Jim climbed out of his car, and I never saw such an eager look of anticipation on a man's face before. I didn't realize I was showing my dread, but when he saw my face, he became serious.
"What is it, Pete? What on Earth is it?" he almost whispered.
"I don't know. At least I'm not sure. Come on inside the house."
We let ourselves in the front, and I took Jim into the study. It has a large window opening on the back garden, and the scene was very clear.
At first it was an innocent scene—so innocent and peaceful. Just three little children in the back yard playing hide and seek. Marily, a neighbor's child, was stepping up to the base tree.
"Now look, you kids," she was saying. "You hide where I can find you or I won't play."
"But where can we go, Marily?" Robert was arguing loudly. Like all little boys, he seems to carry on his conversations at the top of his lungs. "There's the garage, and there's those trees and bushes. You have to look everywhere, Marily."