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A HALF HOUR LATER, Elsa got her first whiff of the ca without sanitation on a hot May day

At their tent, she found Loreda and Ant sitting on boxes out front playing cards Loreda had started h the stove’s short metal pipe and drifted sideways

At Elsa’s arrival, Ant juhter looked up and said, “Hey,” in that new clenched voice of hers

Ant produced a local newspaper that was stained and torn Across the top in bold black type was the headline: “Cri into State One Thousand Enter California Per Day” “I found this in the trash at school I stole it For the fire,” he said

“It ain’t stealing if it’s in the trash,” Loreda said

“I have a surprise,” Elsa said

“A good surprise?” Loreda said without looking up “Or another bad thing happening?”

Elsa touched Loreda with the toe of her shoe “It’s good Come on”

She herded her children toward the Deweys’ tent As they approached, Elsa s

Elsa called out a greeting at the closed flaps

The tent flaps opened Five-year-old Lucy stood there in her burlap-sack dress, skinny as a stalk of alfalfa, with four-year-old Mary standing so close the two girls looked conjoined

Lucy s teeth “Miz Martinelli,” she said “What’re y’all doing here?”

“I brought you so,” Elsa said

Inside theon a box, sewing by candlelight

“Elsa,” Jean said, getting to her feet