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em satisfaction。 Finally Mrs。 Phancey came over； clucking in a motherly fashion about my adventurous plans （〃My； oh； my！ What will you modern girls be doing next？〃）； and then she sat down and； looking as winsome as she knew how； said why didn't I stop over for a few days and have a rest and earn myself a handful of dollars into the bargain？ It seemed their receptionist had walked out twenty…four hours before and； what with the housekeeping and tidying up before they closed the place for the season； they would have no time to man the desk。 Would I care to take on the job of receptionist for the final two weeks…full board and thirty dollars a week？
Now it happened that I could do very well with those sixty dollars and some free food and lodging。 I had overspent at least fifty dollars on my tourist spree； and this would just about square my books。 I didn't much care for the Phanceys； but I told myself that they were no worse than the sort of people I had expected to meet on my travels。 Besides； this was the first job I had been offered and I was rather curious to see how I would make out。 Perhaps； too； they would give me a reference at the end of my time； and this might help with other motel jobs on my way south。 So； after a bit of polite probing； I said the idea would be fine。 The Phanceys seemed very pleased； and Millicent； as she had now bee； showed me the registration system； told me to watch out for people with little luggage and big station wagons； and took me on a quick tour of the establishment。
The business about the station wagons opened my eyes to the seamy side of the motel business。 It seemed that there were people； particularly young couples just married and in process of setting up house； who would check in at some lonely motel； carrying at least the minimum 〃passport〃 of a single suitcase。 This suitcase would in fact contain nothing but a full set of precision tools； together with false license plates for their roomy station wagon that would be parked in the carport alongside their cabin door。 After locking themselves in and waiting for the lights to go out in the office； the couple would set to work on inconspicuous things like loosening the screws of the bathroom fixtures； testing the anchoring of the TV set； and so on。 Once the management had gone to bed； they would really get down to it； making neat piles of bedding； towels； and shower curtains； dismantling light…fixtures； bed…frames； toilet seats； and even the Johns themselves if they had plumbing knowledge。 They worked in darkness of course； with pencil flashlights； and； when everything was ready； say around two in the morning； they would quietly carry everything through the door into the carport and pile it into the station wagon。 The last job would be to roll up the carpets and use them； the reverse side up； as tarpaulins to cover the contents of the station wagon。 Then change the plates and softly away with their new bedroom suite all ready to lay out in their unfurnished flat many miles away in another state！
Two or three hauls like that would also look after the living room and spare bedroom； and they would be set up for life。 If they had a garden； or a front porch； a few midnight forays around the rich out…of…town 〃swimming…pool〃 residences would take care of the outdoor furniture； children's heavy playthings； perhaps even the lawnmower and sprinklers。
Mrs。 Phancey said that motels had no defense against this sort of attack。 Everything was screwed down that could be screwed down； and marked with the name of the motel。 The only hope was to smell the marauders when they registered and then either turn them away or sit up all night with a shotgun。 In cities； motels had other problems…prostitutes who set up shop； murderers who left corpses in the shower； and occasional holdups for the money in the cash register。 But I was not to worry。 Just call for Jed if I smelled trouble。 He could act real tough and he had a gun。 And； with this cold fort； I was left to ponder on the darker side of the motel industry。
Of course it all turned out perfectly all right and the job was no problem。 In fact there was so little to do that I did rather wonder why the Phanceys had bothered to take me on。 But they were lazy； and it wasn't their money they were paying me； and I guessed that part of the reason was that Jed thought he had found himself an easy lay。 But that also was no problem。 I just had to dodge his hands and snub him icily on an average of once a day and hook a chair under the door…handle when I went to bed to defeat the pass…key he tried on my second night。
We had a few overnighters in the first week； and I found that I was expected to lend a hand with the housekeeping； but that too was all right with me； and anyway the customers slacked off； until； after October tenth there wasn't a single one。
Apparently October fifteenth is a kind of magical date in this particular holiday world。 Everything closes down on that day； except along the major highways。 It is supposed to be the beginning of winter。 There is the hunting season ing up； but the rich hunters have their own hunting clubs and camps in the mountains； and the poor ones take their cars to one or another of the picnic areas and climb up into the forests before dawn to get their deer。 Anyway； around October fifteenth the tourists disappear from the scene and there is no more easy money to be made in the Adirondacks。
As closing day came nearer； there was a good deal of talk on the telephone between the Phanceys and Mr。 Sanguinetti in Troy； and on the eleventh Mrs。 Phancey told me casually that she and Jed would be leaving for Troy on the thirteenth and would I mind staying in charge that night and handing over the keys to Mr。 Sanguinetti； who would be ing up finally to close the place around noon on the fourteenth？
It seemed a vague sort of arrangement to leave an unknown girl in charge of such a valuable property； but it was explained that the Phanceys would be taking the cash and the register and the stock of food and drinks with them； and all I had to do was switch off the lights and lock up before I went to bed。 Mr。 Sanguinetti would be ing up with trucks for the rest of the movables the next morning。 Then I could be on my way。 So I said yes； that would be all right； and Mrs。 Phancey beamed and said I was a very good girl； but when I asked if she would give me a reference； she got cagey and said she would have to leave that to Mr。 Sanguinetti； but she would make a point of telling him how helpful I had been。
So the last day was spent packing things into their station wagon until the stores and cafeteria were empty of everything except plenty of bacon and eggs and coffee and bread for me and for the truckers to eat when they came up。
That last day I had expected the Phanceys to be rather nice to me。 After all； we had got on all right together and I had gone out of my way to be helpful about everything。 But； oddly enough； they were just the reverse。 Mrs。 Phancey ordered me about as if I was a maid； and Jed became tough and nasty in his leching； using filthy words even when his wife was in earshot； and quite openly； reaching for my body whenever he got within range。 I couldn't understand the change。 It was as if they had had what they wanted out of me and could now discard me with contempt…and even； it seemed to me； almost with loathing。 I got so furious that I finally went to Mrs。 Phancey and said I was going and could I have my money？ But she just laughed and said； Oh； no。 Mr。 Sanguinetti would be giving me that。 They couldn't take a chance of the cutlery being short when he came to count it。 After this； and rather than face them at supper； I made myself some jam sandwiches and went and locked myself in my cabin and prayed for the morning； when they would be gone。 And； as I have said； six o'clock did at last e and I saw the last of the monsters。
And now this was my last night at The Dreamy Pines and tomorrow I would be off again。 It had been a slice of life； not totally unpleasant in spite of the Phanceys； and I had learned the fringes of a job that might stand me in good stead。 I looked at my watch。 It was nine o'clock； and here was the doomful WOKO from Albany with its storm bulletin。 The Adirondacks would be clear by midnight。 So； with any luck； I would have dry roads in the morning。 I went behind the cafeteria bar； turned on the electric cooker； and put out three eggs and six slices of hickory…smoked bacon。 I was hungry。
And then came a loud hammering on the door。
Eight： Dynamite from Nightmare…Land
MY heart went to my mouth。 Who could it possibly be？ And then I remembered。 The VACANCY sign！ I had pulled the switch when the lightning struck and I had forgotten to turn the damned thing off。 What an idiot！ The banging started up again。 Well； I would just have to face it； apologize； and send the people on to Lake George。 I went nervously across to the door； unlocked it； and held it on the chain。
There was no porch。 The neon VACANCY sign made a red halo in the sheet of rain and glittered redly on the shiny black oilskins and hoods of the two men。 Behind them was a black sedan。 The leading man said politely； 〃Miss Michel？〃
〃Yes； that's me。 But I'm afraid the VACA