Evening star., 1955-06-16
BY MIRIAM GUTENBERG

10y 3t11AbAfAN1 " l.
1t started like any other day
In Lane Manor-an ideal suburb
for children in Prince Georges
County, right across the street
from a park.
Nancy Marie Shomette, 16, ran
down the steps from her bed
room, her full orchid skirt bill
lowing around her, her hair still
up in pir-curls.
In the kitchen her 7-year-old
sister Kathryn was trying to
talk her mother into making
pancakes.
"I'll make them for you when
I get back from school," Nancy
called pulling out the pins and
shaking out her 1ongish blond
hair.
Down the street in another
semidetached brick house Mich
ael Ann Ryan. IA, was in her
mothers bedroom, showing her
the skirt Mrs. Ryan had let down
for her.
"Look, mom," she said, IT
thought I'd grown a lot since
last year but l guess I haven't" !"
She ran back into her bedroom
and changed into a blue and
white striped skirt and a black
blouse. Her mother heard the
front door slam behind her.
Nancy saw her coming, called
into the kitchen. There's Mikey.
! have to CO."
The time was a few minutes
before 8 am.
Take Short Cut
Michael's younger sister. Ruth,
left the house soon after her and
saw the two girls cross the street
and enter the park. They were
taking the short cut through the
tree shaded field to Colesville
road and Northwestern High
School. Nancy's father had Of
fered to drive the children to
school but Nancy had said it
was so nice out she wanted to-
walk.
Nancy had to go to school to
pick up the report card for her
junior year, and Michael, who
was graduated last Friday from
st. Joseph's Parochial School in
Washington, went along to see
her friends. They expected to be
at the school for only an hour.
The morning wore on. Mrs.
Shomette washed slip covers and
hung them UP to dry. Mrs. Ryan
went next door for a coffee gos-
sip. Lane Manor is a neighborly
place.
Soon, the children began drift
ing back from school.
Teenagers from around the
corner and down the block kept
coming to the Shomette door toI
ask Mrs. Shomette if Nancy was
back yet. They had a picnic
planned at noon in the park.
Everyone was supposed to bring
something.
Some of her grades weren't
80 good. You know she was out
q lot with her asthma" Mrs.
Shomette said. Maybe she had
to stay for a conference.
She said the same thing when
Mrs. Ryan called. Boys had come
TO her house. too.
Puzzling News
But when all the children were
back and Nancy and Michael still
hadn't appeared. Nancy's father,
Print E. Shomette. called to one
of the boys, Come on. let's drive
over to school and see what's
keeping them"
The boy ran up to Nancy'SI
home room. Her teacher, Miss
Adelaide Clough, told him Nancy
hadn't been to school.
Puzzled, but not yet seriously
worried, Mr.. Shomette drove
home. He had just told Mrs.
Shomette that Nancy hadn't ap-
peared for her report card when
a boy ran out of the park.
There's somebody lying down
by the creek" he painted. They
think it's Petie'S sister,"
Mr.. Shomette ran to his car
again. Nancy's brother, Print,
jr., IL, is called Petite" by his
chums.
Down the street. Mrs. Ryan
heard the boy shout something,
saw Mr.. Shomette climb into his
car again and turn down the
dirt road into the park. She
clutched her neighbor, her eyes
wide with fear. |,
Something's happened tol'
Mikey," she cried.
Mr.. Shomette raced down the
dirt road. past the football goal
post. the basketball blackboard,