I turned the car around and headed down the hill, and if you care to believe it,

I kept glancing in the mirror to see if something showed up behind. That was how far gone I was on Zeck. It was not healthy for my self-respect, it was bad for my nerves, and I was good and tired of it.

Mrs Rackham's place, Birchvale, was only five miles from there, the other side of Mount Kisco, but I made a wrong turn and didn't arrive until a quarter past three. The entrance to her estate was adequate but not imposing. I went on by, and before I knew it there was a neat little sign on the left:

HILLSIDE KENNELS

Doberman Pinschers

The gate-opening was narrow and so was the drive, and I kept going on past the house to a bare rectangle in the rear, not very well gravelled, and manoeuvred into a corner close to a wooden building. As I climbed out a voice came from somewhere, and then a ferocious wild beast leaped from behind a bush and started for me like a streak of lightning. I froze except for my right arm, which sent my hand to my shoulder holster automatically.

A female voice sounded sharp in command. “Back! The beast, ten paces from me, whirled on a dime, trotted swiftly to the woman who had appeared at the edge of the rectangle, whirled again and stood facing me, concentrating with all its might on looking beautiful and dangerous. I could have plugged.it with pleasure.

I do not like dogs that assume you're guilty until you prove you're innocent. I like democratic dogs.

A man had appeared beside the woman. They advanced. She spoke. “Mr Goodwin? Mr