The Trap and the Night Attack

The Bowdens' desperate plan to bait Cady into the house, the hidden defender, and the violence that ends the siege.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

Planning the Ambush

Planning the Ambush Context Sam rows Carol into the middle of the lake and tells her he wants to kill Cady. She answers without hesitation: not murder, but execution, and she volunteers to be the bait. Significance This is the hinge of the book. Sam's moral evolution reaches the point where he can name the deed, and Carol's recovery begins in action rather than waiting. Aftermath They design the plan around the house, the barn, the buzzer system, and the guns. The children are left at The West Wind with Nancy put in charge.

Return to Harper

Return to Harper Context Sam and Carol drive home through storm debris, inspect every room, and decide which parts of the house can be defended. Sam circles the yard at night with the revolver in his hand. Significance The house, once a refuge, has become a fortress and a stage. Every shadow on the hill is a possible rifle barrel, and the old farmhouse feels exposed. Aftermath They sleep with a gun under the pillow and booby-trapped stairways. The tension is no longer abstract; it is measured in footsteps and creaking boards.

Hiding in the Barn Loft

Hiding in the Barn Loft Context Sam and Kersek ride hidden in the station wagon, slip into the barn, and set up the loft as an observation post. Carol presses the buzzer key three times on the hour to prove she is still safe. Significance The buzzer system turns the barn and the house into a single nervous circuit. Sam waits among the children's broken toys while a professional soldier crouches in the cellar. Aftermath Kersek moves to the cellar at nightfall, promising to protect Carol. Sam cannot sleep, and the hours crawl toward the first light.

The Alarm Sounds

The Alarm Sounds Context A long buzzer blast rips Sam out of sleep. He falls from the loft ladder, injures his ankle, and hears Carol's scream and two shots from the Woodsman pistol inside the house. Significance The trap has sprung at the worst possible moment. Sam's physical collapse turns the carefully planned defense into a desperate blundering race across the dark yard. Aftermath He reaches the porch just as Cady bursts through the door. The violent collision sends Sam flying, and his blind shots chase the fleeing figure up the hill.

Death on the Hillside

Death on the Hillside Context State troopers find Cady halfway to his hidden car, dead from a torn artery caused by one of Sam's long-range shots. They carry the body down the path past Marilyn's grave. Significance Sam sees the body and expects guilt, but feels savage exultation. The civilized layers peel away, and he acknowledges a primitive satisfaction in the death of his enemy. Aftermath Ricardo promises to handle the paperwork. Sam walks back to the house to wait for Carol to wake, then plans to drive down to collect the children.

Monday morning in a rowboat on the lake at Suffern

Monday evening after a heavy rain

Tuesday evening after Kersek moves to the cellar

early Wednesday morning, August 7

dawn after the attack, when the troopers bring the body down