1

       THE STRANGE MAN

      David Price lived at the Frontier Motel. It was his home — the most interesting place in the world, since it was different from the houses his friends lived in. It was like a small hotel. In the center stood the main building with an office and a snack bar on the first floor. Upstairs were sleeping quarters for his parents, and a big room for himself. On both sides of the main building was a row of rooms, each one looking like a tiny apartment, and each one having its own entrance to accommodate tourists.

      In winter David often looked in the rooms, for then many were empty, and he felt lost without people hurrying in and out. But in summer so many cars stopped at the Frontier Motel that David scarcely had a moment to himself. The overnight guests were always friendly and loved to talk to him as much as he loved to talk to them. Then, too, the snack bar did a wonderful business, for people on vacation were always hungry.

      David marvelled that they could eat so much and drink so much soda pop. Of course, he never refused food himself. One of the important things in his life was eating. So he was always glad when Mom baked cakes and cookies and put them on display at the snack bar. Some were bought before he could even get a bite, but Mom said that was good business—every penny counted.

      David often sat and listened to his parents talk about the mortgage on the Frontier Motel. It became a familiar word to him, and he learned that the bank had loaned them a large sum of money to build the motel. All that money, plus a little more, must be paid back within a certain time.

      But the Frontier Motel was doing very well, and Mom and Dad were so pleased that they had taken David into their confidence and told him that if business continued, in three years the motel would be free of debt.

      That was last year. This year things were not humming as usual. The reason was that another motel, a brand new one, had opened only half a mile away, and many tourists were stopping there instead.

      Tonight David wished with all his heart that people driving along the highway would be impressed by the sign STOP AT THE FRONTIER MOTEL AND FEEL AT HOME. He would make them feel welcome, too, because for the first time in his life he was in charge of the motel. Yes, sir, he was the manager, and he felt it was a great responsibility resting on his twelve-year-old shoulders. But Dad had given him confidence. “You’re the boss now, son,” he had said when he and Mom had to leave suddenly for an important visit to Aunt Martha’s. “You know as much as I do about running the motel. And you’ll be safe with Mr. Russell living here all the time and with Laurie and Johnny Smith next door.”

      “I will,” David had called, waving goodby to them as the car moved out of the driveway. “Give my best to Aunt Martha. And don’t worry, Mom. I’ll do a good job.”

      “I’m sure you will.” Mom’s voice had sounded a little anxious, though. And David, determined more than ever to do his best, walked into the office of the motel, holding his head high.

      With an important step, he took up his post behind the snack bar at one end of the room. He peered at himself in the mirror, pulled a comb out of his pocket, and ran it through his stubborn brown hair. Then quickly he slipped it back into his pocket, remembering that Mom always said you must not comb your hair in front of customers. But there were no customers at the snack bar. So he had nothing to worry about. On the other hand he did have something to worry about. There were still six vacancies at the Frontier Motel, and it was already eight o’clock.

      David thumped his fingers on the counter and cocked an ear for a stopping car. Soon the screen door opened and a fat lady walked in. She had a pleasant face, round, with laughing wrinkles at the corner of her eyes.

      “Is there something I can do for you, Ma’am?” David cleared his throat and tried to make his voice sound manly.

      “Why, yes. I would like a single room for the night,” said the woman.

      “Yes, Ma’am,” cried David. With the swiftness of an arrow he slid out from behind the counter.

      The lady blinked, a bit startled, for David had shrunk five inches. Of course he did not tell her that he had been standing on a thick block of wood behind the counter to make himself appear taller. That is one thing that troubled David. He was short for his age, and he was afraid people might think he was not old enough to manage the motel.

      Right now he could feel the woman staring at him as he reached into the desk drawer for a key to her room.

      “Isn’t your mother around?” she asked.

      “No, Ma’am. She and Dad had to go to my aunt’s house. But I hope you will be comfortable. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me.” David gulped after his speech. He felt like a parrot, repeating everything his mother said when a tourist wanted a room. It did the trick, though, for the fat lady’s cheeks glistened like red apples, and she was smiling. “My, you’re a nice young man!”

      David grinned, a broad grin that made the freckles dance on either side of his nose. He waited while the woman registered and watched in silence as she wrote her name, the make of her car and the license number,

      “How much do I owe you?” she asked.

      “Six dollars, please,” answered David.

      “My, that’s very reasonable,” replied the woman as she gave David a ten-dollar bill.

      He lost no time in giving her her change, and then proudly led the way across the graveled driveway to a room for a single person. After that he hurried back to the office, stood on the block of wood behind the counter again and eagerly waited for the next customer.

      The clock on the wall ticked merrily away. The four easy chairs stood empty until a middle-aged man with sandy hair came in and sat down. He was Mr. Russell, whose hobby was studying plants. But he was as poor as a church mouse. David heard his mother tell his father that, and also that Mr. Russell had not paid a cent since he had taken a room at the motel three weeks ago. Of course, he expected money to come from New York City, but each day the mail brought nothing for Mr. Russell.

      Dad kept saying, “He’ll pay. I know he will.”

      Dad was like that. If he liked a person, he would do anything for him. In fact, he was always loaning money to friends. Sometimes they paid him back, and sometimes they didn’t. Mom was afraid Mr. Russell might be one of those people who didn’t. Besides, Mom said it was poor business to let someone stay at the motel and not pay for his room in advance. Just as it was not wise to leave two thousand dollars in the safe at the motel, as Dad had done.

      For some time now Dad had promised to take the money to the bank. But each day he said he would do it the next day, until Mom decided to take the matter into her own hands. Only this afternoon, when she was about to go to the bank, the telephone call had come from Aunt Martha, and everything else was forgotten, even that Mr. Russell owed three weeks’ rent.

      Yet no one could help liking Mr. Russell. His laugh was as contagious as someone eating popcorn. David caught the contagion as Mr. Russell started leafing through the pages of a magazine and chuckled to himself. Soon David was chuckling along with him.

      Presently two women with gray hair and thin bird-like faces came into the office. Mr. Russell was still amused by the pictures in the magazine. The old