Thunder rumbled with foreboding violence somewhere off to the west above the lush, surrounding hills of the valley. Yet, stars twinkled now and then in the warm, summer-night sky where the patches of gathering clouds didn't obscure them. A pale half-moon outlined the small town's hushed streets when the sweeping masses permitted, determining century-old, framed houses and great, gnarled elm-trees lining the ways. A white, wooden church-steeple that had stood in Crescent Valley since its founding some five-score years passed, dominated the heart of the settlement.

It was late, nearing midnight, and the town square, along with its two-blocks of locked business establishments, rested in the feeble, silent glow of sparse street-lamps and occasional neon tubings of vivid reds, greens and blues. A distance off in the hills, an animal, a stray wolf perhaps, wailed an eerie howl that carried across the uneasily sleeping valley. Then, the unmistakable sound of rhythmic footfalls against pavement grew louder, shattering the ghostly stillness. By the dim, artificial light, one could make out the trim figure of a young girl moving rapidly as she hummed to herself in a timorous voice and turned onto the darkness of Cypress Street, purposely ignoring the far-end of the square where the town hall loomed. Immediately, her tiny feet began to gain in tempo.

Lightning, but not of the jagged, bolt variety, momentarily illuminated her night world as she walked with increasing speed along the nearly pitch-darkened street toward her home. Her young mind was not at ease and she hummed as if to deny that to herself. She was thinking that her Uncle Link could get quite up-tight when she stayed out after eleven… and it was almost midnight. But they'd been having such a good time dancing and talking that she'd truly forgotten about the hour. She hoped that he wouldn't be waiting for her… and if Nell Carter was there he wouldn't be… that was a near certainty. She could well surmise what he would be doing with his bleached housekeeper from L.A…!