"Thank you, Mrs. Holk," the prosecutor said. "That will be all for now unless the defense wishes to cross examine." "No questions." The public defender leaned toward his client. "Are you sure that you won't testify in your own behalf?" The man smiled and shook his head. "May I call the next witness, your Honor?" "Will you tell the court your name and position, please?" "My name is Sylvia Johnson, and I am floor superintendent at the Rochelle School." "Were you superintendent during the eight years that Carl Sloan was in commitment at that institution?" "I was." "Will you tell the court any pertinent facts concerning his behavior up to the time of his discharge?" She smoothed the hem of her dress and looked thoughtful for a moment. "At first Carl seemed to be the oddest of all of the children in the school. He seemed to think that he had some kind of miraculous healing powers and couldn't, or wouldn't, understand why the rest of us weren't similarly blessed." She waited for the small titter to subside and then continued. "However our rather necessarily stern measures soon cured him of his delusions, or, at least, so we thought at the time. After that, he didn't seem to be very much different from the others. A little more sullen, perhaps, and not quite as quick to learn the duties expected of him as some of the less handicapped children; but then, _we_ can't work miracles at the school." She paused and those nearest the quiet defendant turned and stared at him. * * * * * _He didn't even notice for he was once again ten years old and standing outside his cousin's bedroom window. He wasn't supposed to be there because Billy was sick with an odd virus and had been quarantined until the doctors had decided what ailed him._ _"No," Billy said, in answer to his question. "Don't be silly. If I could get rid of this awful cough I would, wouldn't I?"_ _"I can," Carl replied, his youthful voice confident._ _Of course Billy didn't believe him but Carl saw what was to be done and did it. Billy's dad, disturbed by the excited conversation, came and told Carl to go on home where he belonged; but Carl forgot his scooter and had to go back after it. He could hear Billy's parents talking in the living room._ _"Carl is a very strange boy," said Billy's mother._ _"If you ask me, he's half crazy. All of this wild talk about doctoring cats, and that dead frog that he said he brought back to life."_ (_This was not quite true, Carl knew. The frog had not been dead, only sick. He had proudly told his uncle of the incident only a day or two before._) _"I think that we should have a little talk with Jane. Surely, she can see that he is not normal. He should be in that school for abnormal children over in the valley," Billy's father said emphatically._