It yielded to my old trick, and I crawled in.
As I had guessed, the place was empty.

I called to my mother, and was scared, I can't tell how much, at the echo of my voice in the deserted cabin.

I ventured up the stairs, though I was mortally afraid, and found nothing save the litter of removal.

I felt about the closet in my mother's bedroom, to find out if any of her clothes were there, half expecting that she would be where I wanted to find her even in the vacant house.

Down in a corner I felt some small article, which I soon found was a worn-out shoe.