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“More about the sheriff running for Congress If you askbetween Axelrod and Garn Prescott’s about like choosing between a coyote and a skunk”

Sky gave the old man a quiet shing

“What’s that in your lap?” Jasper frowned at the sealed envelope “Don’t tell me you haven’t opened it yet”

“I’m not sure I want to I once read a story about Pandora’s box, how she opened it and let loose a world of trouble What if I’ a Pandora’s box?”

Jasper didn’t answer Sky stared at hi like dawn “You knohat’s in it, don’t you?”

The old ave it to that big-city lawyer Do you want me to tell you what’s inside?”

“I was thinking maybe I should just burn it”

Jasper leaned back in his rocker, his eyes half closed “You’re a strange one, Sky Fletcher Must be the Comanche in you They aren’t exactly the most cheerful folks God put down on the planet Not the ones I’ve known at least Alandering around with gloo the worst”

“This isn’t what you’d call a cheerful time,” Sky said

“No, but it’ll all cos usually do”

“I wish I had your faith With the sheriff running for Congress and wanting to look like a hero, he won’t give Beau a chance The last thing he wants is for folks to find out he arrested an innocent man”

“Hoyt Axelrod is a pompous rooster, but he’s smart If ant to beat him, we’ll just have to be s Border collie, who’d plopped down at his feet “But getting back to that envelope you’re too stubborn to open I promise you it’s no Pandora’s box Bull wasn’t one for fancy words, but he set quite a store by you—more than he ever let on What’s in there will tell you what you meant to him”

Sky shook his head “If Bull was here tonight, he just h alone—if I hadn’t brought Lute here and hadn’t looked for that bullet, maybe Beau wouldn’t be in so much trouble”

“Beau’s troubles aren’t your fault And beating yourself up won’t change what Bull left you or the fact that he’d want you to have it”

“Then you take this” Sky thrust the envelope toward the old ive it back to me later”