a

citizen's　band　radio　as　well。　And　the　Rocky　Mountain　National　Park　is　within

helicopter　range　and　surely　a　piece　of　ground　that　big　must　have　a　chopper　or

two。〃

〃I　wouldn't　know　about　that；〃　Ullman　said。　〃The　hotel　does　have　a　two…way

radio　that　Mr。　Watson　will　show　you；　along　with　a　list　of　the　correct

frequencies　to　broadcast　on　if　you　need　help。　The　telephone　lines　between　here

and　Sidewinder　are　still　aboveground；　and　they　go　down　almost　every　winter　at

some　point　or　other　and　are　apt　to　stay　down　for　three　weeks　to　a　month　and　a

half。　There　is　a　snowmobile　in　the　equipment　shed　also。〃

〃Then　the　place　really　isn't　cut　off。〃

Mr。　Ullman　looked　pained。　〃Suppose　your　son　or　your　wife　tripped　on　the　stairs

and　fractured　his　or　her　skull；　Mr。　Torrance。　Would　you　think　the　place　was　cut

off　then？〃

Jack　saw　the　point。　A　snowmobile　running　at　top　speed　could　get　you　down　to

Sidewinder　in　an　hour　and　a　half　。。。　maybe。　A　helicopter　from　the　Parks　Rescue

Service　could　get　up　here　in　three　hours　。。。　under　optimum　conditions。　In　a

blizzard　it　would　never　even　be　able　to　lift　off　and　you　couldn't　hope　to　run　a

snowmobile　at　top　speed；　even　if　you　dared　take　a　seriously　injured　person　out

into　temperatures　that　might　be　twenty…five　below…or　forty…five　below；　if　you

added　in　the　wind　chill　factor。

〃In　the　case　of　Grady；〃　Ullman　said；　〃I　reasoned　much　as　Mr。　Shockley　seems　to

have　done　in　your　case。　Solitude　can　be　damaging　in　itself。　Better　for　the　man

to　have　his　family　with　him。　If　there　was　trouble；　I　thought；　the　odds　were　very

high　that　it　would　be　something　less　urgent　than　a　fractured　skull　or　an

accid