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almost stony, but she walked as if she had trouble keeping her balance.
    â€œDo you want me to stay?” Meecham asked.
    Virginia half-turned and said, over her shoulder, “What for?”
    â€œWell, there’s my answer.
    â€œRight.”
    He dropped behind the two women. When they reached the Sheriff’s office Virginia went in ahead, taking little run­ning steps. “Momma! Momma !”
    Meecham wondered grimly whether this was the real thing or whether it was ham too thick to slice.
    He walked slowly past the open door. Mrs. Hamilton was holding Virginia in her arms, rocking back and forth in grief and gladness. She was crying, and Virginia was crying, and Miss Jennings’ face was all squeezed up as if she too was going to cry. All three of them looked so funny that for an instant Meecham almost laughed.
    The instant passed.
    â€œGinny darling. Darling girl.”
    Christ , Meecham thought, and walked away as fast as possible to get out of earshot.
    At the bottom of the stairs leading up to the main floor a man was sitting on a bench, his back resting against the wall.
    Meecham stared at him curiously as he passed, and the man returned the stare, unselfconsciously, like someone ac­customed to attracting attention. In spite of the winter weather he wore no coat or hat, and his skin was mushroom-pale as if he had lived underground for a long time, out of reach of the sun. He was still young. His face looked younger than Meecham’s, but the shape of his body was like that of a dissolute old man—scrawny shoulders and pipestem wrists and a huge pendulous belly which he tried to hide by keeping his arms folded in front of him.
    He looked at Meecham, his eyes enormous in the thin sensitive face, and then he rose heavily and awkwardly like a woman far gone with child and moved on down the cor­ridor.
    Meecham went up the stairs. Outside, the Christmas tree lights were in place and turned on, but they didn’t show up very well because the sun was shining.

4
    When Meecham arrived at the house it was al­most dark and snow was falling again, a fine light snow, iri­descent, like crushed diamonds.
    Alice met him at the door. Though he’d only seen her once before, on the previous night, she looked very familiar to him, like a kid sister. He glanced down at her with a critical brotherly eye. She was wearing a cherry-colored dress that didn’t suit her; the lines were too straight, the color too vivid.
    â€œDo I come in?” Meecham said.
    â€œWell, I guess so.”
    â€œWhat’s the matter? Anything wrong?”
    â€œNo. Except that there’s no one here but me. Dr. Barke­ley and Mrs. Hamilton are out.”
    â€œThat’s all right. Maybe I’m early.”
    â€œEarly?”
    â€œI was invited for tea.” He consulted his watch. “At five. It’s now five.”
    â€œNo one told me anything about it. Mrs. Hamilton’s been gone all day.”
    He took off his coat and laid it across a chair while Alice watched him, still looking puzzled and rather unfriendly.
    She said, “Why did she invite you for tea?”
    â€œMaybe she wants to read my tea leaves. That should be interesting,” he added with a dry smile. “I might be about to get some money or meet a short suspicious blonde.”
    â€œThat’s not very funny.”
    â€œThen stop acting suspicious.”
    â€œI’m not.”
    â€œHave it your way.”
    He crossed the room and stood with his back to the man­tel, his left arm supporting some of his weight. His body was never quite erect. When he walked he slouched, and when he stood he always leaned against something like a man who had spent too much time in a car and at a desk.
    â€œWhere is she?” he asked.
    â€œAt the movies. She phoned at noon and told me she intended to stay downtown for lunch and do some shopping and take in a double feature. She sounded quite gay and girlish, as