he　yard；　holding　to　Galahad's　tail。　The　dog　never　so　much　as　growled　at　him。　Either　of　them。〃

Now　the　tears　were　ing；　he　wiped　at　them　automatically；　as　a　man　does　when　he's　had　lots　of　practice。

〃There　was　no　reason；〃　he　said。　〃Caleb　didn't　hurt　him；　yell　at　him；　anything。　I　know。　I　was　there。　If　I　hadn't　have　been；　the　boy　would　almost　certainly　have　been　killed。　What　happened；　Mr。　Edgebe；　was　nothing。　The　boy　just　got　his　face　set　the　right　way　in　front　of　the　dog's　face；　and　it　came　into　Sir　Galahad's　mind　…　whatever　serves　a　dog　for　a　mind　…　to　lunge　and　bite。　To　kill；　if　he　could。　The　boy　was　there　in　front　of　him　and　the　dog　bit。　And　that's　what　happened　with　Coffey。　He　was　there；　he　saw　them　on　the　porch；　he　took　them；　he　raped　them；　he　killed　them。　You　say　there　should　be　some　hint　that　he　did　something　like　it　before；　and　I　know　what　you　mean；　but　maybe　he　didn't　do　it　before。　My　dog　never　bit　before；　just　that　once。　Maybe；　if　Coffey　was　let　go；　he'd　never　do　it　again。　Maybe　my　dog　never　would　have　bit　again。　But　I　didn't　concern　myself　with　that；　you　know。　I　went　out　with　my　rifle　and　grabbed　his　collar　and　blew　his　head　off。〃

He　was　breathing　hard。

〃I'm　as　enlightened　as　the　next　man；　Mr。　Edgebe；　went　to　college　in　Bowling　Green；　took　history　as　well　as　journalism；　some　philosophy；　too。　I　like　to　think　of　myself　as　enlightened。　I　don't　suppose　folks　up　North　would；　but　I　like　to　think　of　myself　as　enlightened。　I'd　not　bring　slavery　back　for　all　the　tea　in　China。　I　think　we　have　to　be　humane　and　generous　in　our　efforts　to　solve　the　race　problem。　But　we　have　to　remember　that　your　negro　will　bite　if　he　gets　the　chance；　just　like　a　mongrel　dog　will　bite　if　he　gets　the　chance　and　it　crosses　his　mind　to　do　so。　You　want　to　know　if　he　did