t mean to."

"No," Robinson answered. "No, I wasn't thinking of that. Roy says it was
the phantom that attacked him. He felt kinda like you do about it."

Robinson stood up and walked to the window. He stared upward toward the
dark, moonlit forest.

"When did you see the phantom?"

Bill looked thoughtful.

"It was just before dusk...."

"I guess I'm not making my question clear," Robinson interrupted. "I
mean, was it during hunting season?"

"It was last spring. We were plowing the north field."

"Were you carrying a gun?"

"No," Boody said, puzzled.

"That's what I thought."

Doctor Peterson was a frosty looking old chap with black rimmed specs
and a grey beard.

"You about ready to go back to town, Doc?" Robinson asked.

Peterson grinned.

"After I drink all the coffee in sight," he said. "And it looks like I
have."

Mrs. Boody was with them in the kitchen. The house was quiet.

"I've got to get gas and oil. Guess I'll follow you in," Robinson said.

"Good. The boy's all right. I'll be out again tomorrow. Ready to go?"

Outside the snow had finally stopped falling. The early morning was
clear, with a promise of a bright day to come. Robinson started his car
and warmed it up. The Doctor said good night to Mrs. Boody and came out
to climb into his Model T. Robinson backed out slowly and followed the
car down the road toward Indian River.

* * * * *

It was just daylight. Robinson left the car a mile from Rosewood and
entered the woods. He had taken his time in town, found an all-night gas
station to refuel his car and parked it here just as the sun came up,
coloring the frosty, blue-gray hills above him.

Half a mile from the road he turned and entered the swamp where he had
found Roy the day before. He started walking swiftly. He was weaponless,
having left the rifle in his car. Two hours passed and he had penetrated
deeply into the swamp.

He was cold. He had seen no fresh trails. A black squirrel chattered at
him, and hid itself on the far side of a cedar tree. A fox hurried
across his trail, a red blurr against the snow.

Far away, he heard the sudden dry "snap" of a twig. He found a stump and
seated himself. He was very quiet. Suddenly an icy coldness penetrated
his entire body. It wasn't the wind or the natural cold that troubled
him now. It was the feeling of death--sudden death--poised only seconds
away.

Death--behind him, and he dared not look arou