Чужак в чужой стране

           "Jubal!"

           "Yes,Ruth?"

           "We’llstopforadayormaybemore.Thekidsdon’tmissme–andI’mnotachingtotakeoverbeingmotherlywithoutPattytodisciplinethemanyhow.Jubal,you’veneverreallyseenmeuntilyou’veseenmewithmyhairfloatingaroundmeinthewater–lookinglikeMrs.DoAsYouWouldBeDoneBy."

           "It’sadate.Say,whereistheSquareheadandtheDutchman?Beatrixhasneverbeenhome–theycan’tbeinsuchahurry."

           "I’lltell’em,Boss."

           "Patty,canyoursnakesstandaclean,warmbasementforawhile?Untilwecandobetter?Idon’tmeanHoneyBun,ofcourse;she’speople.ButIdon’tthinkthecobrasshouldhavetherunofthehouse."

           "Ofcourse,Jubal."

           "Mmm-"Juballookedaround."Dawn,canyoutakeshorthand?"

           "Shedoesn’tneedit,"putinAnne,"anymorethanIdo."

           "Isee.Ishouldhaveknown.Useatypewriter?"

           "Iwilllearn,ifyouwishit,"Dawnanswered.

           "Consideryourselfhired–untilthere’savacancyforahighpriestesssomewhere.Jill,haveweforgottenanybody?"

           "No,Boss.Exceptthatallthosewhohaveleftfeelfreetocamponyouanytime,too.Andtheywill."

           "Iassumedthat.Nestnumbertwo,whenandasneeded."HewentovertotherangeandjoinedDuke,glancedintothepanhewasstirring.Itheldasmallamountofbroth."Hmm?Mike?"

           "Yup."Dukedippedoutalittleinthespoon,tastedit."Needsalittlesalt."

           "Yes,Mikealwaysdidneedalittleseasoning."Jubaltookthespoonandtastedthebroth.