ed　flesh　might　slough　right　off　his　bones　as　we　lugged　him　…　it　was　Old　Toot's　done　tom　turkey　that　had　gotten　into　my　head　…　but　of　course　that　didn't　happen。

Curtis　Anderson　was　upstairs　soothing　the　spectators　…trying　to；　anyway　…　and　that　was　good　for　Brutal；　because　Anderson　wasn't　there　to　see　when　Brutal　took　a　step　toward　the　head　of　the　gurney　and　pulled　his　arm　back　to　slug　Percy；　who　was　standing　there　looking　stunned。　I　caught　his　arm；　and　that　was　good　for　both　of　them。　It　was　good　for　Percy　because　Brutal　meant　to　deliver　a　blow　of　near…decapitory　force；　and　good　for　Brutal　because　he　would　have　lost　his　job　if　the　blow　had　connected；　and　maybe　ended　up　in　prison　himself。

〃No；〃　I　said。

〃What　do　you　mean；　no？〃　he　asked　me　furiously。　〃Ho