Ruth stood still for a while, then asked: “Dear, please, tell me, why are you so upset? Don’t you trust the boy with Ella?”

Tom did not answer.

“Well, what is it then, for heaven’s sake?”

He folded the newspaper and removed his glasses. “Mr. Cramer,” he said, “has been going from house to house today, asking people to join his organization. He’s charging ten dollars membership. He got at least thirty-five families to go along with it so far.”

“Well?” Ruth asked. “So what? I mean, he told you that himself, didn’t he?”

“Not that part, no. I found it out from Ocie Collins, who didn’t join. He gave me something to read, too. Some of the organizational literature the boy is handing out. Would you care to hear it?”

He got the paper out of his right pocket, straightened it and began to read, in a loud voice, over the blaring of the Western movie.

“ ‘Integration of Negroes with Whites declared unconstitutional!’ ” he began. “ ‘Don’t be duped by the politicians in Washington. They want to cram desegregation down your throat, and they won’t stop at anything until they do it. Unless you fight back! Yes! There is a way to fight. The Negroes can be removed from Caxton high school! Your daughters can be safe from contamination! For further details, come to ——’ ” Tom looked up. “He’s penciled in ‘The courthouse at seven o’clock Monday night, August 27.’ It’s signed Adam Cramer, Executive Secretary, Society of National American Patriots, Washington, D.C.”

Ruth looked temporarily confused. “Well,” she said, “maybe he does have some ideas, Tom. You couldn’t be against him for that, could you?”

“Of course not, not for that alone. But, damn it, if he has ideas, why doesn’t he go to some responsible members of the community and present them above board—”

“—and have them shoved down in a drawer, somewhere,” Gramp snorted. “I’ll tell you why, because he has brains, that’s why. You tried that, and see what it got. Nothing, that’s what.”

“Besides,” Ruth said, “holding a meeting is pretty open and above board, wouldn’t you say?”

Tom let out a long breath. “I don’t know. I just think that he’s going about it in the wrong way.”

“Ha!” said Gramp.

“He’s going to see you tomorrow, dear,” Ruth said, “didn’t he say that?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Well then? He seems like an awfully nice and intelligent boy. Doesn’t he?”

“Yes. Yes.”

Ruth stared at her husband for a time. Then she went into the kitchen.

Cautiously, Adam Cramer said: “Do you really want to go to a movie?”

Ella nodded her head.