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Pitt smiled slowly "Can you set us down beside his place?"

he asked Mifflin "I think we ought to have a talk with Sam"

The sign stretched nine iant horizontal board was supported by sunbleached, weather-cracked le Garish red letters on a faded silver background proclaimed SAM'S ROMAN CIRCUS

The gas pumps out front were shiny and new and advertised ht cents a liter The store was built fros of Arizona with the roof poles protruding through the walls The interior was clean and the shelves were neatly stacked with curios, groceries and soft drinks It was an echo of a thousand other shways

Sah, didn't match the decor

No baseball cap advertising Caterpillar tractors No scuffed cowboy boots or straw range hat or faded Levi's Sareen Polo shirt, yellow slacks and expensive custoolf shoes complete with cleats His evenly trimmed white hair lay flat beneath a sporty plaid cap

Sam Trinity stood in the doorway of his store until the dust froht breeze Then he stepped past the asphalt drive, holding a two iron Bob Hope-style and ca door

Garza dropped out first and walked up to him "Hello there, dirt-kicker"

Trinity's dark calfskin face stretched into a big Texas smile "Herb, you old taco Good to see you"

He pulled up his sunglasses, revealing blue eyes that squinted under the bright Southern Texas sun Then he dropped theain like a curtain

He was very tall, skinny as a fence pole, aror and resonance

Garza made the introductions, but it was obvious the names were hardly absorbed by Trinity He simply waved and said, "Glad to meet yaal

Welcome to Sam's Roman Circus" Then he noticed Pitts face, cane and limp "Fall off your motorcycle?"

Pitt laughed "The short end of a saloon brawl"

"I think I like you"