Gertrude listened for sounds from Fred’s house. After a moment she asked, ‘Who were they?’

‘I don’t know, I never saw them before.’

‘What’s he having, a party?’

‘I don’t know, Gert,’ he repeated, irritated.

‘You’re not really on speaking terms with him, are you?’ she accused.

‘We say hello.’

‘You used to be more friendly though, didn’t you?’

‘Not much more, no,’ he said, trying to calm her.

‘Your mother says you used to go down his cellar all the time.’

‘That’s true.’

‘Why don’t you any more?’

‘I don’t know what good all this is, Gert.’

‘I want to know. What’d he say when you told him about the garbage can being turned?’

‘He said he didn’t know anything about it.’

‘That’s a laugh. You know it’s a laugh, don’t you?’

‘Yes, I know.’

‘That’s their favorite trick, you know. That’s what they call a tactic. You know that, don’t you?’

‘I didn’t think of it just that way, but I guess it is.’

‘First the garbage pail, then they bust a window or two.’

‘Not on my house they’re not.’

‘What are you going to do, stand out all night to see they don’t do it?’

‘They’re not doing it on my house.’

He saw the second car turning the corner, saw it heading down the street and prayed against its slowing down. But it slowed and swerved, stopping with precision behind the other car that stood before Fred’s house. It was a big coupé. The door opened and a very fat man squeezed out and stood on the sidewalk looking at the houses. From around the other side of the car another man came and halted beside the fat man. They were trying to see the number of Newman’s house. Newman did not move. The fat man said something to the other and walked onto Newman’s lawn and came up to the foot of the porch. Newman actually turned as he sensed Gertrude drawing back into her chair. Then he looked down at the fat man who was calling to him.

‘Beg your pardon. Which one is 41 dash 39?’

‘Right next door,’ Newman said, pointing at Fred’s house.

‘Thanks a lot,’ the fat man said. With the other he crossed the lawn and mounted the porch heavily, and they went together into Fred’s house.

Newman felt that if he touched Gertrude she would scream out. He looked at her in the vague light from the parlor.

‘What’s …?’

‘Sssh!’

The minutes passed. He could hear nothing from Fred’s house. They must have gone down into the cellar. She moved her foot on the brick porch.

‘That’s no party,’ she whispered, with awful accusation. ‘They got no women. That’s a meeting.’

‘I guess so.’ His heart was pumping rapidly and he moved in his chair to stop it. ‘What about it?’ he said carelessly.

She did not answer. He listened with her. There was no sound from Fred’s house.

‘What about it, Gertrude?’ he demanded.

After a moment she looked toward the corner, then glanced down toward the other corner and out at the two cars. She got up, and without waiting for his assent, started for the door to the house.