about it? I think we'd have heard from them again if
they were coming back. They probably got somebody else's baby by this
time." Martin finished his coffee and rose to kiss her good-bye. "But
for safety's sake I guess you'd better keep that gun handy."

The morning turned into a brilliant, sunshiny day. Puffs of clouds
moved slowly across the summer sky and a warm breeze rustled the
trees. It would be a crime to keep Reggie inside on a day like this,
Nancy thought.

So she called Mrs. MacDougal, the next door neighbor. Mrs. MacDougal
was familiar with what had happened to the Laughtons and she agreed to
keep an eye on Nancy and Reggie and to call the police at the first
sign of trouble.

With a fearful but determined heart Nancy moved the play pen and set
it up in the front yard. She spread a blanket for herself and put
Reggie in the pen. Her heart pounded all the while and she watched the
street for any strangers, ready to flee inside if need be. Reggie just
gurgled with delight at the change in environment.

* * * * *

This peaceful scene was disturbed by a speeding car in which two men
were riding. The car roared up the street, swerved toward the parkway,
tires screaming, bounced over the curb and sidewalk, straight toward
the child and mother. Reggie, attracted by the sudden noise, looked up
to see the approaching vehicle. His mother stood up, set her palms
against her cheeks and shrieked.

The car came on, crunched over the play pen, killing the child. The
mother was hit and instantly killed, force of the blow snapping her
spine and tossing her against the house. The car plunged on into a
tree, hitting it a terrible blow, crumbling the car's forward end so
it looked like an accordion. The men were thrown from the machine.

"We'll never be able to prosecute in this case," the states attorney
said. "At least not on a drunken driving basis."

"I can't get over it," the chief of police said. "I've got at least
six men who will swear the man was drunk. He staggered, reeled and
gave the usual drunk talk. He reeked of whiskey."

The prosecutor handed the report over the desk. "Here's the analysis.
Not a trace of alcohol. He couldn't have even had a smell of near
beer. Here's another report. This is his physical exam made not long
afterwards. The man was in perfect health. Only variations are he had
a scar on his leg where something, probably a dog, bit him once. And
then a scar o