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Chapter 16
Hesaidcoldly,"Yousureyouain’toneoftheseheretroublemakers?Yousureyouain’talaborfaker?"
Andtheraggedmancried,"IsweartoGodIain’t!"
"They’splentyof’em,"theproprietorsaid."Goin’aroun’stirrin’uptrouble.Gettin’folksmad.Chiselin’in.They’splentyof’em.Time’sgonnacomewhenwestring’emallup,allthemtroublemakers.Wegonnarun’emoutathecountry.Manwantstowork,
O.K.Ifhedon’t—thehellwithhim.Weain’tgonnalethimstiruptrouble."Theraggedmandrewhimselfup."Itriedtotellyoufolks,"hesaid."Somepinittookmeayeartofindout.Tooktwokidsdead,tookmywifedeadtoshowme.ButIcan’ttellyou.Ishouldofknewthat.Nobodycouldn’ttellme,neither.Ican’ttellyaaboutthemlittlefellaslayin’inthetentwiththeirbelliespuffedoutan’jus’skinontheirbones,an’shiverin’an’whinin’likepups,an’merunnin’aroun’tryin’togetwork—notformoney,notforwages!"heshouted."JesusChrist,jus’foracupaflouran’aspoonalard.An’thenthecoronercome.’Themchildrendiedaheartfailure,’hesaid.Putitonhispaper.Shiverin’,theywas,an’theirbelliesstuckoutlikeapigbladder."
Thecirclewasquiet,andmouthswereopenalittle.Themenbreathedshallowly,andwatched.
Theraggedmanlookedaroundatthecircle,andthenheturnedandwalkedquicklyawayintothedarkness.
