He stopped for a moment and looked blissfully back at Dream-Town. The dark smell filled his senses, and a tiny wren called to him and said good-bye, and a fish leaped from the river in salute, and the old-man trees groaned sadly as the wind rose. Then David turned and started through the dark woods.

While still deep in the forest he heard the strange sounds of many voices. wafted in wind. The excitement grasped him and he started running, ignoring the rocks which bit into bare feet.

Breathless he burst into the clearing, then stopped suddenly. In front of the cabin there were men talking with his father, more men than David had ever seen before-at least six or seven. They were angry-looking men, armed with rifles and shotguns. He wanted to approach them, yet was deathly afraid. So many people all together. Curiosity took control, however, and he found himself moving slowly toward the group.

His father looked up, and upon seeing David approaching, an angry scowl crossed his face. "Yo get yore ass in the cabin, and quick!" he shouted to his son. Like a frightened gazelle David dashed for the front door and dove inside. He slammed the door behind him, lying for a moment on the floor, prostrate with fear. Finally, the curiosity grabbed him again. He crawled slowly to the open window and peered cautiously outside.

"Who's the boy?" David heard a man ask.

"My son, David," his father answered.

"Ain't never seen him in town," commented another man wearing a silver star on his chest.

"Ain't never been in town."

"Frank, you got a fine lookin son," the star-man stated.

"Too damned weak and punny," his father replied. David sadly ran a thumb and forefinger around a thin bicep. He recalled the times he tried to lift the heavy feed sacks from Pa's pickup truck, an impossible task.

The star-man started talking again: "You dead sure you ain't seen nothin unusual this week?"

"No one ever comes this far out," Frank said.

The star-man sighed sadly. "Seven women over the last fifteen years. Lately it's gettin worse. Two in the last three weeks. Leastways, now we got his moodus operendium figured out."

"His what?" asked Frank with a puzzled expression.

"That there is latin-city talk-means a crook's manner of a-doin a crime." "I see."

"Anyways, like I said, his moodus operendium is always the same. He only rapes and kills naked women. He must sorta get these here urges, then prowls around a-peerin in windows 'til he finds some poor woman undressing. Then something pops in his haid, he crawls through the window then rapes and kills the gal. The sight of a naked woman and he goes completely looney. Leastways, now we also sorta got a clue."

"How's that?" Frank asked, his brow furrowing.

"Last night he raped and strangled poor Augustine Miller down the river. Must have killed her with her own silk stocking. Anyways, she was wearing only one when we found her; couldn't find the other one anywhere. He must have taken it with him. When we find that stocking, well, we'll find our man." The star-man turned to go. Then, remembering something, he turned back to Frank. "By the way, keep your eye open for the Miller's rowboat. After he killed Augustine he took off in it. We cruised up and down the whole river;