He thinks it's a bad sign.

That's the Injun of it.

They believe in spirits and signs and things." Evadna turned thoughtful.

"And didn't he tell you what he--that is, if he found out--you said he went after it--" "He wouldn't say a blamed thing about it," Gene complained sincerely.
"He said there wasn't anything--he told us it was a screech-owl." "Oh!" Evadna gave a sigh of relief.

"Well, I'm going to ask Clark what it was--I'm just crazy about ghost stories, only I never would DARE leave the house after dark if there are funny noises and things, really.