u　think　it　loves　you。　If　you're　lucky；　Mr。　Edgebe；　you　never　have　to　find　out　any　different。　Cynthia　and　I；　we　were　not　lucky。〃　He　sighed　…　a　long　and　somehow　skeletal　sound；　like　the　wind　rummaging　through　fallen　leaves。　He　pointed　toward　the　doghouse　again；　and　I　wondered　how　I　had　missed　its　general　air　of　abandonment　earlier；　or　the　fact　that　many　of　the　turds　had　grown　whitish　and　powdery　at　their　tops。

〃I　used　to　clean　up　after　him；〃　Hammersmith　said；　〃and　keep　the　roof　of　his　house　repaired　against　the　rain。　In　that　way　also　Sir　Galahad　was　like　your　Southern　negro；　who　will　not　do　those　things　for　himself。　Now　I　don't　touch　it；　I　haven't　been　near　it　since　the　accident　…　if　you　can　call　it　an　accident。　I　went　over　there　with　my　rifle　and　shot　him；　but　I　haven't　been　over　there　since。　I　can't　bring　myself　to。　I　suppose　I　will；　in　time。　I'll　clean　up　his　messes　and　tear　down　his　house。〃

Here　came　the　kids；　and　all　at　once　I　didn't　want　them　to　e；　all　at　once　that　was　the　last　thing　on　earth　I　wanted。　The　little　girl　was　all　right；　but　the　boy　…

They　pounded　up　the　steps；　looked　at　me；　giggled；　then　went　on　toward　the　kitchen　door。

〃Caleb；〃　Hammersmith　said。　〃e　here。　Just　for　a　second。〃

The　little　girl　…　surely　his　twin；　they　had　to　be　of　an　age　…　went　on　into　the　kitchen。　The　little　boy　came　to　his　father；　looking　down　at　his　feet。　He　knew　he　was　ugly。　He　was　only　four；　I　guess；　but　four　is　old　enough　to　know　that　you're　ugly。　His　father　put　two　fingers　under　the　boy's　chin　and　tried　to　raise　his　face。　At　first　the　boy　resisted；　but　when　his　father　said　〃Please；　son；〃　in　tones　of　sweetness　and　calmness　and　love；　he　did　as　he　was　asked。

A　huge；　circular　scar　ran　out　of　his　hair；　down　his　forehead；　through　one　dead　and　indif