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Chapter 8
Ever’timeoneofuskidsgotwormsoragutacheUncleJohnbringsadoctorout.Pafinallytol’himhegottostop.Kidsallthetimegettin’agutache.Hefiguresit’shisfaulthiswomandied.Funnyfella.He’sallthetimemakin’ituptosomebody—givin’kidsstuff,droppin’asackamealonsomebody’sporch.Giveawayaboutever’thinghegot,an’stillheain’tveryhappy.Getswalkin’aroundaloneatnightsometimes.He’sagoodfarmer,though.Keepshislan’nice."
"Poorfella,"saidthepreacher,"Poorlonelyfella.Didhegotochurchmuchwhenhiswomandied?"
"No,hedidn’.Neverwantedtogetclosetofolks.Wantedtobeoffalone.Ineverseenakidthatwasn’tcrazyabouthim.He’dcometoourhouseinthenightsometimes,an’weknowedhe’dcome’causejus’assureashecomethere’dbeapackaguminthebedrightbesideever’oneofus.WethoughthewasJesusChristAwmighty."
Thepreacherwalkedalong,headdown.Hedidn’tanswer.Andthelightofthecomingmorningmadehisforeheadseemtoshine,andhishands,swingingbesidehim,flickedintothelightandoutagain.
Tomwassilenttoo,asthoughhehadsaidtoointimateathingandwasashamed.Hequickenedhispaceandthepreacherkeptstep.Theycouldseealittleintograydistanceaheadnow.Asnakewriggledslowlyfromthecottonrowsintotheroad.Tomstoppedshortofitandpeered."Gophersnake,"hesaid."Lethimgo."Theywalkedaroundthesnakeandwentontheirway.
