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           Gottothinkin’,an’purtysoonitmeansmorethanthewordssays.An’Iwouldn’prayforaol’fellathat’sdead.He’sawright.Hegotajobtodo,butit’salllaidoutfor’iman’there’son’yonewaytodoit.Butus,wegotajobtodo,an’they’sathousan’ways,an’wedon’knowwhichonetotake.An’ifIwastopray,it’dbeforthefolksthatdon’knowwhichwaytoturn.Grampahere,hegottheeasystraight.An’nowcover’imupandlet’imgettohiswork."Heraisedhishead.

           Pasaid,"Amen,"andtheothersmuttered,"A-men."ThenPatooktheshovel,halffilleditwithdirt,andspreaditgentlyintotheblackhole.HehandedtheshoveltoUncleJohn,andJohndroppedinashovelful.Thentheshovelwentfromhandtohanduntileverymanhadhisturn.Whenallhadtakentheirdutyandtheirright,Paattackedthemoundofloosedirtandhurriedlyfilledthehole.Thewomenmovedbacktothefiretoseetosupper.RuthieandWinfieldwatched,absorbed.

           Ruthiesaidsolemnly,"Grampa’sdownunderthere."AndWinfieldlookedatherwithhorrifiedeyes.Andthenheranawaytothefireandsatonthegroundandsobbedtohimself.

           Pahalffilledthehole,andthenhestoodpantingwiththeeffortwhileUncleJohnfinishedit.AndJohnwasshapingupthemoundwhenTomstoppedhim."Listen,"Tomsaid."’Fweleaveagrave,they’llhaveitopeninnotime.Wegottohideit.Levelheroffan’we’llstrewdrygrass.Wegottodothat."

           Pasaid,"Ididn’thinkathat.