the grass had not been disturbed by the passage of men。 The blacktopped road was empty； the white line down the center long since weathered away and the asphalt surface badly damaged by the years。 An automobile using that road now would be forced to move at a snail's pace。
Chaney photographed the scene and quit the area。
Walking north with an easy stride； he followed the familiar route to the barracks where he'd lived that short while with Saltus and Moresby。 The site was almost passed over because it was covered by a tangle of weeds and grass； no buildings rose above the jungle。
Forcing his way through the tangle…and flushing from its nesting place a quick； furry thing he tardily recognized as a rabbit…Chaney stumbled upon the burnedout base of a building nearly lost in the undergrowth。 He couldn't recognize it as his own barracks； nor point to the location of his small room if it had been the barracks； only the long narrow rectangle of the foundation suggested the kind of dwelling it was。 Chaney peered over the wall。 A narrow band of frost lined the cement blocks at the groundline on the north side； pointing up the chill in the air。 Patches of blue wildflowers grew in the sunlight and…much to his surprise…other patches of wild； red strawberries sprouted everywhere along the sunnier side of the foundation。 He thought to glance at the sky； measuring the progress of the sun and the season； then stared again at the strawberries。 It should be early summer。
Chaney photographed it and went back to the street。 An abandoned place。 He continued north。
E Street was easily identified without the need of the rusted sign standing on a pole at a corner。 He stayed alert； walking cautiously and listening hard for any sound around him。 The station was quiet under the sun。
The recreation area was harshly changed。
Chaney crept silently in the entrance and across the broken concrete patio to the rim of the swimming pool。 He looked down。 A few inches of dirty water covered the bottom…residue from the rains…together with a poor collection of rusted and broken weapons and an appreciable amount of debris blown in by the wind： the pool had bee a dumping ground for trash and armament。 The sodden corpse of some small animal floated in a corner。 A lonely place。 Chaney very carefully put away the memory of the pool as he'd known it and backed away from the edge。 The area now seemed unkempt； ugly； and not a scene to be pared with more pleasant times。
He left quickly； bearing north and west。 The far corner was a mile or more away as he remembered the map of the station； but he thought he could walk the distance in a reasonable time。
Chaney found the motor pool before he'd progressed a half dozen long blocks。 Less than twenty cars littered the great blacktopped lot； but not one was operable： they had been wantonly stripped of parts and many of them were no more than burned…out shells。 The hood of every vehicle was propped open； and the batteries taken； not one of the small motors was left intact to provide him with an idea of the plant。 Chaney poked about the lot because he was curious； and because Arthur Saltus had told him about the little electric cars。 He wished he could drive one。 There were no trucks on the lot nor had he seen one anywhere on the station； although a number of them had been working the post during his training period。 He supposed they had been transferred to Chicago to meet the emergency…or had been stolen when the ramjets overran the statioii
Chaney emerged from the lot and stopped abruptly on the street。 It may have been an illusion brought on by tension； but he thought he glimpsed movement in the high grass across the street。 He slipped the safety on the rifle and walked to the curb。 Nothing was visible in the heavy undergrowth。
There were no holes in the fence at the corner。
The burned and rusted shell of a truck occupied a place that had once been a hole； but now that truck was a part of the repaired fence。 Barbed wire had been strung back and forth across the opening； pulled taut over； under； and through the wreck itself in such fashion that the truck became an integral part of the barrier； yet other strands of wire were laced vertically through the fencing； making it impossible for even a small boy to crawl through。 He went along the fence to examine the second hole。 It had been repaired and rebuilt in as thorough a manner as the first； and an old cavity in the ground had been filled in。 The barricade was intact； impenetrable。
Everywhere the weeds and grass grew tall； actually concealing the lower third of the fence from a man standing only a few feet away。 Chaney was not surprised to find the same gruesome talismans guarding the northwest corner； he had expected to find them。 The skeletal owners of the skulls were missing； but nowhere on the station had he seen a human body…someone had buried them all； friend and foe alike。 The three skulls hung at the top of the fencing； glaring down at the plain below and at the rusted railroad beyond。
Chaney turned away。
He prowled through the high grass； looking for anything。 Arthur Saltus had found no trace of the Major but yet Chaney could not help himself； he searched for any trifle that would indicate the man's presence on the scene。 It was impossible to give up Major Moresby without some effort； some attempt to place him there。
From somewhere in the distance the shrill； playful shout of a child pierced the morning。
Chaney jumped with astonishment and nearly lost his footing on a chunk of metal buried in the grass。 He turned quickly to scan the corner of the station he thought empty； then searched backward over the route he'd traveled from the motor pool。 The child was heard again… and then a woman's voice calling to it。 Behind him。 Down the slope。 Chaney felt an eager； mounting excitement as he spun about and ran to the fence。 They were out there beyond the fence。
He found them at once： a man； a woman； and a child of three or four years； trudging along the railway tracks in the middle distance。 The man was carrying nothing but a stout stick or club； while the woman was toting a bag。 The youngster ran along behind them； playing some game of his own devising。
Chaney was so glad to see them he forgot his own danger and yelled at the top of his voice。 The rifle was a burden and he dropped it； to wave both hands。
Ignoring the barbed wire； he climbed part way up the fence to show himself and gain their attention。 He shouted again； and beckoned them to e toward him。
The result left him utterly dumbfounded。
The adult members of the family looked around with some surprise； stared up and down the tracks； across fields； and discovered him at last clinging to the fence alongside the talismans。 They stood motionless； frozen by fear； for only a tick in time。 The woman cried out as though in pain and dropped the bag； she ran to protect the child。 The man sprinted after her…passed her… and caught up the child in a quick scooping motion。 The stick fell from his hands。 He turned only once to stare at Chaney hanging on the fence and then raced away along the tracks。 The woman stumbled…nearly fell…then ran desperately to keep pace with the man。 The father shifted his small burden to one shoulder； then used his free hand to help the woman…urging her； hurrying her。 They ran from him with all the speed and strength they possessed； the child now crying with consternation。 Fear ran with them。
〃e back！〃
He clung to the prickly fence and watched them out of sight。 The billboard and high grasses hid them； shut them off； and the childish crying was hushed。 Chaney hung there； his fingers curling through the holes of the fencing。
〃Please e back！〃
The northwest corner of the world stayed empty。 He climbed down from the fence with bloodied hands。
Chaney picked up the rifle and turned away； plowing a path through the weeds and grass toward the distant road and the cluster of buildings at the heart of the station。 He lacked the courage to look back。 He had never known anyone to run from him…not even those beggar children who had squatted on the sands of the Negev and watched him pry