up　the　mouse　I　had　first　seen　on　the　Green　Mile；　ing　up　to　the　duty　desk　as　fearlessly　as　a　man　approaching　his　peers　。。　。　or　his　friends。　He　lay　limp　on　her　hand。　His　eyes　were　dull　and　still。　He　was　dead。

Dolan　grinned　unpleasantly；　revealing　teeth　which　had　had　very　little　acquaintance　with　a　dentist。　〃Aw；　sakes；　now！〃　he　said。　〃Did　we　just　lose　the　family　pet？　Should　we　have　a　little　funeral；　with　paper　flowers　and　…　〃

〃SHUT　up！〃　Elaine　screamed　at　him；　so…loudly　and　so　powerfully　that　he　backed　away　a　step；　the　smile　slipping　off　his　face。　〃GETOUT　OF　HERE！　GET　OUT　OR　YOU'LL　NEVER　WORK　ANOTHER　DAY　HERE！　NOT　ANOTHER　HOUR！　I　SWEAR　IT！〃

〃You　won't　be　able　to　get　so　much　as　a　slice　of　bread　on　a　breadline；〃　I　said；　but　so　low　neither　of　them　heard　me。　I　couldn't　take　my　eyes　off　Mr。　Jingles；　lying　on　Elaine's　palm　like　the　world's　smallest　bearskin　rug。

Brad　thought　about　ing　back　at　her；　calling　her　bluff　he　was　right；　the　shed　wasn't　exactly　approved　territory　for　the　Georgia　Pines　inmates；　even　I　knew　that　much　…　and　then　didn't。　He　was；　at　heart；　a　coward；　just　like　Percy。　And　he　might　have　checked　on　her　claim　that　her　grandson　was　Somebody　Important　and　had　discovered　it　was　a　true　claim。　Most　of　all；　perhaps；　his　curiosity　had　been　satisfied；　his　thirst　to　know　slaked。　And　after　all　his　wondering；　the　mystery　had　turned　out　not　to　be　such　of　a　much。　An　old　man's　pet　mouse　had　apparently　been　living　in　the　shed。　Now　it　had　croaked；　had　a　heart　attack　or　something　while　pushing　a　colored　spool。

〃Don't　know　why　you're　getting　so　het　up；〃　he　said。　〃Either　of　you。　You　act　like　it　was　a　dog；　or　something。〃

〃Get　out；〃　she　spat。　〃Get　out；　you　ignorant　man。　What　little　mind　you　have　is　ugly　and　misdirected。〃

He　flushed　dul