tions　must　seem　as　bulking　and　ominous　as　dangerous　animals　seen　in　the

shadows　of　a　dark　forest。　They　were　jerked　about　like　puppets；　having　only　the

vaguest　notions　why。　The　thought　brought　her　dangerously　close　to　tears　again；

and　while　she　fought　them　off　she　leaned　over；　picked　up　the　disabled　glider；

and　turned　it　over　in　her　hands。

〃Your　daddy　was　coaching　the　debate　team；　Danny。　Do　you　remember　that？〃

〃Sure；〃　he　said。　〃Arguments　for　fun；　right？〃

〃Right。〃　She　turned　the　glider　over　and　over；　looking　at　the　trade　name

（SPEEDOGLIDE）　and　the　blue　star　decals　on　the　wings；　and　found　herself　telling

the　exact　truth　to　her　son。

〃There　was　a　boy　named　George　Hatfield　that　Daddy　had　to　cut　from　the　team。

That　means　he　wasn't　as　good　as　some　of　the　others。　George　said　your　daddy　cut

him　because　he　didn't　like　him　and　not　because　he　wasn't　good　enough。　Then

George　did　a　bad　thing。　I　think　you　know　about　that。〃

〃Was　he　the　one　who　put　the　holes　in　our　bug's　tires？〃

〃Yes；　he　was。　It　was　after　school　and　your　daddy　caught　him　doing　it。〃　Now　she

hesitated　again；　but　there　was　no　question　of　evasion　now；　it　was　reduced　to

tell　the　truth　or　tell　a　lie。

〃Your　daddy　。。。　sometimes　he　does　things　he's　sorry　for　later。　Sometimes　he

doesn't　think　the　way　he　should。　That　doesn't　happen　very　often；　but　sometimes

it　does。〃

〃Did　he　hurt　George　Hatfield　like　the　time　I　spilled　all　his　papers？〃

Sometimes　—

（Danny　with　his　arm　in　a　cast）

—　he　does　things　he's　sorry　for　later。

Wendy　blinked　her　eyes　savagely　hard；　driving　her　tears　all　the　way　back。

〃Something　like　that；　honey。　Your　daddy　hit　George　to　make　him　st