И проиграли бой

           Macshookhishead."Latertheymight,butnowIthinktheywantashow-down.Theyfiguretheycanscareusoff.Jesus,Iwishthetrain’dcomein.Waitingraiseshellwithguyslikeours.Theygetscaredwhentheyhavetowaitaround."

           Anumberofthemenweresittingdownonthecurbbynow.Abuzzofquiettalkcamefromtheclose-pressedline.Theywerehemmedin,railroadguardsononeside,motorcyclepoliceanddeputysheriffsontheother.Themenlookednervousandself-conscious.Thesheriff’sdeputiescarriedtheirriflesintwohands,heldacrosstheirstomachs.

           "Thecopsarescared,too,"Macsaid.

           Londonreassuredagroupofmen."Theyain’tagoin’todonoshootin’,"hesaid."Theycan’taffordtodonoshootin’."

           Someoneshouted,"She’sintheblock!"Faralongthetracktheblockarmofthesemaphorewasup.Alineofsmokeshowedabovethetrees,andthetracksrumbledunderapproachingwheels.Nowthemenstoodupfromthecurbandcranedtheirnecksupthetrack.

           Londonbellowed,"Holdtheguysin,now."

           Theycouldseetheblackengineandthefreightcarsmovingslowlyin;andinthedoorwaysofthecarstheycouldseethelegsofmen.Theenginecrashedslowlyin,puffingoutburstsofsteamfromunderitswheels.Itdrewintoasidinganditsbrakesset.Thecarsjarredtogether,theendingstoodwheezingandpanting.

           Acrossthestreetfromtheright-of-waystoodalineofdilapidatedstoresandrestaurantswithfurnishedroomsintheirupperstoreys.Macglancedoverhisshoulder.Thewindowsoftheroomswerefullofmen’sheadslookingout.Macsaid,"Idon’tlikethelooksofthoseguys."