第4部分(第6/7 頁)

thirties　he　was　considered　well…to…do　because　he　actually　paid　his　store　bill　in　cash　at　the　end　of　most　months；　and　he　could　meet　the　bank　president's　eyes　if　they　happened　to　pass　on　the　street。　The　farmhouse　was　clean　and　modious。　In　addition　to　the　cotton；　there　were　the　other　two　c's：　chickens　and　a　few　cows。　He　and　his　wife　had　three　children：　Howard。　who　was　twelve　or　thereabouts；　and　the　twin　girls。　Cora　and　Kathe。

On　a　warm　night　in　June　of　that　year；　the　girls　asked　for　and　were　given　permission　to　sleep　on　the　screen…enclosed　side　porch；　which　ran　the　length　of　the　house。　This　was　a　great　treat　for　them。　Their　mother　kissed　them　goodnight　just　shy　of　nine；　when　the　last　light　had　gone　out　of　the　sky。　It　was　the　final　time　she　saw　either　of　them　until　they　were　in　their　coffins　and　the　undertaker　had　repaired　the　worst　of　the　damage。

Country　families　went　to　bed　early　in　those　days　…　〃soon　as　'twas　dark　under　the　table；〃　my　own　mother　sometimes　said　…　and　slept　soundly。　Certainly　Klaus；　Marjorie；　and　Howie　Detterick　did　on　the　night　the　twins　were　taken。　Klaus　would　almost　certainly　have　been　wakened　by　Bowser；　the　family's　big　old　half…breed　collie；　if　he　had　barked；　but　Bowser　didn't。　Not　that　night；　not　ever　again。

Klaus　was　up　at　first　light　to　do　the　milking。　The　porch　was　on　the　side　of　the　house　away　from　the　barn；　and　Klaus　never　thought　to　look　in　on　the　girls。　Bowser's　failure　to　join　him　was　no　cause　for　alarm；　either。　The　dog　held　the　cows　and　the　chickens　alike　in　great　disdain；　and　usually　hid　in　his　doghouse　behind　the　barn　when　the　chores　were　being　performed；　unless　called　。。。　and　called　energetically；　at　that。

Marjorie　came　downstairs　fifteen　minutes　or　so　after　her　husband　had　pulled　on　his　boots　in　the　mudroom　an