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And then…

I let go of him He would kill me if he could, but I couldn’t kill him

He fell into thecut on his cheek just above histhe whipcord from my ankles

I stood over hi hard “You’ve cut your face, Phineas Ask Doc if he’s got any wintergreen for that”

Chapter 134

IN THE BACKYARD I FOUND the old checker players fro up Byraon I’d been taken to the Klan rally That rally and the lynching that followed seeo

I heard an odd glunking sound behind me and turned to see two men with k

erosene cans working their way along the side of Abraha fuel on the foundation

The one nearest ham, Elizabeth’s husband The ht’s action was too saped open around the buttons

“Bring a match to that fuel,” I called out, “and I’ll shoot you dead Be my pleasure”

The otheraway froun To my horror, it was Jacob Gill

“Drop your gun, Ben,” he said “I would shoot you dead too”

Around us swirled a , and gunfire Yet at thatoff all alone in the iant, empty room

“Why, Ben?” he croaked “Why’d you have to come back and ruin our nice little town?”

Chapter 135