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Chapter 30
Shepickedtheflower.Shetookapetalcarefullyoffandstuckitonhernose.Winfieldranuptosee.
«Lemmehaveone?»hesaid.
«No,sir!It’sallmine.Ifoun’it.»Shestuckanotherredpetalonherforehead,alittlebright-redheart.
«Comeon,Ruthie!Lemmehaveone.Comeon,now.»Hegrabbedattheflowerinherhandandmissedit,andRuthiebangedhiminthefacewithheropenhand.Hestoodforamoment,surprised,andthenhislipsshookandhiseyeswelled.
Theotherscaughtup.«Nowwhatyoudone?»Maasked.«Nowwhatyoudone?»
«Hetriedtograbmyfl’ar.»
Winfieldsobbed,«I—on’ywantedone—to—stickonmynose.»
«Givehimone,Ruthie.»
«Leavehimfindhisown.Thishere’smine.»
«Ruthie!Yougivehimone.»
RuthieheardthethreatinMa’stone,andchangedhertactics.
«Here,"shesaidwithelaboratekindness.«I’llstickononeforyou.»Theolderpeoplewalkedon.Winfieldheldhisnoseneartoher.Shewetapetalwithhertongueandjabbeditcruellyonhisnose.«Youlittleson-of-a-bitch,"shesaidsoftly.Winfieldfeltforthepetalwithhisfingers,andpresseditdownonhisnose.Theywalkedquicklyaftertheothers.Ruthiefelthowthefunwasgone.«Here,"shesaid.«Here’ssomemore.Sticksomeonyourforehead.»
Fromtherightoftheroadtherecameasharpswishing.Macried,«Hurryup.They’sabigrain.Le’sgothroughthefencehere.It’sshorter.Comeon,now!Bearon,Rosasharn.»Theyhalfdraggedthegirlacrosstheditch,helpedherthroughthefence.
