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           Thiswasapredator,ahuntress,Artemisforpants.OldCap’nHawleycalledita"rovingeye."Itwasinhervoicetoo,avelvetgrowlthatchangedtoathin,mellowconfidenceforwives.

           "Morning,Eth,"Margiesaid."Whatadayforapicnic!"

           "Morning.Wanttotakeabetyouranoutofcoffee?"

           "IfyouguessIranoutofAlka-Seltzer,I’mgoingtoavoidyou."

           "Bignight?"

           "Inasmallway.Traveling-salesmanstory.Adivorcedwoman’ssafe.Briefcaseoffreesamples.Guessyou’dcallhimadrummer.Maybeyouknowhim.NameofBiggerorBogger,travelsforB.B.D.andD.ReasonImentionitishesaidhewascomingintoseeyou."

           "WebuyfromWaylandsmostly."

           "Well,maybeMr.Bugger’sjustdrummingupbusiness,ifhefeelsbetterthanIdothismorning.Say,couldyougivemeaglassofwater?I’lltakeacoupleoffizzersnow."

           EthanwenttothestoreroomandbroughtbackaDixiecupofwaterfromthetap.Shedroppedthreeoftheflattabletsinandletthemfizz.Then,"Mudinyoureye,"shesaidandtosseditback."Gettowork,youdevils,"shesaid.

           "Ihearyou’regoingtoreadMary’sfortunetoday."

           "Oh,Lord!Inearlyforgot.Ishouldgointhebusiness.Icouldmademyownfortune."

           "Marylovesit.Areyougoodatit?"