depending　on　him；　Danny　and　Wendy　sitting　peacefully　downstairs　in　front　of　the

fire　and　working　on　the　first　of　the　second…grade　reading　primers；　thinking

everything　was　A…OK。　If　he　lost　this　job；　what　then？　Off　to　California　in　that

tired　old　VW　with　the　distintegrating　fuel　pump　like　a　family　of　dustbowl　Okies？

He　told　himself　he　would　get　down　on　his　knees　and　beg　Al　before　he　let　that

happen；　but　still　the　words　struggled　to　pour　out；　and　the　hand　holding　the　hot

wires　of　his　rage　felt　greased。

〃What？〃　Al　said　sharply。

〃No；〃　he　said。　〃That　is　not　the　way　I　treat　my　friends。　And　you　know　it。〃

〃How　do　I　know　it？　At　the　worst；　you're　planning　to　smear　my　hotel　by　digging

up　bodies　that　were　decently　buried　years　ago。　At　the　best；　you　call　up　my

temperamental　but　extremely　petent　hotel　manager　and　work　him　into　a　frenzy

as　part　of　some　。。。　some　stupid　kid's　game。〃

〃It　was　more　than　a　game；　Al。　It's　easier　for　you。　You　don't　have　to　take　some

rich　friend's　charity。　You　don't　need　a　friend　in　court　because　you　are　the

court。　The　fact　that　you　were　one　step　from　a　brown…bag　lush　goes　pretty　much

unmentioned；　doesn't　it？〃

〃I　suppose　it　does；〃　Al　said。　His　voice　had　dropped　a　notch　and　he　sounded

tired　of　the　whole　thing。　〃But　Jack；　Jack　。。。　I　can't　help　that。　I　can't

change　that。〃

〃I　know；〃　Jack　said　emptily。　〃Am　I　fired？　I　guess　you　better　tell　me　if　I　am。〃

〃Not　if　you'll　do　two　things　for　me。〃

〃All　right。〃

〃Hadn't　you　better　hear　the　conditions　before　you　accept　them？〃

〃No。　Give　me　your　deal　and　I'll　take　it。　There's　Wendy　and　Danny　to　think

about。　If　you　want　my　balls；　I'll　send　them　airmail。〃