." He spat on the ground. "There's no way out."
"Sorry, Jimmy. But look, there's a secret room over here." Katie pointed and waved her hand in the open, dark doorway. "See?"
Jimmy retrieved a near burned-out candle from a tunnel ledge and thrust it inside to reveal a sparsely furnished room containing a table with four chairs surrounding it. They stepped inside. "Whew! What's that stinky smell?" asked the boy.
"It smells like rotten, old meat," answered Katie. "Very bad, old meat. I've smelled things like this when I worked in the kitchen. Thank goodness they never cook it; they throw it out. Maybe, this is where they dump it."
"Down here? I don't think so," retorted Jimmy. "Phew," as he pinched his nose. He held the light toward a wooden box sitting in the corner next to a large, ancient, cast-iron cooking pot turned upside down. "I think the smell is coming from over this way." He dipped the candle inside the box - it appeared empty except for brownish gunk (dried blood ) on the bottom which stank very badly. Jimmy's foot kicked a heavy, gunny sack marked, 'Lye'.
Katie read the labeling. "This must have been a salted-meat locker once upon a time and they were trying to clean it. This whole place looks very old; maybe it's from the Civil War."
"Shoot, it could be from the Revolutionary War," countered Jimmy. "We're outside Philadelphia, remember? As for cleaning the place, they didn't do a very good job. If I did a chore this bad I'd get a whippin' with a switch for sure." The candle flickered out. "Oh, no! Let's get outta here." Katie agreed wholeheartedly. With quick, probing hands they felt their way out of the room and back into the dimming tunnel. "We'd better hurry, all the candles are going out!" They scampered back to the stairs. Before going up, Jimmy gave a quick glance at the other tunnel on the left.
Katie, reading his mind asked, "Do you think that one has a coal chute that goes under and outside the wall?"
"Nah, it's going in the wrong direction... away from the wall," her disappointed friend answered.
A few moments later at the cellar entrance, "Well, I guess that didn't lead to anything did it, Jimmy? Nope, nothing at all except we could have gotten caught and been in big trouble. I've decided from now on I'm not going to explore anymore secret places. It's too dangerous."
"Yeah, well okay," Jimmy agreed while admonishing her at the same time. "Don't tell anyone what we done and especially that I was with you. I'm already on probation. I could git a belt whippin' and tossed in the Hole for a month." He patted her shoulder, "Thanks for going with me, Katie. See ya around."
As time passed, Katie became more dissatisfied with Miss Applebee's explanation - it sounded too 'made up'. She began asking other children about the storm no one seemed to have heard, and the mysterious carriage which came for Oggie. Katie wouldn't let the sleeping dog lie. Even though she tried to be careful not to ask questions when the adults were around, they still got wind of it and began to look at her with a suspicious eye.
About a week later, she was working inside the Main Office's front foyer when a well- dressed man and woman made an arrival. Katie piddled about with her cleaning in order to remain nearby - within earshot. Mister Huntington met them at the reception desk with, "Good day, Silas Huntington at your service. May I assist you?" The pair were trying to locate a boy, John Long, a distant nephew of theirs, for his grandparents in New York. They were just seeking information to aid a family's random search of the eastern big cities. No one had any idea where the lad actually resided and prior investigations had drawn a blank.
Mister Huntington acted compassionately; he parried their questions and assured them the lad was not, nor had ever been at his facility. After politely conversing for a few minutes he bade, "A good day and best of luck in your venture."
Katie, upon hearing his send-off, piped-up and announced, "I knew him."
The coupled focused on her in true surprise. Mister Huntington's reaction was more diverse; his mustache and ears began twitching. He looked clearly far beyond mere surprise - he was aghast. "I'm sure the girl is in error,' he stammered. "I know every child who has ever been under my supervision." Giving Katie a sharp look, "Run along young lady and stop bothering these nice people."
"One moment please," interjected the man. "You say you knew this boy?"
"Yes, sir... yes, ma'am," she answered.
"Why? How so?" they chimed.
"Because of his name. John said his name was 'Long', but he was 'short'... for his age. I thought it was odd and funny."
"Yes, indeed," agreed the man. "I see that it would certainly strike you as such." He whispered in his wife's ear, "Everyone in their family is short in stature."
"What else, m'dear?" plied his wife.
"I don't remember anything else. We didn't speak much after he arrived because the boys and girls are kept separate... except for a few classes and the cafeteria."
"And when did you last see the lad..." began the gentleman.
"Enough! Untrue... entirely wrong," interrupted Mister Huntington in a huff. As I stated before, the boy has never been here and I can prove it." He retrieved his Registration Ledger and hurriedly flipped through its pages. With a stiff upper lip he displayed the entries. "As you can see for yourself, there has never been a child admitted by that name. However, we had a boy here with a similar name a few years ago... a John Louder. Perhaps, he is the one Katie is confused with." He shrugged his shoulders then glared at the girl. Gritting his teeth, "As I said before, Run along dear." Mister Huntington was clearly infuriated at being contradicted by anyone, especially a simple child. "We will talk again later, Katie and I will 'refresh' your memory as to how we do things here."
With a strained smile to the couple, "As you can see, children's accounts are neither factual nor reliable. I apologize for her misleading you." The couple left without further comment.
Katie sprinted away - putting as much distance between herself and Mister Huntington as she could. She knew she would be receiving a bruising, blood to the skin, paddling tonight but now she had even more questions to ask!
Days passed and as they did, the living conditions worsened for Katie - greatly. She had been given more difficult, punishment chores - those normally assigned to the boys, increased separation from the other children and isolation at night. And of course, she received corrective, physical discipline on a regular basis to re-educate her: "Children should be seen and not heard." She cried a lot but her spirit had not been broken, she never faltered and mentioned Jimmy's name to lessen her load.
Then it stopped. Miss Applebee became officiously 'civil' although she didn't act as friendly as before. Even mean old Mister Huntington and the other staff members ceased scolding her. In fact, other than Miss Applebee, none of the staff would speak to her at all... or even look her in the eye. She was being shunned by everyone except Mister Weolf, who became quite the opposite. He had never spoken to her before, but now went out of his way to make pleasant comments such as, "You're looking nice today, Miss Katie," or "Maybe this will be your special day, Miss Katie" - meaning her day to be adopted. He'd give her a gentle arm squeeze or a playful poke in the tummy. His face and eyes smiled but his mouth did not fully reflect his happiness - his lips remained closed tight. She concluded the standoffish Mister Weolf had observed her unwarranted mistreatment and tried to make her feel better in his own oafish way. "Could he be a new friend... who's embarrassed by his bad teeth or is it he has none at all?" Katie wondered.
A few days later, after all the children had gone to bed at the usual hour of eight p.m, Miss Applebee came to her bedside and awakened her. "Shush, Katie. Arise and get dressed." Being quiet and careful no
t to disturb the other sleeping girls, the girl quickly did as ordered. Her mind was aflutter; this had never happened before. Oh, no... was she in trouble again or... was Mister Weolf right? Had someone come to claim her? Were some strange, nice people going to take her away to a new home? She became so excited but held her tongue and expressions in - she could hardly wait until they got into the hallway so she could ask.
Finally, "Miss Applebee, Miss Applebee," she gushed, "Is it my turn?"
"What... your turn for what?" the woman repeated.
My turn to go. It's nighttime, so the other kids won't see me leave."
"Oh, that nighttime. No it's not your turn." Katie was very disappointed. "Something unexpected has come up and we require your assistance in special chore immediately. It must be completed before morning, so hush-up now." Then, for no apparent reason her demeanor became quite stern, "And don't give me any of your sass, girl," she snapped. "Do as I say!"
Surprised and taken aback by Miss Applebee's abrupt mood swing, Katie bemoaned to herself, More work. I'm back to being punished again. She was crushed she wasn't leaving the orphanage, and fell into a silent stride, head downcast, behind the woman as directed.
They came to the cellar door, the same one she and Jimmy had ventured into weeks ago. "The