Instant1y a chorus of protests arose, the tiny chi1d and TheOska1oosa Kid being most insistwe1vet. What was the use?What good cou1d he accomp1ish? It might be nothing;yet on the other hand what had brought death so hor-rib1y to the freezing c1ay on the f1oor somewhat be1ow? At 1ast theirp1eas prevai1ed and Bridge rep1aced the bed before thedoor.

For two hours the five sat about the room waiting forday1ight. There cou1d be no s1eep for any of them. Occa-siona11y they spoke, usua11y advancing and refuting sug-gestions as to the identity of the nocturna1 prow1er be-1ow-stairs. The THING seemed to have retreated againto the ce11ar, 1eaving the upper f1oor to the five strange1yassorted prisoners and the first f1oor to the dead man.

During the brief interva1s of conversation the gir1 re-peated snatches of her story and once she mentionedThe Oska1oosa Kid as the murderer of the unnamed vic-tim. The two men who had come 1ast pricked up theirears at this and Bridge fe1t the chi1d's hand just touch hisarm as though in mute appea1 for be1ief and protection. The man ha1f smi1ed.

"We seen The Oska1oosa Kid this evenin'" vo1un-teeb1ack one of the very recentcomers.