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She stood for a minute by the trunk of the tree。 'Bubber—；' she
said quietly。 'It's Mick。'
He didn't answer； but she knew he was there。 It was like she
could smell him。 She swung up on the lowest branch and
climbed slowly。 She was really mad with that kid and would
have to teach him a lesson。 When she reached the tree house
she spoke to him again—and still there wasn't any answer。 She
climbed into the big box and felt around the edges。 At last she
touched him。 He was scrounged up in a corner and his legs
were trembling。 He had been holding his breath； and when she
touched him the sobs and the breath came out all at once。
'I—I didn't mean Baby to fall。 She was just so little and cute—
seemed to me like I just had to take a pop at her。'
Mick sat down on the floor of the tree house。 'Baby's dead；'
she said。 They got a lot of people hunting for you。'
Bubber quit crying。 He was very quiet。
*You know what Dad's doing in the house？'144
It was like she could hear Bubber listening。
'You know Warden Lawes—you heard him over the radio。
And you know Sing Sing。 Well； our Dad's writing a1 letter to
Warden Lawes for him to be a little bit kind to you when they
catch you and send you to Sing Sing。'
The words were so awful…sounding in the dark that a shiver
came over her。 She could feel Bubber trembling。
'They got little electric chairs there—just your size。 And when
they turn on the juice you just fry up like a piece of burnt
bacon。 Then you go to Hell。'
Bubber was squeezed up in the corner and there was not a
sound from him。 She climbed over the edge of the box to get
down。 'You better stay up here because they got policemen
guarding the yard。 Maybe in a few days I can bring vou
something to eat'
Mick leaned against the trunk of the oak tree。 That would
teach Bubber all right。 She had always managed him and she
knew more about that kid than anybody else。 Once； about a
year or two ago； he was always wanting to stop off behind
bushes and pee and play with himself awhile。 She had caught
on to that pretty quick。 She gave him a good slap every time it
happened and in three days he was cured。 Afterwards he never
even peed normal like other kids—he held his hands behind
him。 She always had to nurse that Bubber and she could
always manage him。 In a little while she would go back up to
the tree house and bring him in。 After this he would never
want to pick up a gun again in all his life。
There was still this dead feeling in the house。 The boarders all
sat on the front porch without talking or rocking in the chairs。
Her Dad and her Mama were in the front room。 Her Dad drank
beer out of a bottle and walked up and down the floor。 Baby
was going to get well all right； so this worry was not about
her。 And nobody seemed to be anxious about Bubber。 It was
something else。
'That Bubber！〃 said Etta。
Tm shamed to go out of the house after this；' Hazel said。
Etta and Hazel went into the middle room and closed the door。
Bill was in his room at the back。 She didn't want to talk with
them。 She stood around in the front hall and thought it over by
herself。
Her Dad's footsteps stopped。 'It was deliberate；' he said。 'It's
not like the kid was just fooling with the gun and it went off
by accident。 Everybody who saw it said he took deliberate
aim。'
'I wonder when we'll hear from Mrs。 Wilson；' her Mama said。
■'We'll hear plenty； all right！'
'I reckon we will。'
Now that the sun was down the night was cold again like
November。 The people came in from the front porch and sat in
the living…room—but nobody lighted a fire。 Mick's sweater
was hanging on the hat rack； so she put it on and stood with
her shoulders bent over to keep warm。 She thought about
Bubber sitting out in the cold； dark tree house。 He had really
believed every word she said。 But he sure deserved to worry
some。 He had nearly killed that Baby。
'Mick； can't you think of some place where Bubber might
be？'her Dad asked。
'He's in the neighborhood； I reckon。'
Her Dad walked up and down with the empty beer bottle in
his hand。 He walked like a blind man and there was sweat on
his face。 'The poor kid's scared to come home。 If we could find
him I'd feel better。 I've never laid a hand on Bubber。 He
oughtn't be scared of me。'
She would wait until an hour and a half was gone。 By that
time he would be plenty sorry for what he did。 She always
could manage that Bubber and make him learn。
After a while there was a big excitement in the house。 Her
Dad telephoned again to the hospital to see how Baby was；
and in a few minutes Mrs。 Wilson called back。 She said she
wanted to have a talk with them and would come to the house。
Her Dad still walked up and down the front room like a blind
man。 He drank three more bottles of beer。 'The way it all
happened she can sue my britches off。 All she could get would
be the house outside of the mortgage。 But the way it happened
we don't have any comeback at all。'
Suddenly Mick thought about something。 Maybe they would
really try Bubber in court and put him in a children's jail。
Maybe Mrs。 Wilson would send him to reform school。 Maybe
they would really do something terrible to146
Bubber。 She wanted to go out to the tree house right away and
sit with him and tell him not to worry。 Bubber was always so
thin and little and smart。 She would kill anybody that tried to
send that kid out of the family。 She wanted to kiss him and
bite him because she loved him so much。
But she couldn't miss anything。 Mrs。 Wilson would be there in
a few minutes and she had to know what was going on。 Then
she would run out and tell Bubber that all the things she said
were lies。 And he would really have learned the lesson he had
coming to him。
A ten…cent tajdcab drove up to the sidewalk。 Everybody
waited on the front porch； very quiet and scared。 Mrs。 Wilson
got out of the taxi with Mister Brannon。 She could hear her
Dad grinding his teeth together in a nervous way as they came
up the steps。 They went into the front room and she followed
along after them and stood in the doorway。 Etta and Hazel and
Bill and the boarders kept out of it。
'I've come to talk over all this with you；' Mrs。 Wilson said。
The front room looked tacky and dirty and she saw Mister
Brannon notice everything。 The mashed celluloid doll and the
beads and junk Ralph played with were scattered on the floor。
There was beer on her Dad's workbench； and the pillows on
the bed where her Dad and Mama slept were right gray。
Mrs。 Wilson kept pulling the wedding ring on and off her
finger。 By the side of her Mister Brannon was very calm。 He
sat with his legs crossed。 His jaws were blue…black and he
looked like a gangster in the movies。 He had always had this
grudge against her。 He always spoke to her in this rough voice
different from the way he talked to other people。 Was it
because he knew about the time she and Bubber swiped a pack
of chewing gum off his counter？ She hated him。
'It all boils down to this；' said Mrs。 Wilson。 〃Your kid shot my
baby in the head on purpose。'
Mick stepped into the middle of the room。 *No； he didn't；' she
said。 'I was right there。 Bubber had been aiming that gun at me
and Ralph and everything around there。
He just happened to aim it at Baby and his finger slipped。 I
was right there。'
Mister Brannon rubbed his nose and looked at her in a sad
way。 She sure did hate him。
'I know how you all feel—so I want to come to the point right
now。'
Mick's Mama rattled a bunch of keys and her Dad sat very still
with his big hands hanging over his knees。
'Bubber didn't have it in his mind beforehand；' Mick said。 'He
just'
Mrs。 Wilson jabbed the ring on and oft her finger。 Wait a
minute。 I know how everything is。 I could bring it to court and
sue for every cent you own。'
Her Dad didn't have any expression on his face。 'I tell you one
thing；' he said。 'We don't have much to sue for。 All we got
is'
'Just listen to me；' said Mrs。 Wilson。 'I haven't come here with
any lawyer to sue you。 Bartholomew—Mister Brannon—and I
talked it over when we came and we just about agree on the
main points。 In the first place； I want to do the fair； honest
thing—and in the second place； I don't want Baby's name
mixed up in no common lawsuit at her age。'
There was not a sound and everybody in the room sat stiff in
their chairs。 Only Mister Brannon halfway smiled at Mick； but
she squinted her eyes back at him in a tough way。
Mrs。 Wilson was very nervous and her hand shook when she
lighted a cigarette。 'I don't want to have to sue you or anything
like that。 All I want is for you to be fair。 I'm not asking you to
pay for all the suffering and crying Baby went through with
until they gave her something to sleep。 There's not any pay
that would make up for that。 And I'm not asking you to pay for
the damage this will do to her career and the plans we had
made。 She's going to have to wear a bandage for several
months。 She won't get to dance in the soiree—maybe there'll
even be a little bald place on her head。'
Mrs。 Wilson and her