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           "Maybeshe’dholditagainstme,butIain’ta-gonnawakeherup.She’star’d."

           Pasaid,"Whereat’sthepreacher?Weoughtahaveaprayer."Tomsaid,"Iseenhimwalkin’downtheroad.Hedon’tliketopraynomore."

           "Don’tliketopray?"

           "No,"saidTom."Heain’tapreachernomore.Hefiggersitain’trighttofoolpeopleactin’likeapreacherwhenheain’tapreacher.Ibethewentawaysonobodywouldn’asthim."Casyhadcomequietlynear,andheheardTomspeaking."Ididn’runaway,"hesaid."I’llhe’pyoufolks,butIwon’tfoolya."Pasaid,"Won’tyousayafewwords?Ain’tnoneofourfolkseverbeenburiedwithoutafewwords."

           "I’llsay’em,"saidthepreacher.ConnieledRoseofSharontothegraveside,shereluctant."Yougotto,"Conniesaid."Itain’tdecentnotto.It’lljus’bealittle."

           Thefirelightfellonthegroupedpeople,showingtheirfacesandtheireyes,dwindlingontheirdarkclothes.Allthehatswereoffnow.Thelightdanced,jerkingoverthepeople.

           Casysaid,"It’llbeashortone."Hebowedhishead,andtheothersfollowedhislead.Casysaidsolemnly,"Thishereol’manjus’livedalifean’jus’diedoutofit.Idon’tknowwhetherhewasgoodorbad,butthatdon’tmattermuch.Hewasalive,an’that’swhatmatters.An’nowhe’sdead,an’thatdon’tmatter.Heardafellatellapoemonetime,an’hesays,’Allthatlivesisholy.’