[THE ARRIVAL AT SKOOKUM JOHN'S]
[BONNY SEIZED A TRUCK, AND ALARIC A MATTRESS]
["THEY WERE PARALYZED WITH TERROR"]
RICK DALE
CHAPTER I
A POOR RICH BOY
Alaric Dale Todd was his name, and it was a great grief to him to be called "Allie." Allie Todd was so insignificant and sounded so weak. Besides, Allie was a regular girl's name, as he had been so often told, and expected to be told by each stranger who heard it for the first time. There is so much in a name, after all. We either strive to live up to it, or else it exerts a constant disheartening pull backward.