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'All right；' he said again。
'Above all'…his glance swept all of them…'you must not look in his eyes！ If you do； he'll catch you and turn you against the others； even at the expense of your own life。
Remember Floyd Tibbits！ That makes it dangerous to carry a gun； even if it's necessary。 Jimmy； you take it； and hang back a little。 If you have to examine either Barlow or Susan； give it to Mark。'
'Understood；' Jimmy said。
'Remember to buy garlic。 And roses； if you can。 Is that little flower shop in Cumberland still open； Jimmy？'
'The Northern Belle？ I think so。 '
'A white rose for each of you。 Tie them in your hair or around your neck。 And I'll repeat myself…don't look in his eyes！ I could keep you here and tell you a hundred other things； but you better go along。 It's ten o'clock already； and Father Callahan may be having second thoughts。 My best wishes and my prayers go with you。 Praying is quite a trick for an old agnostic like me； too。 But I don't think I'm as agnostic as I once was。 Was it Carlyle who said that if a man dethrones God in his heart； then Satan must ascend to His position？'
No one answered； and Matt sighed。 'Jimmy； I want a closer look at your neck。'
Jimmy stepped to the bedside and lifted his chin。 The wounds were obviously punctures； but they had both scabbed over and seemed to be healing nicely。
'Any pain？ Itching？' Matt asked。
'No。'
'You were very lucky；' he said； looking at Jimmy soberly。
'I'm starting to think I was luckier than I'II ever know。' Matt leaned back in his bed。 His face looked drawn； the eyes deeply socketed。 'I will take the pill Ben refused； if you please。'
'I'll tell one of the nurses。'
'I'll sleep while you go about your work；' Matt said。 'Later there is another matter 。 。 。 well； enough of that。' His eyes shifted to Mark。 'You did a remarkable thing yesterday； boy。 Foolish and reckless； but remarkable。'
'She paid for it；' Mark said quietly； and clasped his hands together in front of him。 They were trembling。
'Yes； and you may have to pay again。 Any of you； or all of you。 Don't underestimate him' And now； if you don't mind； I'm very tired。 I was reading most of the night。 Call me the very minute the work is done。'
They left。 In the hall Ben looked at Jimmy and said； 'Did be remind you of anyone？'
'Yes；' Jimmy said。 'Van Helsing。'
7
At quarter past ten； Eva Miller went down cellar to get two jars of corn to take to Mrs Norton who； according to Mabel Werts； was in bed。 Eva had spent most of September in a steamy kitchen； toiling over her canning operations； blanching vegetables and putting them up； putting paraffin plugs in the tops of Ball jars to cover homemade jelly。 There were well over two hundred glass jars neatly shelved in her spick…and…span dirt…floored basement…canning was one of her great joys。 Later in the year； as fall drifted into winter and the holidays neared； she would add mincemeat。
The smell struck her as soon as she opened the cellar door。 'Gosh'n fishes；' she muttered under her breath； and went down gingerly； as if wading into a polluted pool。 Her husband had built the cellar himself； rock…walling it for coolness。 Every now and then a muskrat or woodchuck or mink would crawl into one of the wide chinks and die there。 That was what must have happened； although she could never recall a stink this strong。
She reached the lower floor and went along the walls； squinting in the faint overhead glow of the two fifty…watt bulbs。 Those should be replaced with seventy…fives； she thought。 She got her preserves； neatly labeled CORN in her own careful blue script （a slice of red pepper on the top of every one）； and continued her inspection； even squeezing into the space behind the huge； multi…duct furnace。 Nothing。
She arrived back at the steps leading up to her kitchen and stared around； frowning； hands on hips。 The large cellar was much neater since she had hired two of Larry Crockett's boys to build a tool shed behind her house two years ago。 There was the furnace； looking like an Impressionist sculpture of the goddess Kali with its score of pipes twisting off in all directions； the storm windows that she would have to get on soon now that October had e and heating was so dear； the tarpaulin…covered pool table that had been Ralph's。 She had the felt carefully vacuumed each May； although no one had played on it since Ralph had died in 1959。 Nothing much else down here now。 A box of paperbacks she had collected for the Cumberland Hospital； a snow shovel with a broken handle； a pegboard with some of Ralph's old tools hanging from it； a trunk containing drapes that were probably all mildewed by now。
Still； the stink persisted。
Her eyes fixed on the small half…door that led down to the root cellar； but she wasn't going down there； not today。 Besides； the walls of the root cellar were solid concrete。 Unlikely that an animal could have gotten in there。 Still …
'Ed？' she called suddenly； for no reason at all。 The flat sound of her voice scared her。
The word died in the dimly lit cellar。 Now； why had she done that？ What in God's name would Ed Craig be doing down here； even if there was a place to hide？ Drinking？ Offhand； she couldn't think of a more depressing place in town to drink than here in her cellar。 More likely he was off in the woods with that good…for…nothing friend of his； Virge Rathbun； guzzling someone's dividend。
Yet she lingered a moment longer； sweeping her gaze around。 The rotten stink was awful； just awful。 She hoped she wouldn't have to have the place fumigated。
With a last glance at the root cellar door； she went back upstairs。
8
Father Callahan heard them out； all three； and by the time he was brought up to date； it was a little after eleven…thirty。
They were sitting in the cool and spacious sitting room of the rectory； and the sun flooded in the large front windows in bars that looked thick enough to slice。 Watching the dust motes that danced dreamily in the sun shafts； Callahan was reminded of an old cartoon he had seen somewhere。 Cleaning woman with a broom is staring in surprise down at the floor； she has swept away part of her shadow。 He felt a little like that now。 For the second time in twenty…four hours he had been confronted with a stark impossibility…only now the impossibility had corroboration from a writer； a seemingly levelheaded little boy； and a doctor whom the town respected。 Still； an impossibility was an impossibility。You couldn't sweep away your own shadow。 Except that it seemed to have happened。
'This would be much easier to accept if you could have arranged for a thunderstorm and a power failure；' he said。
'It's quite true；' Jimmy said。 'I assure you。' His hand went to his neck。
Father Callahan got up and pulled something out of Jimmy's black bag…two truncated baseball bats with sharpened points。 He turned one of them over in his hands and said； 'Just a moment； Mrs Smith。 This won't hurt a bit。'
No one laughed。
Callahan put the stakes back； went to the window； and looked out at Jointner Avenue。 'You are all very persuasive；' he said。 'And I supp