И проиграли бой

           Jimsaidsoftly,"Iwantedyoutouseme.Youwouldn’tbecauseyougottolikemetoowell."Hestoodupandwalkedtoaboxandsatdownonit."Thatwaswrong.ThenIgothurt.Andsittingherewaiting,Igottoknowmypower.I’mstrongerthanyou,Mac.I’mstrongerthananythingintheworld,becauseI’mgoinginastraightline.Youandalltheresthavetothinkofwomenandtobaccoandliquorandkeepingwarmandfed."Hiseyeswereascoldaswetriverstones."Iwantedtobeused.NowI’lluseyou,Mac.I’llusemyselfandyou.Itellyou,Ifeelthere’sstrengthinme."

           "You’renuts,"saidMac."How’syourarmfeel?Anyswelling?Maybethepoisongotintoyoursystem."

           "Don’tthinkit,Mac,"Jimsaidquietly."I’mnotcrazy.Thisisreal.Ithasbeengrowingandgrowing.Nowit’sallhere.GooutandtellLondonIwanttoseehim.Tellhimtocomeinhere.I’lltrynottomakehimmad,buthe’sgottotakeorders."

           Macsaid,"Jim,maybeyou’renotcrazy.Idon’tknow.Butyou’vegottorememberLondonisthechairmanofthisstrike,elected.He’sbossedmenallhislife.Youstarttellinghimwhattodo,andhe’llthrowyoutothelions."HelookeduneasilyatJim.

           "Bettergoandtellhim,"saidJim.

           "Nowlisten——’

           "Mac,youwanttoobey.Youbetterdoit."

           Theyheardalowwail,andthentherisingscreamofasiren,andthenanotherandanother,risingandfalling,faraway."It’sSam,"Maccried."He’ssethisfire."