Jenny swallowed hard and felt the blood start

moving in her legs again. There was still the rest of the night to get through, but at least she knew who'd sprung this trap.

She replaced the fork, then pointed to the tower and said **no" a couple of times, using her sternest voice. The dog barely glanced at her; she was busy worrying at the door again.

After checking the other doors, and finding nothing disturbed, Jenny went back into the living room. She headed for the couch, then stopped and took the iron poker from the stand of fireplace tools. Gripping it tightly, she sat back down and waited for the night to end.

It was the poker that woke her this time, slipping from her hand and banging to the floor. Jenny's eyes flew open, then blinked at the brightness of the room. Morning, finally.

She sat for a minute, listening to the silence around her. Not a perfect silence, though. She heard a very familiar sound and turned her head to see Peaches curled up on the other end of the couch, snoring softly. Jenny didn't know when the dog had joined her. The last time she'd checked the clock, it was four-thirty, and Peaches had still been at the front door.

Well, none of the booby traps had been sprung, so whoever or whatever must still be outside. Or else they'd gone away. There was no doubt in Jenny's mind that something had been out there, though. And the thought of spending another night

alone in the house was abeady starting to make her anxious.

Suddenly Peaches lifted her head and pricked her ears.

Not again, please, Jenny thought. She couldn't go through that again.

But Peaches tumbled off the couch and trotted to the front door. Just as she reached it, somebody rang the bell and then called out. Peaches wagged her rear end, toppling Jenny's soup-can tower.

Jenny's neck was stiff, her eyes felt gritty, and just remembering the night made her scalp prickle with fear. She got up, reached for the poker, and headed slowly for the door.

Then someone called out again, and Jenny recognized Sally's voice. "I heard a crash in there!" Sally said. "I hope nobody's wounded or anything."

"I'm not wounded," Jenny called back. "Just barricaded. Wait a sec." She toed some cans away, sending them rolling noisily across the tile, then unchained and unbolted the door.

Sally walked in, holding a package in her hands. It was about the size of a shoebox, wrapped in crimson paper and topped with a white silk bow. She clutched it to her chest and silently surveyed the rolling cans, scattered silverware, and Jenny's droopy, disheveled appearance.

*Wild night, huh?" she finaUy said.

Jenny didn't feel like joking, and not just because she was tired. She was still frightened. It had been a wild night, but not the way Sally meant it.

Sally poked her head into the kitchen. "Gee, another barricade in there," she said. She eyed the poker in Jenny's hand, and raised an eyebrow. 'What did happen? Don't tell me somebody tried to break in."