the shoulder
of the parka and then he was on the porch； standing in the narrow corridor Jack
had shoveled through the snow； and safe。 They were too big to fit in here。
He reached the big double doors which gave on the lobby and dug for his keys
again。 While he was getting them he tried the knob and it turned freely。 He
pushed his way in。
〃Danny！〃 he cried hoarsely。 〃Danny； where are you？〃
Silence came back。
His eyes traveled across the lobby to the foot of the wide stairs and a harsh
gasp escaped him。 The rug was splashed and matted with blood。 There was a scrap
of pink terrycloth robe。 The trail of blood led up the stairs。 The banister was
also splashed with it。
〃Oh Jesus；〃 he muttered； and raised his voice again。
〃Danny！ DANNY！〃
The hotel's silence seemed to mock him with echoes which were almost there；
sly and oblique。
（Danny？ Who's Danny？ Anybody here know a Danny？ Danny； Danny； who's got the
Danny？ Anybody for a game of spin the Danny？ Pin the tail on the Danny？ Get out
of here； black boy。 No one here knows Danny from Adam。）
Jesus； had he e through everything just to be too late？ Had it been done？
He ran up the stairs two at a time and stood at the top of the first floor。
The blood led down toward the caretaker's apartment。 Horror crept softly into
his veins and into his brain as he began to walk toward the short hall。 The
hedge animals had been bad； but this was worse。 In his heart he was already sure
of what he was going to find when he got down there。
He was in no hurry to see it。
Jack had been hiding in the elevator when Hallorann came up the stairs。 Now he
crept up behind th