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ittle protest to the concentration camps and gas chambers？ What did Adolf Hitler know about the psychology of the masses that had helped him to achieve such absolute power？ The ruin of the German cities and the death camp data raised all of these questions but provided answers to none of them。
He was sent back to the States and mustered out of the ser
vice in October of 1945； and as soon as he was home he began to buy books about Hitler； the Nazis； and the war。 He read everything of value that he could find。 Bits and pieces of explanations； theories and arguments seemed valid to him。 But the plete answer that he sought eluded him； therefore； he extended his area of study and began collecting books on totalitarianism； militarism； war games； battle strategy； German history； German philosophy； bigotry； racism； paranoia； mob psychology； behavior modification； and mind control。 His undiminishable fascination with Hitler did not have its roots in morbid curiosity； but came instead from a fearful certainty that the German people were not at all unique and that his own neighbors in Maine； given the right set of circumstances； would be capable of the same atrocities。
Sam suddenly closed the book through which he'd been paging for the past few minutes and returned it to the shelf。 〃Dam…mit； I know they're here somewhere。〃
From his armchair Paul said； 〃What are you looking for？〃
His head tilted slightly to the right； Sam continued to read the titles on the bindings。 〃We've got a sociologist doing research in town。 I know I've got several of his articles in my collection； but I'll be damned if I can find them。〃
〃Sociologist？ What sort of research？〃
〃I don't know exactly。 He came into the store early this morning。 Had dozens of questions to ask。 Said he was a sociologist； e all the way up from Washington； and was making a study of Black River。 Said he'd rented a room at Pauline Vicker's place and would be here for three weeks or so。 According to him； Black River's pretty special。〃
〃In what way？〃
〃For one thing； it's a prosperous pany town in an age when pany towns have supposedly fallen into decay or vanished altogether。 And because we're geographically isolated； it'll be easier for him to analyze the effects of television on our social patterns。 Oh； he had at least half a dozen good reasons why we're ripe material for sociological research； but I don't think he got around to explaining his main thesis； whatever it
is he's trying to prove or disprove。〃 He took another book from the shelf； opened it to the table of contents； closed it almost at once； and put it back where he'd gotten it。
〃Do you know his name？〃
〃Introduced himself as Albert Deighton；〃 Sam said。 〃The name didn't ring a bell。 But the face did。 Meek…looking man。 Thin lips。 Receding hairline。 Glasses as thick as the lenses on a telescope。 Those glasses make his eyes look like they're popping right out of his head。 I know I've seen his picture several times in books or magazines； alongside articles he's written。〃 He sighed and turned away from the bookshelves for the first time since Paul came into the room。 With one hand he smoothed his white beard。 〃I can spend all evening up here picking through these books。 Right now you want me to take over the counter downstairs so you can escort my daughter to the elegant； inparable Ultman's Cafe for lunch。〃
Paul laughed。 〃Jenny tells me there's no more flu in town。 So the worst we can get at Ultman's is food poisoning。〃
〃What about the kids？〃
〃Mark's spending the afternoon with Bob Thorp's boy。 He's been invited to lunch； and he'll spend it mooning over Emma。〃
〃Still has a crush on her； does he？〃
〃He thinks he's in love； but he'd never admit it。〃
Sam's craggy face was softened by a smile。 〃And Rya？〃
〃Emma asked her to e along with Mark。 But if you don't mind looking after her； she'd rather stay here with you。〃
〃Mind？ Don't be ridiculous。〃
As he got up from the armchair； Paul said； 〃Why don't you put her to work after lunch？ She could e up here and pore through these books until she found Deighton's name on a table of contents。〃
〃What a dull bit of work for a peppy girl like her！〃
〃Rya wouldn't be bored；〃 Paul said。 〃It's right down her alley。 She likes working with books…and she'd enjoy doing you a favor。〃
Sam hesitated； then shrugged and said； 〃Maybe I'll ask her。 When I've read what Deighton's written； I'll know where his
interests lie； and I'll have a better idea of what he's up to now。 You know me…as curious as the day is long。 Once I've got a bee in my bonnet； I've just got to take it out and see whether it's a worker； drone； queen； or maybe even a wasp。〃
Ultman's Cafe stood on the southwest corner of the town square； shaded by a pair of enormous black oak trees。 The restaurant was eighty feet long； an aluminum and glass structure meant to look like an old…fashioned railroad passenger car。 It bad one narrow window row that ran around three sides； and tacked on the front was an entrance foyer that spoiled the railroad…car effect。
Inside； booths upholstered in blue plastic stood beside the windows。 The table at each booth held an ash tray； a cylindrical glass sugar dispenser； salt and pepper shakers； a napkin dispenser； and a selector for the jukebox。 An aisle separated the booths from the counter that ran the length of the restaurant。
Ogden Salsbury was in the corner booth at the north end of the cafe。 He was drinking a second cup of coffee and watching the other customers。
At 1：50 in the afternoon； most of the lunch…hour rush had passed。 Ultman's was nearly deserted。 In a booth near the door； an elderly couple was reading the weekly newspaper； eating roast beef and French fries； and quietly arguing politics。 The chief of police； Bob Thorp； was on a stool at the counter； finishing his lunch and joking with the gray…haired waitress named Bess。 At the far end of the room； Jenny Edison was in the other corner booth with a good…looking man in his late thirties； Salsbury didn't know him but assumed he worked at the mill or in the logging camp。
Of the five other customers； Jenny was of the greatest interest to Salsbury。 A few hours ago； when he talked to Dr。 Troutman； he learned that neither Jenny nor her father had plained of the night chills。 The fact that a number of children had also escaped them did not disturb him。 The effect of the subliminals was； in part； directly proportionate to the subject's language skills and reading ability； and he had expected that some children would be unaffected。 But Sam and Jenny were adults； and they should not have gone untouched。
Possibly they hadn't consumed any of the drug。 If that was true； then they hadn't drunk any water from the town system； hadn't used it to make ice cubes； and hadn't cooked with it。 That was marginally possible； he supposed。 Marginally。 However； the drug had also been introduced into fourteen products at a food wholesaler's warehouse in Bangor before those products were shipped to Black River； and it was difficult for him to believe that they could have been so fortunate as to have avoided； by chance； every contaminated substance。
There was a second possibility。 It was conceivable； alt