THE SLANDER OF WITCHES

A second story of Buchanan, Pennsylvania (Driven-1954) is again an unimpeded narrative as this time a community, the vicarious elements it feeds on and the vicious results which ensue, provides an object lesson. Louise Wood, a quiet, unworldly, and rather unaware 22, returns to Buchanan with her Aunt Letty, has only the irritating attentions of faithful Harry to fill her evenings, and finds little to do with her time until Charles Morrison, an old friend of the family, offers her a job as his legal secretary. She is the only one not to recognize that her involvement in her work- and his cases- is also an attachment to Charles; a local murder breaks the apathy of a summer heatspell and she is for the first time aware of the vindictive elements around her; the whole town is soon talking- and Charles' wife returns from Europe to make the accusation which has existed in other minds' only; and a double tragedy leaves her walled away from the world- to pass the long years at the bedside of her aunt.... For rentals, a chastening and compulsive type of entertainment.