But that there Luke. He was a smart b.a.s.t.a.r.d aw right. Yuh see. Them Free Men couldn't even chase us cause Luke had the keys to the cage truck in his pocket. And it was a half mile at least to the first house where they could git to a telephone and call the Law. Even so. Luke wasn't takin' no chances. We didn't want to go git ourselves spotted, see? Drivin 'around in no State truck. And we didn't wont n.o.body to find the truck on some back road somewheres so they'd know right where to put the dogs out. The idea was, we was gonna hide it, see? Ah mean that truck was hot. hot. So Luke drove off on some little old dirt road, and then he put it in low-low gear and we went through some groves. 'Cept he made me git out and come along behind with a shovel. And ah had to cover up the tire tracks. Then we run it right into this patch of palmettos and he made me start cuttin' off fronds with this bush axe. Like ah said. He was a So Luke drove off on some little old dirt road, and then he put it in low-low gear and we went through some groves. 'Cept he made me git out and come along behind with a shovel. And ah had to cover up the tire tracks. Then we run it right into this patch of palmettos and he made me start cuttin' off fronds with this bush axe. Like ah said. He was a smart smart son of a b.i.t.c.h. He dumped all the gawd d.a.m.n tools out there on the road, see? All but son of a b.i.t.c.h. He dumped all the gawd d.a.m.n tools out there on the road, see? All but one one shovel and shovel and one one bush axe. He had bush axe. He had them them in the cab. And the tool file. Cause he knew we'd need 'em. Anyhow. We cut all these here palmetto fronds and bushes and covered up this here mother f.u.c.kin' truck. So n.o.body could find it easy. Less'n they jes plain fell over it in the dark. in the cab. And the tool file. Cause he knew we'd need 'em. Anyhow. We cut all these here palmetto fronds and bushes and covered up this here mother f.u.c.kin' truck. So n.o.body could find it easy. Less'n they jes plain fell over it in the dark.

Still. That son of a b.i.t.c.h wasn't satisfied. Oh, h.e.l.l no. We gotta drain some gasoline outta the truck and soak our shoes in it. And the bottoms of our pant legs. Cause Luke didn't wont the dogs to have our scent even if they did did find the truck. How 'bout that? Ah mean, that's playin' it cool, now ain't it? find the truck. How 'bout that? Ah mean, that's playin' it cool, now ain't it?

So we got away clean. We're out there in the woods. We beat the gun and we beat the dogs both. And Luke. Like he ain't never built a day of Time in his life, he's startin' to cut the fool. He's out there whistlin' and grinnin' and he says to me, he says, "Listen, you stupid b.a.s.t.a.r.d. Don't you go lightin' no matches now. You'll give us a hot foot that won't wait. We'll go straight to Glory like the Fourth of July." But ah jes grinned back at him and ah says, "Listen. Don't call me by none of yore gawd d.a.m.n family names. Ah might jes be forced to knock yore funny lookin' haid off. Haw! You call that thing a haid? It looks like an onion what fell off a truck goin' down Route 301 at sixty miles an hour."

Then Luke says, "You think you're real bad. Dontcha Fat Boy?" And ah says, "Naw, ah ain't bad. Ah'm jes a little bitter that's all. Like a lemon. So's you can suck me."

Dragline squatted there in the sand of the church yard. Idly he reached down and grasped the center link of his chain, rubbing it between his fingers, feeling how thin it had become in the past year. And yet he was thinking of something else, smiling and remembering. Then he began murmuring again, resuming his story.

He and Luke went through the woods, laughing and joking. When they found a comfortable spot beneath a large tree they sat down and had their supper; a half-dozen oranges picked in a grove and two bars of peanut brittle they had put away in their pockets for the occasion. Then Dragline went to work on Luke's shackles with the big file from the tool truck, filing off the rivet heads and spreading open the rings. Grinning, Luke ma.s.saged his calves and ankles, stood up and walked around in a circle, taking long, gigantic steps. Picking up the leather straps and strings and both sets of chains he drew back and flung the whole apparatus far off into a palmetto bush.

Well. Ah'm sure d.a.m.n glad to get rid of them things.

Dragline was beside himself with happiness, hopping and skipping around like a school boy, laughing and giggling and throwing out his arms in wide, jerking, uninhibited gestures.

We're free! Think o' that, Luke. You son of a b.i.t.c.h! Free! Free! We are as of right We are as of right now, now, as of right this f.u.c.kin' minute, sure 'nough, big a.s.s as of right this f.u.c.kin' minute, sure 'nough, big a.s.s Free Free Men! Men!

Not yet we're not. We got to get out of these clothes. And find us some food. We got to find us a place to hide where we can lay low until the heat is off us. And we got to get us some loot.

You jes let me worry about all that, old buddy. If we can git to mah place in Clewiston we got it made. Clothes, spendin' money-everything. Ah got an uncle that can git us a jug o' shine. And ah knows some gals too. Some nice, big t.i.tted country gals.

Oh, no. We cain't stick our necks out runnin' around with no broads now, Dragline. Later-yeah. But not now. Besides, the very first place they're gonna look for us is where we live. We got to stay the h.e.l.l gone from there.

Man, are you done gone stir-crazy? If ah cain't git me no p.u.s.s.y, what the h.e.l.l's the sense in me runnin' in the first place? And we ain't got to stay stay at mah place. We'll jes slip in and out real quick-like. At night sometime. h.e.l.l, they cain't be hangin' around there at mah place. We'll jes slip in and out real quick-like. At night sometime. h.e.l.l, they cain't be hangin' around there all all the G.o.d d.a.m.n time. the G.o.d d.a.m.n time.

No. Maybe not. We'll see. I guess we could head on down that way in any case. We got to go somewheres.

They knew where they were and had no trouble finding the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad tracks which would lead them to the Tampa area and then beyond. After walking a mile or so through the woods they reached the roadbed and waited until dark before continuing south. They were certain they had made a clean getaway but Luke was taking no chances. Every five minutes or so he would stop and listen for the baying of hounds.

All night they walked, stumbling along the ties and the ballast. Once they heard a train approaching and got off the tracks, crouching behind some bushes. The headlight and the noise of the whistle came closer. When the engine roared past they began running for all they were worth. But the speeding freight cars went whistling past them in a dim and shadowy blur. They were forced to give up, standing there with heaving chests and gasping breaths, watching the red lights of the rear end of the caboose gradually disappearing.

They kept on walking. They reached a water tower and decided to wait there for another train. But it began to get cold. It was in the middle of February and a light frost was forming on the ground. They put their hands in their pockets and b.u.t.toned up their collars. Dragline wanted to build a fire but Luke wouldn't permit it. After a few hours they heard a train approaching pulled by a diesel locomotive. It was heading north but by this time they didn't care about the direction. They crouched down, all set for the sprint, listening to the approaching roar. But it turned out to be the Silver Meteor flashing by at a speed impossible to catch.

They continued on in silence. It became colder. They began to shiver, alternately walking and then jogging beside the tracks, the rails shining in the moonlight and leading them onward.

Later they saw a frame house just off the roadbed beside an open, cultivated field. Two large chinaberry trees in the yard were casting deep black shadows beneath the foliage. The fugitives crept into this shade, examining the house, looking at the clothing hanging on a line behind the rear porch and wondering if any of it would fit them.

Treading carefully, they eased out into the moonlight. But when they drew close to the corner of the porch a large dog suddenly appeared, barking loudly and continuously. They froze. Wondering if they should make a run for it or attempt to s.n.a.t.c.h the clothes in spite of the dog, they just stood there, looking into each other's eyes. The dog increased the intensity of its barking until a loud, clear human voice challenged the night from inside the house.

Aw right. Who's out there?

Dragline and Luke sucked in their breath. The dog's barking went into a higher pitch. The voice insisted.

Who's out there? Yo'll better git the h.e.l.l gone from here. Ah'm tellin' yuhl They began to withdraw, not sure if they could be seen from one of the darkened windows or not, m.u.f.fling their footsteps but moving steadily towards the cover of the chinaberry trees and then out of the shadows and back to the roadbed. After they had reached the tracks and were out of ear shot of the house, Dragline began to stamp his feet and wave his arms.

Gawd d.a.m.n them yelpin' b.i.t.c.hes! Ah'd a-been a millionaire by now if it warn't fer them gawd d.a.m.n dawgs. Of all the f.u.c.kin' luck. Trains won't slow down. Cain't git no Free World clothes. And it's gittin' to be colder'n a witch's t.i.t out here.

Well, Drag. You can always go on back to Camp and climb back into your little old bed. I mean, don't forget. This bein' free is d.a.m.n hard work. I mean, maybe you just ain't cut out for the job.

Sometimes they sat down on the crossties and rested. But Luke was always anxious to keep moving. It got colder. They reached an area of citrus groves and could see fires dotted in regular lines out among the dark forms of the rows of trees. They could hear distant voices and the laboring growls of truck motors and transmissions. Gangs of workers were out tending smudge pots put out as a precaution against the fruit being damaged by frost.

Dragline wanted to curl up on the ground next to one of those fires and get some sleep. But Luke was afraid they would be seen and wanted to travel at night and sleep during the day. Dragline was reluctant but he listened to Luke.

On they went, following the straight, unwavering lines of the railroad tracks that led away into the starry night. But later it started to cloud over. A light, drizzling rain began to fall, catching them in open country where the only trees were small scrub oaks and second growth pine. All they could do was keep on walking, drenched and cold, their teeth chattering, exhausted, starved and miserable.

The drizzle stopped just before daylight. As dawn began to break the railroad track met and began to run parallel with a State highway. The high tension power lines that ran in sagging arcs above the ditch, the marshy ground and their sense of the geography of the area all told them that this was the Rattlesnake Road.

Sure enough. The tracks and the road led them past the fish camp on the creek and then the railroad began to bear to the right in a long curve which took them over a wooden trestle and then across a drawbridge. Cautiously they crept past the bridgetender's tower and went on behind the ramshackle general store which is in the very apex of the diverging highway and tracks.

It was daylight. They walked past the scattered collection of Negro shacks that formed an unincorporated community which didn't even have a name. Over to the left, rising out of the mists and the early morning shadows they could see the lookout tower of the forest rangers. Around them they could hear cars starting off for work and voices in the cabins and shacks.

And then Luke remembered the church. It was Tuesday. No one would be coming in. They could spend the day undisturbed, sheltered from the weather and shielded from the eyes of the Free World, getting some sleep and resting until nightfall when they would again resume their escape.

Leaving the railroad embankment, they began walking through the high brown gra.s.s and weeds covered with frost and dew that wet their shoes and pant legs up to their knees. They dodged among the scattered scrub oaks and came up behind the outhouse, making sure there was no one around and that the church was really empty. They skirted the rusty pump in the backyard, careful not to make any noise by stepping on the trash, the collection of tin cans, paper and bottles. At the rear of the church and to the side, a small addition had been built, crudely constructed out of bare cement blocks, the joints rough and out of line. There was a back door to this addition. And they found the door unlocked. They went inside, looking around at the rows of chairs, the pulpit, the piano. After they investigated a side room that had a few chairs and a mirror, a pile of collection baskets, a big jar of water and some plastic gla.s.ses on top of a table, they slowly let out their breath. Dragline went over to flop down on a chair, Luke smiling and pouring himself some water from the jar.

Well, Fat Boy. So far, so good, I reckon.

Dragline sprawled out, his legs straight with the backs of his heels on the floor. Folding his arms over his belly, he let out a moan.

d.a.m.n it. Wish ah had me some beans. Grits. Corn bread. Anything ah could chew up and swallow. Ah sure did think we were gonna be in Tampa by this time. Ridin' in on a fast freight. In real style.

What do you mean, chew, chew, Drag? Without no teeth, about the best you could ever do is Drag? Without no teeth, about the best you could ever do is gum. gum.

Aw right. Chew. Gum. Tongue. Lick. Swallow in one whole piece, alive and kickin'. Ah don't care. Ah'm hongry. hongry. Hey. What are you doin'? Hey. What are you doin'?

Just lookin' around.

Well cut it out and let's git some rest. You shouldn't be prowlin' around n.o.body's church. Even if it is a n.i.g.g.e.r church. After all. Ah mean, we can rest up here and hide out a while. n.o.body'd care about that. But we ain't got no call to be snoopin'.

I'm jest lookin'. I ain't hurtin' nothin'.

Today in the church yard as Dragline was telling the story, I tamped the ashes and the tobacco of my pipe down into the bowl with my finger. Then I took a deep drag, slowly letting the smoke out between my lips. I stared at the old church, at the wall and the windows, trying to visualize what it looked like inside, trying to see what Cool Hand Luke had seen that morning as he quietly walked among the chairs and along the walls, occasionally taking a careful peek outside from around the edge of the window.

But the way Dragline told it was like this: He kept right on. No matter whut ah said didn't make no never mind to him. He keeps grinnin' to hisself and keeps wanderin' around in there. Oh, man. He's gotta git into everythin'. He's pickin' up prayer books. He picks up one of these here fans layin' on a chair. They're made outta cardboard. Some funeral parlor outfit hands 'em out. Some picture of a saint or a apostle or somethin' on one side and the name of the funeral parlor is printed on the other side. So this fan belongs to some n.i.g.g.e.r what lives around here. But he's got his name printed on the handle in pencil. But ole Luke, he ain't satisfied. Oh, h.e.l.l no. He's gotta read read this here name. Like maybe he might know the guy. this here name. Like maybe he might know the guy.

Then he goes up and down the chairs. You know the kind they got. Yuh cain't see 'em from here but h.e.l.l, they must have seventy or eighty. Made outta wicker and stuff. But ah'll give them ole n.i.g.g.e.rs credit for one thing though. Every d.a.m.n one of them chairs has got a white cloth over the back. And ah mean they is clean. clean. Like some mammy must wash them things ever' week. Throw 'em in a black iron kettle in the backyard and boil the p.i.s.s out of'em. Like some mammy must wash them things ever' week. Throw 'em in a black iron kettle in the backyard and boil the p.i.s.s out of'em.

Anyhow. Luke's makin' like he's countin' countin' these chairs. Then he looks at this one up front what's got arm rests. That there's for the preacher. And then behind that is four, five more. These here is for the singin' choir. That's probably them in there right now. Singin' and moanin' away like heaven jes won't wait. these chairs. Then he looks at this one up front what's got arm rests. That there's for the preacher. And then behind that is four, five more. These here is for the singin' choir. That's probably them in there right now. Singin' and moanin' away like heaven jes won't wait.

So ole Cool Hand, he goes over to this beat up ole pianer and he plays with these phony wax flowers. And there's a gla.s.s candlestick from some dime store. But Luke finds some number ten still stamped on it n.o.body never washed off. Big deal. So it costs a dime? But Luke figgers that's really somethin'. Must have. Way he keeps lookin' at it. Then he plays with the pianer keys. Course half the ivory is gone off'n it. And underneath is ole wood and somebody wrote numbers on it. Tryin' to do it by the numbers, ah reckon.

And over the front door is this picture of Lord Jesus somebody got off'n a calendar. And an electric clock on the wall that cain't work. And the paint is peelin' off'n the ceilin'. Cobwebs and fly s.h.i.t all around. Oh. And the f.u.c.kin' floor is painted blue. Yeah. Ah remember that floor. Real dark blue.

Up front they got a stand somebody nailed together. That thing holds up this big Bible. Lick-lick. Lickturn or somethin'. Anyhow. There's a big tablecloth over it and then this here big ole Bible.

But ah'm lookin' over this big stove out in the middle of the room. Ah'm layin' down on the floor, tryin' to git me some rest. But ah'm rolled over and ah'm lookin' at this thing thinkin' o' how warm ah could be. Regular ole country stove. Big iron thing and there's a pile of kindlin' there too and ole newspapers. But naw. Luke don't wont to take no chances on smoke. But all of a sudden ah hears him start talkin'. At first ah figgers he's talkin' to hisself but then he says- "Hey, Mister Lord!"

d.a.m.n. Ah spins around and there he is, standin' up there like a preacher, bof' arms leanin' out on bof' sides of the Bible. You know how preachers always stand there. And real deep and loud, like he's givin' the whole f.u.c.kin' world a h.e.l.l-fire sermon, this crazy Luke starts preachin'. preachin'. But he's preachin' straight to But he's preachin' straight to G.o.d G.o.d though. He looks straight up at the ceilin' over his haid and he says- though. He looks straight up at the ceilin' over his haid and he says- "Hey up there, Mister Lord! How you doin' up there?"

Jes like that. How you doin'? Like he's the old man what lives next door maybe. Well, man, ah'm tellin' yuh. Ah comes straight off'n that floor like a Jack-in-the-box jes a-lookin' at that crazy son of a b.i.t.c.h. h.e.l.l, ah ain't cold no more and ah ain't hongry neither. Ah'm jest scared that's all. So ah says- "Hey Luke! What are you do doin'?"

But he don't pay me no mind. He jest looks up at the ceilin' and goes on prayin' or rantin' or whatever it was he was doin'.

"Listen here, Lord. Hear me out a minute. I got a bone to pick with you, Old Man." And then ah says- "Luke! Luke! Luke! You're takin' the Lord's name in You're takin' the Lord's name in vain! vain! Ah' mean. That there's a mortal Ah' mean. That there's a mortal sin. sin. Man. That's Man. That's blasphemy!" blasphemy!"

"Oh, yeah? Well, Drag. Ah'm a pretty evil feller already. You know that. h.e.l.l, everybody knows that. Ah mean ah done killed people and stole real money and everything." And ah says- "Aw, come on Luke. Don't do that. Dummy up and lay down here awhile. Let's rest up some. Come on now."

Cool Hand keeps on talkin'. Ain't nothin' gonna shut him up. And he's shakin' his fists in the air and his face is all screwed up like he's hurtin'. Hurtin' real bad. And he says- "Ah mean, Lord. Ah'm a pore, dumb son of a b.i.t.c.h and all like that. But you gotta admit. You sure do make it mighty hard for a man to keep up. How come you're all the time fixin' it up so that ah cain't never win out? Anything ah do, no matter how ah do it, it's all wrong? So that most of the time ah don't even know mahself what's wrong and what ain't?"

Well, by this time ah ah don't even know what don't even know what ah'm ah'm doin' no more. Ah'm crawlin' across the floor over to Luke. Ah'm practically beggin' him to shut up. It was jest beginnin' to git daylight. The sky was all red and there was thick clouds out yonder. And Luke, he's arguin' and cussin' and mad all at once. Ah tries to humor 'im. Like you gotta do some nut. Ah talks nice and soft to 'im. Real coaxin' like. Ah says- doin' no more. Ah'm crawlin' across the floor over to Luke. Ah'm practically beggin' him to shut up. It was jest beginnin' to git daylight. The sky was all red and there was thick clouds out yonder. And Luke, he's arguin' and cussin' and mad all at once. Ah tries to humor 'im. Like you gotta do some nut. Ah talks nice and soft to 'im. Real coaxin' like. Ah says- "Please Luke. Come on. Ah don't like this kind of talk. And G.o.d don't neither. It's blasphemy! Anybody knows better than that. You're gonna bring down the wrath of G.o.d on yoreself. On you and me both." But Luke says- "The wrath wrath of G.o.d? Ah thought G.o.d was love, Dragline? You know. Love thy fellow man and all that." of G.o.d? Ah thought G.o.d was love, Dragline? You know. Love thy fellow man and all that."

By this time ah'm prayin'. Yeah. Ah mean it. Ah'm down on the floor on mah knees. Now ah ain't scared o' nothin'. Nothin' on this earth. Ah ain't a-scared o' man, beast nor the devil. But f.u.c.kin' around with G.o.d. Now, that's different. So ah'm down on the floor, mah hands put together like they taught me in Sunday school. And Luke, he's still preachin'. And ah'm prayin'. Ah says- "Don't listen to him, Lawd! He's crazy! He's outta his pore, misbegotten mind! They done beat on his haid too much, G.o.d. He don't know what he's sayin'. But don't punish him. Please. Have pity on us pore convicts. We know we been bad. Real bad. But have mercy anyway. O.K.? Is it a deal, Lawd?" And Luke, he says- "Yeah Lord! Have mercy! Have pity! Cause ah'm a bad one aw right. But then again maybe you had had better punish me. But good. Cause ah really need it. Ah mean ah done better punish me. But good. Cause ah really need it. Ah mean ah done stole! stole! Money! Right out of the mouths of pore, hongry munic.i.p.al governments. And worse yet-ah done killed people. Well, maybe not exactly Money! Right out of the mouths of pore, hongry munic.i.p.al governments. And worse yet-ah done killed people. Well, maybe not exactly people. people. But there was fourteen of 'em. Before ah was even a man. Before ah could even vote. In cold blood. Men ah didn't even know. And one of 'em even had a Bible in his pocket. What did you tell But there was fourteen of 'em. Before ah was even a man. Before ah could even vote. In cold blood. Men ah didn't even know. And one of 'em even had a Bible in his pocket. What did you tell him him about love, G.o.d? Or don't you really speak that heathen tongue o' his'n after all? And what about all them starvin' heathen kids and women folk? And them ah wasn't allowed to feed or even talk to cause they was enemies? And how come after ah had to do all this burnin' and killin' they made about love, G.o.d? Or don't you really speak that heathen tongue o' his'n after all? And what about all them starvin' heathen kids and women folk? And them ah wasn't allowed to feed or even talk to cause they was enemies? And how come after ah had to do all this burnin' and killin' they made me me out somethin' special? Music, speeches, flags, medals? h.e.l.l, ah was Good Guy Number One. And how come everywhere ah went ah could always see some man of the cloth hangin' around? Smilin' and grinnin' and salutin'? Wearin' war ribbons and officer's marks and all like that there?" out somethin' special? Music, speeches, flags, medals? h.e.l.l, ah was Good Guy Number One. And how come everywhere ah went ah could always see some man of the cloth hangin' around? Smilin' and grinnin' and salutin'? Wearin' war ribbons and officer's marks and all like that there?"

Man. It was too much fer me. Ah couldn't even look no more. Ah jes covered up mah face and ah says- "Oh, please. Don't lissen to him, Lawd. You cain't hold his sins against a crazy man. Can you Lawd? Ah mean. That ain't fair. He's nuts! His haid is all banged up and scarred. He's had hisself a pretty tough time. But it ain't his fault. Is it? Is it Lawd?"

But right then. Right in the middle of this threeway argument we're havin'. Comin' from right outta nowhere, ah hears this voice callin 'out- "Luke! Dragline! Come on out of there!"

Course, ah knew who it was. Boss G.o.dfrey. And ah says to mahself, "Oh, d.a.m.n, d.a.m.n. Lawd he'p us. Boss G.o.dfrey's G.o.dfrey's out there." And then he yells out again- out there." And then he yells out again- "Luke! Come on out! This is the end of the line!

Right away ah goes scootin' over to a winder on mah hands and knees and real careful like, ah looks outside. Then ah tears a.s.s over to the other side and looks out. After that ah jes fell flat. Ah jes couldn't look. Ah buries mah haid in mah arms like a gawd d.a.m.n ostrich does and ah says to Luke- "Oh d.a.m.n it, Luke. We're surrounded. They done caught up with us already. Already! Already! They's a thousand cops out there. Man, they're crawlin 'around behind the bushes and the trees thick as red bugs. And there ain't no way of gittin' outta here." They's a thousand cops out there. Man, they're crawlin 'around behind the bushes and the trees thick as red bugs. And there ain't no way of gittin' outta here."

But Luke, he didn't even move. He jes stood there like he was, leanin' on this table thing, one hand on each side of this Bible. He keeps lookin' up at the ceilin'. But he ain't mad no more. All of a sudden his lips is all puckered up. It looked like it was jes about all he could do to keep from bustin' out loud and laughin' his a.s.s off.

But not me. Ah knew the fix we was in. Ah mean, ah knew. knew. And ah tried to tell 'im. Ah And ah tried to tell 'im. Ah tried. tried. Ah says to him- Ah says to him- "They got all kinds of Law out there, Luke! The Walkin' Boss. The Captain. Shotgun guards. The Dog Boy. The Sheriff. The Highway Patrol. Oh, d.a.m.n, d.a.m.n. What are we gonna do? What can we do?"

But he jest grins. Ah'm tellin' yuh. He jes grins up at the ceilin' and he says- "Do? Well, Dragline. Ah don't know. Ah reckon about all we can do right now is jest try and play it cool."

s.h.i.t. That was all ah had to hear. "Play it cool?," ah says. "Cool? How can we be cool when we're hotter'n the hinges of h.e.l.l? They'll blow our a.s.s clean off if we try anything. They got a natural dead-lock right on us." How can we be cool when we're hotter'n the hinges of h.e.l.l? They'll blow our a.s.s clean off if we try anything. They got a natural dead-lock right on us."

But Luke jest stepped down from behind this Bible thing and he walks real slow right up to the winder. The sun was startin' to shine by then and it was comin' right in on him. And he raises bof' his two hands right up in the air and he yells out loud and clear- "Aw right, Boss! Don't shoot! You got us! We give up!"

And right then. He didn't even aim. He didn't even hafta shift his rifle around. He jes let it dangle real loose like in his hands. And jes like that, Boss G.o.dfrey pulled the trigger.

27.

THE BULLET HIT LUKE SQUARELY IN THE throat and pa.s.sed completely through his neck, the force of it nearly knocking him over, making him stagger back several steps to keep his footing. The bullet ricocheted off the stove pipe and then the brick chimney, bouncing back at an angle to hit the ceiling and finally fell on top of the piano keyboard, the dim interior of the church filled with a puff of soot and of brick dust, the thwacking sounds of the bullet forming a single, instantaneous chord that culminated with the sounding of several treble notes on the piano.

Dragline began to crawl in a frenzied scuttle towards some sort of cover. He stumbled and kicked and paddled his way through the ma.s.s of cane chairs and then scurried behind the home-made lectern, trying to hide himself in the cramped hollow within.

There was silence. After the noise of the gunshot and the frantic, scrambling sounds, it was like a vacuum; ethereal, delicate, vibrating with a sensation of the infinite.

Dragline cowered behind the lectern, not daring to move, his mouth bitter with the taste of desperation that struggled inside his chest. Hearing nothing but the last faint hum of the piano, he cautiously peered around the edge. And he saw Luke standing there in the same place, the floor strewn with tiny gla.s.s fragments glittering in the sunlight streaming in through the window. His hands were still raised, his left arm trembling violently as he stared through the jagged window pane. He stood there swaying, trying to say something, blood gushing from the hole in his neck and from out of his mouth, his lips twitching uncontrollably. Slowly he sank to the floor, not falling nor even collapsing but just laying down with weariness.

Seconds later the commotion began. There were shouts outside and curses, the squeaks and rattles and thumps of men running and struggling.

G.o.d d.a.m.n you! What d'you do that for?

Keep your f.u.c.kin' nose out of this.

Come on, Boss! Come on!

Hey! You!

There were footsteps out front and then the door burst open. Shoes sc.r.a.ped and pounded, coming inside. Dragline was trying to squeeze himself under the lectern, reaching up to grab the huge Bible and the tablecloth off the top, pulling them over his head. He whimpered and prayed in a low moan, trying not to hear the clear, emphatic voice of the Dog Boy as he yelled out with the excitement of triumph and revenge.

Here he is, Boss! You got 'iml You got 'im good! Hey, here's the other one too. The fat boy hisself. Hidin' in the back. I'll git him for you Boss. You got the other one. Let me get this one.

More footsteps, curses, the sound of a slap.

Put that thing down, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d. Put it down. There's been enough killin' here for one day.

Hands reached into the lectern, grabbed Dragline's shirt and pulled him to his feet, the Sheriff and his deputy holding his arms with desperate purpose. Dragline saw the Captain standing there inside the door with Boss Paul and Boss Hughes. Boss G.o.dfrey was nearby, his rifle dangling loosely in one hand. A uniformed sergeant of the Highway Patrol grappled with the Dog Boy, slapping him in the face and holding up his gun hand by the wrist.

Breathing heavily, the Sheriff snapped a pair of handcuffs on Dragline and started to hustle him outside. At the same time the two shotgun guards went over to Luke. As soon as they touched him he struggled to rise to his feet. But he couldn't stand up alone, his left arm and leg shivering, the corner of his lips and his cheek trembling violently.

Dragline was led outside and put in the back seat of the Sheriff's car. There was a small crowd gathered nearby, a dozen Negroes huddled together, three disheveled men in green uniforms, one of them talking nervously.

I was on duty. Midnight to eight. Up in the tower. And I saw 'em. Plain. The two of 'em. They were wearin' these striped pants. Sneakin' around behind this here n.i.g.g.e.r shack. I could see 'em plain in the gla.s.ses. There was frost last night. They were puttin' out smudge pots and fires all over the groves. I had to keep my eyes open. You know. You gotta stay on your toes at a time like that. Case some of them fires get outta hand. So I'm lookin' all around. But convicts! h.e.l.l, I never figured on seein' no convicts. But there they were. As big as life.

And Dragline heard the sergeant of the Highway Patrol say something to the Captain about providing an escort, about Orlando and the nearest hospital. But then he heard some dry spitting and a slow drawl, the Captain muttering something about not being authorized, about expenses and something about prison hospital.

Luke came out the door of the church supported by both arms between the two guards. And that was the last time that Dragline ever saw him. He was dragged stumbling past the car window, his entire left side twitching and shivering in spasms. They put him in the Captain's black and yellow coupe and put cuffs around his ankles, put a safety belt around his waist and locked his wrists so that his hands dangled securely in his lap. Luke slumped forward, his head hanging at a strange angle, blood running down his neck and over his chest and belly, his mouth trembling but not making a sound.

Then the Captain got in the car and drove off towards Raiford, a hundred and twenty miles away.

28.

AFTER LUKE AND DRAGLINE HAD TAKEN OFF with the tool truck the Bull Gang finished up the day. But we doubled up and went out on the Road the next morning with Boss Palmer's gang. Boss G.o.dfrey was missing all day and so was Boss Paul and Boss Hughes. But other than that we didn't know anything about what was going on until after we had checked in that night. Then we found Dragline sitting on the floor next to his bunk, smoking a cigarette, staring down in sullen brooding at the shiny, brand-new set of shackles that were riveted to his ankles.

Silently we listened as Dragline told us about the escape and the shooting. Later in the evening, after the Last bell, Jabo the Cook was let inside the Chute by the Wicker Man. Jabo had been kept up late in order to fix the Captain, who had returned to Camp just after dark, some supper. And it was from Jabo that we got the message, whispered first to Carr and then murmured to the Wicker Man who repeated it to the Dog Boy lying there on his bunk. But the Wicker Man said it loudly enough so that everyone in the Building could hear, speaking in a crude, cruel and rasping manner, his words going right through us.

WELL, THAT LUKE FELLER IS DEAD. THE ONE YOU BEEN OUT CHASIN' ALL THE TIME. DIED UP AT RAIFORD. RECKON HE AIN'T GONNA GIVE n.o.bODY NO MORE TROUBLE NOW.

We just lay there in our beds staring up at the ceiling, at the light bulbs, at the shape of the man's body pressing down on the mattress sagging above us. There was no sound; not even the squeaking of bed springs as men rolled over, not a cough nor a fart, not even the sound of breathing.

And then we heard the stretch and the rub of the Floorwalker's crepe soled shoes and felt the subtle vibration of the Building as he paced back and forth, on guard and alert, wearing away his Time.