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Chapter 20
Malookedintothetent,whereRoseofSharonlayonhermattress.
Masaid,«Sh.Don’saythat.»
«Well,heain’tnogood,"Painsisted.«Allthetimea-sayin’whathe’sa-gonnado.Neverdoin’nothin’.Ididn’wanttasaynothin’whilehe’shere.Butnowhe’srunout—"
«Sh!»Masaidsoftly.
«Why,forChrist’ssake?WhydoIgottoshh?Herunout,didn’he?»Maturnedoverthepotatoeswithherspoon,andthegreaseboiledandspat.Shefedtwigstothefire,andtheflameslacedupandlightedthetent.Masaid,«Rosasharngonnahavealittlefellaan’thatbabyishalfConnie.Itain’tgoodforababytogrowupwithfolksa-sayin’hispaain’tnogood.»
«Better’nlyin’aboutit,"saidPa.
«No,itain’t,"Mainterrupted.«Makeoutlikehe’sdead.Youwouldn’saynobadthingsaboutConnieifhe’sdead.»
Tombrokein,«Hey,whatisthis?Weain’tsureConnie’sgoneforgood.Wegotnotimefortalkin’.Wegottoeatan’getonourway.»
«Onourway?Wejus’comehere.»Mapeeredathimthroughthefirelighteddarkness.
Heexplainedcarefully,«Theygonnaburnthecamptonight,Ma.NowyouknowIain’tgotitinmetostan’byan’seeourstuffburnup,norPaain’tgotitinhim,norUncleJohn.We’dcomeupa-fightin’,an’Ijus’can’taffordtobetookinan’mugged.Inearlygotittoday,ifthepreacherhadn’jumpedin.»
Mahadbeenturningthefryingpotatoesinthehotgrease.Nowshetookherdecision.«Comeon!»shecried.«Le’seatthisstuff.
