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least of all Jan and his mother, could have then foretold to what incredible uses their house would ultimately be put, or the unusual roles they would each play in its metamorphosis.

Even the surrounding trees and hedges, that now provided them with welcome privacy, would also play a part.

Susan, Jan's mother, was somewhat intrigued by the unusual amount of interest her son was obviously exhibiting, in what to her, was indeed a quite ordinary occupation, Also, not a little curious as to any possible reason why. For what she was doing, was nothing more interesting than sorting out some old clothes of hers, and which certainly did not appear to warrant his unusual degree of close attention.

Under existing circumstances however, Susan was pleased to see on his part just any expression of interest, or even concern, for ever since they had first moved into their present home, now some nine months before, Jan had shown a complete lack of interest in everything that had gone on about him. He, unfortunately, had made no new friends at the school he now attended, and, as a result, had no one with whom to pal about with. Now, with the long summer vacation only now starting, Susan, apprehensively, looked forward with something akin to horror, to the dreary prospects of living through the next three months closely tied to her moody son. Her only

hope was, that somehow, she would be able to find a way to shake him out of his state of continual depression, and to be able to restore him to his former more cheerful frame of mind. But in this she entertained few hopes, as they no longer seemed able to even communicate as they had before.

Shortly before their move here, Susan had divorced her industrially successful husband, after some sixteen years of what she had previously regarded as a better than average marriage. She had been compelled to take this drastic step, on suddenly finding her husband deeply involved with his private secretary. That relationship, when exposed, had advanced to the extent hereby he had some while before blatantly established her as his mistress, quite openly, in a love nest, which for his personal convenience, had been located only a very short distance from where they lived.

Susan had learned of this cozy arrangement only after it had long been common knowledge among all her friends. All much to their secret amusement, and to her ultimate chagrin. She might still have forgiven her husband his indiscretion, for she herself was no prude, if, as she had demanded, he at once terminated this shabby affair. However, he not only bruskly refused to do so, but in showing complete contempt for her feelings, had then tried to seduce her younger sister, to her utter dismay.