第5部分(第3/7 頁)

　time　when　every　second　might　count。

Howie　solved　that　dilemma　by　plucking　a　shred　of　yellow　cotton　cloth　from　a　bush　growing　just　beyond　the　edge　of　the　dooryard。　Klaus　was　shown　this　same　scrap　of　cloth　as　he　sat　on　the　witness　stand；　and　began　to　weep　as　he　identified　it　as　a　piece　of　his　daughter　Kathe's　sleeping…shorts。　Twenty　yards　beyond　it；　hanging　from　the　jutting　finger　of　a　juniper　shrub；　they　found　a　piece　of　faded　green　cloth　that　matched　the　nightie　Cora　had　been　wearing　when　she　kissed　her　ma　and　pa　goodnight。

The　Dettericks；　father　and　son；　set　off　at　a　near…run　with　their　guns　held　in　front　of　them；　as　soldiers　do　when　crossing　contested　ground　under　heavy　fire。　If　I　wonder　at　anything　that　happened　that　day。　it　is　that　the　boy；　chasing　desperately　after　his　father　（and　often　in　danger　of　being　left　behind　pletely）；　never　fell　and　put　a　bullet　in　Klaus　Detterick's　back。

The　farmhouse　was　on　the　exchange　…　another　sign　to　the　neighbors　that　the　Dettericks　were　prospering；　at　least　moderately；　in　disastrous　times　…　and　Marjorie　used　Central　to　call　as　many　of　her　neighbors　that　were　also　on　the　exchange　as　she　could；　telling　them　of　the　disaster　which　had　fallen　like　a　lightning…stroke　out　of　a　clear　sky；　knowing　that　each　call　would　produce　overlapping　ripples；　like　pebbles　tossed　rapidly　into　a　stilly　pond。　Then　she　lifted　the　handset　one　last　time；　and　spoke　those　words　that　were　almost　a　trademark　of　the　early　telephone　systems　of　that　time；　at　least　in　the　rural　South：　〃Hello；　Central；　are　you　on　the　line？〃

Central　was；　but　for　a　moment　could　say　nothing；　that　worthy　woman　was　all　agog。　At　last　she　managed；　〃Yes；　ma'am。　Mrs。　Detterick；　I　sure　am；　oh　dear　sweet　blessed　Jesus；　I'm　a…prayin　right　now　that　your　little　girls　ar