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           Shedriedherbleachedandbloatedhands.

           Tomsaid,"Ma,whatstuffwegonnatakefromhere?"

           Shelookedquicklyaboutthekitchen."Thebucket,"shesaid."Allthestufftoeatwith:platesan’thecups,thespoonsan’knivesan’forks.Putalltheminthatdrawer,an’takethedrawer.Thebigfrypanan’thebigstewkettle,thecoffeepot.Whenitgetscool,taketherackoutatheoven.That’sgoodoverafire.I’dliketotakethewashtub,butIguessthereain’troom.I’llwashclothesinthebucket.Don’tdonogoodtotakelittlestuff.Youcancooklittlestuffinabigkettle,butyoucan’tcookbigstuffinalittlepot.Takethebreadpans,allof’em.Theyfitdowninsideeachother."Shestoodandlookedaboutthekitchen."Youjus’takethatstuffItol’you,Tom.I’llfixuptherest,thebigcanapepperan’thesaltan’thenutmegan’thegrater.I’lltakeallthatstuffjus’atthelast."Shepickedupalanternandwalkedheavilyintothebedroom,andherbarefeetmadenosoundonthefloor.

           Thepreachersaid,"Shelookstar’d."

           "Women’salwaystar’d,"saidTom."That’sjustthewaywomenis,

           ’ceptatmeetin’oncean’again."

           "Yeah,buttar’der’nthat.Realtar’dlikeshe’ssick-tar’d."

           Mawasjustthroughthedoor,andsheheardhiswords.Slowlyherrelaxedfacetightened,andthelinesdisappearedfromthetautmuscularface.Hereyessharpenedandhershouldersstraightened.Sheglancedaboutthestrippedroom.Nothingwasleftinitexcepttrash.