Renee Ketchler stood looking out through the kitchen window of her home to the back porch where Jack Frost had etched fern-fronds on the outside of the storm windows. Beyond that artistry laid the beauty of a snow-white world. She had never heard of snow in southern Illinois in October But then so many unusual things had transpired in the last few weeks. Could it be that such a short time had passed since her world had turned topsy-turvy, and in that turning brought more turmoil than one could imagine? Yet it had also solved some of the problems which had harassed mankind for many years."