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"I still can't believe it," he said shaking his head, but not as vigorously

"Perhaps he means to tell you the truth someday but I didn't want to take the chance of his never telling you I couldn't leave here like that I'd be thinking about it all the ti about vou"

He glared angrily into the darkness Then he threw off his blanket

"I want you to show ht now," he said "I'm sure it's a mistake I'm sure"

"All right," I said "I will"

He got up, found his pants and slipped them on He didn't put on his shoes and socks, however, or a shirt

"Let's go," he said "and very quietly I don't want us waking them up if we can help it"

"I don't want us waking them up either," I said, but not because I would feel bad about disturbing their rest

We left his room and moved very quietly down the hallway to the stairs At the top, we stood and listened to be sure they were asleep The house seemed very quiet, but a house like this was never cos and floors creaked and the pipes s scurried about in the shadows

A thick candle burned on a table in the kitchen and the glow of that threw shadows over the walls, shadows thatflahten When I looked at Harley I sa anger had filled his eyes and tightened his jaw I knew that for now er was directed towardsuch fury in his eyeshim

"I'm better off without the crutch," I told him "Ill use the banister and just limp"

He nodded and we started down The steps beca under our careful footsteps After one in particular sounded as if it ive way completely, we both paused to listen and see if we had been heard

Harley nodded and we continued to the bottom of the stairs and then down the hallway to the basement door He looked at ht switch He flicked it and the light, as poor as it was, made us squint for a moment

"It's all right there in those cartons at the bottom" I said softly

He started down and I followed He stopped to look at the picture on the wall