Before Wiley or Mierd or I could ask Mama why half the men in
Drake Eye Springs had come and what they were going to do, Mama
told Wiley to go chop wood. "And Mierd, you take Bandershanks
over to Grandpa's house and stay there till I call you."
Mama started shooing Mierd and me out through the hall toward
the front porch, while Wiley ran on ahead. Even though the door
to the front room was shut tight, we could hear all the men
talking, Mister Goode louder than the rest. "If he tries to come
in on my wife again, I'll shoot to kill!" Grabbing my hand and
Mierd's, Mama started pulling us along.
"Girls, hurry!"
At the porch steps we met Wiley running back.
"Mama, Ned's out yonder at the gate. That little humped-over
Stray, too. See them?"
Both Ned and Stray were astraddle of the donkey.
"Find out what they want, son."
"Ned's come to get Doctor Elton! I don't know who's bad off
sick. He just said Miss Dink sent him. Said Mister Ward ain't to
home, and something about Miss Ophelia's time coming."
"What time, Mama?"
"Never mind, Bandershanks.
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