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Chapter 23
An’themen—well,theyraisedtheirsightsan’theyfeltthewindwiththeirfingers;an’thentheyjus’laytherean’couldn’shoot.MaybethatInjunknowedsomepin.Knowedwecouldn’shoot.Jes’laidtherewiththeriflescocked,an’didn’evenput’emtoourshoulders.Lookin’athim.Headband,onefeather.Couldseeit,an’nakedasthesun.Longtimewelaidtherean’looked,an’henevermoved.An’thenthecaptaingotmad.«Shoot,youcrazybastards,shoot!»heyells.An’wejus’laidthere.«I’llgiveyoutoafive-count,an’thenmarkyoudown,"thecaptainsays.Wellsir—weputupourriflesslow,an’ever’manhopedsomebody’dshootfirst.Iain’tneverbeensosadinmylife.An’Ilaidmysightsonhisbelly,’causeyoucan’tstopaInjunnootherplace—an’—then.Well,hejestplunkeddownan’rolled.An’wewentup.An’hewasn’tbig—he’dlookedsogrand—upthere.Alltoretopiecesan’little.Everseeacockpheasant,stiffandbeautiful,ever’featherdrawedan’painted,an’evenhiseyesdrawedinpretty?An’bang!Youpickhimup—bloodyan’twisted,an’youspoiledsomepinbetter’nyou;an’eatin’himdon’tnevermakeituptoyou,’causeyouspoiledsomepininyaself,an’youcan’tneverfixitup.
Andthepeoplenodded,andperhapsthefirespurtedalittlelightandshowedtheireyeslookinginonthemselves.Againstthesun,withhisarmsout.An’helookedbig—asGod.
