Evening.Thecampfire.Catsgiance.Juliewashinghershirt.Emmaherreticule.

    Tellmeastory,saidtheDeadFather.

    Certainly,saidThomas.OnedayinawildplacefarfromthecityfourmenindarksuitswithshirtsandtiesandattachecasestainingUzisubmaegunsseizedme,sayingthatIwaswrongandhadalwaysbeenwrongandwouldalwaysbewrongandthattheywerenotgoingtohurtme.Thentheyhurtme,firstwithopehenwithcorkscrews.Then,splashingiodineonmyseveralwounds,theyspedwithmeonhorsebackthroughthegatheringgloom--

    Oh!saidtheDeadFather.Adramatiarrative.

    Verymuchso,saidThomas.Theyspedwithmeonhorsebackthroughthegatheringgloomupthesideofasmallmountain,dowhersideofthesamemountain,acrossasmallriver,toanevenwilderplacestillfartherfromthecity.There,theyproceededtolunch.Weluogetherwithnotawordspoken.Then,afterpoligtheareadowntothelastchibone,wemountedonceagainandfledinsinglefilethroughthedampmistsoftheafternoonoverhillsanddalesandthroughhiatusesofvariouskisperhapsItremember,toayetwilderplakwiththeodoroffishandtheodorofdeadgrassesstillfartherfromthecity.Herewewateredthehorses,againsttheirwill,theydidnotlikethewater.IhelpedmakeafiregatheringdrybrahathadfallenfromthetreesbutwhenIhadfinishedhelpingmakethefireIwastoldthatnofirewaswanted.helessohemenopenedhisattachecase,withdrewhissubmaegunandunfoldingthefoldingstockfiredashortburstintothedrybratingthemaflame.Thehorsesrearedandcriedoutinfearandthehorseholdercursedthemaegunnerandcursedmewhohadhelpedbuildafirewherenofirewaswahen,mountingonceagainandleavingthefiretodowh