A few minutes later, Tim threw up his hands in irritation. Eric was still trying to fix up the camera. "Forget it," said Tim. "Let's do something right. Pack up. We'll go to the stables."

TIM WANTED some shots of Tommy on horseback surveying the snowscape after Eleanora's death. Driving there, Tim and Eric talked a little about possible solutions to the jeep dilemma, but, after a few minutes, the only noise in the car was the low, static-filled sound of the radio. Outside it was gloomy. The beauty of the day was transformed.

And, when we arrived, we discovered that we were too late: the owners had given up waiting for us and left. Eric, Tommy and Tim would have to return the next week to get the shot.

Suddenly, Tim said, "I want to break for the day. I'm unhappy and mean. I want to be nice and mellow again, like I was this morning."

Tommy smiled for the first time in a while and pumped some enthusiasm into his voice, "Let's take everyone to eat."

We got into the cars. Phoebe, entering the Dodge, yelled at the Volkswagen, "Hey, Tim, there's still some bourbon."

"We will avail ourselves of it presently," yelled back Tim, and he slammed the car door.

After dinner in town, we headed back to the cabin. Eric had gone back earlier to set up for the evening's shooting. When the rest of us arrived, around 6 p.m., the cabin's road was chain-locked and inaccessible. The chain was the province of the granite quarry next to the cabin, and Eric had our key. Rather than walk up the road to get it, Tommy and Tim decided to walk straight through the snowbound forest.

NORA, PHOEBE, and I waited in the car for them to come down and open up the road.

"Another case," said Nora. "They always do things the hard way," said Phoebe.

"We make suggestions, but they always have to do it their own way."

Silence. Suddenly Eric appeared on the road in the jeep. He had left the cabin just before we got to the road. We tried to honk Tim and Tommy down from their climb up the mountain of snow, but failed. Eric unlocked the chain and we went to the cabin.

It was totally dark now, but not like the night before. It was clear; as we walked into the cabin, we could see the stars. We could also see the haunted quarry.

Nora stood against the wall adjacent to the fireplace. Tim was shooting Eleanora from Steven's point of view, just after he discovers her, his dead lover returned. Nora was beautiful. She wore a long red dress that complemented her long red hair. Everyone stared at her, but she could not tell. The lights on her were too bright.

"Here's some bourbon," said Phoebe to Tim.