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           WhatcanIdotohelp?"

           "IwasgonnawashGrampaallover,"saidMa,"buthegotnootherclo’estoputon.An’’courseyourquilt’sspoilt.Can’tnevergetthesmelladeathfromaquilt.Iseenadoggrowlan’shakeatamattressmymadiedon,an’thatwastwoyearslater.We’lldrop’iminyourquilt.We’llmakeituptoyou.Wegotaquiltforyou."

           Sairysaid,"Youshouldn’talklikethat.We’reproudtohelp.Iain’tfeltso—safeinalongtime.Peopleneeds—tohelp."

           Manodded."Theydo,"shesaid.Shelookedlongintotheoldwhiskeryface,withitsboundjawandsilvereyesshininginthecandlelight."Heain’tgonnalooknatural.We’llwrophimup."

           "Theol’ladytookitgood."

           "Why,she’ssoold,"saidMa,"maybeshedon’tevenrightlyknowwhathappened.Maybeshewon’treallyknowforquiteawhile.Besides,usfolkstakesaprideholdin’in.Mypausedtosay,’Anybodycanbreakdown.Ittakesamannotto.’Wealwaystrytoholdin."ShefoldedthequiltneatlyaboutGrampa’slegsandaroundhisshoulders.Shebroughtthecornerofthequiltoverhisheadlikeacowlandpulleditdownoverhisface.Sairyhandedherhalf-a-dozenbigsafetypins,andshepinnedthequiltneatlyandtightlyaboutthelongpackage.Andatlastshestoodup."Itwon’tbebadburying,"shesaid."Wegotapreachertoseehimin,an’hisfolksisallaroun’."Suddenlysheswayedalittle,andSairywenttoherandsteadiedher."It’ssleep—"Masaidinashamedtone.