Sam，theandinginhisaprohetwomensittier。"Yes，sir，"hesaid。Algotdownfromhisstool。
"I'mgoingbacktothekitwiththeniggerandbrightboy，"hesaid。"Goonbacktothekitigger。Yougowithhim，brightboy。"ThelittlemaerNidSam，thecook，batothekit。Thedoorshutafterthem。Themaattheteroppe。Hedidn'tloebutlookedihatranalongbackoftheter。Henry'shadbeenmadeoverfromasaloonintoalunter。
&quhtboy，"Maxsaid，lookingintothemirror，"os;tyousaysomething?"
"os;sitallabout?"
"Hey，Al，"Maxcalled，&quhtboywantstokno;apos;sallabout。"
"os;tyoutellhim?"Al'svoicethekit。
"Whatdoyouthinkit'sallabout?"
"Idon'tknow。"
"Whatdoyouthink?"
Maxlookedintothemirrorallthetimehe>
"Ios;tsay。"
"Hey，Al，brightboysaysheos;tsaywhathethinksit'sallabout。"
"Ihearyht，"Alsaidfromthekit。Hehadproppedopehatdishespassedthroughibottle。"Listen，brightboy，"hesaidfromthekitte。"Standalittlefurtheralongthebar。Youmovealittletotheleft，Max。"Hehingfrouppicture。
"Talkthtboy，"Maxsaid。"Whatdoyouthink'sgoingtohappen?"
Geedidnotsayanything。
"I'lltellyou，"Maxsaid。"tokillaSwede。DoyouknowabigSwedenamedOleA;
"Yes。"
"Heesheretht，don'the?"
"Sometimesheeshere。"
"Heeshereatsixo'p;apos;the?"
"Ifhees。"
"Weknowallthat，brightboy，"Maxsaid。"Talkaboutsomethiothemovies?""Onawhile。"
"Yououghttogotothemoviesmore。Themoviesarefinefhtboylikeyou。"
&quoingtokillOleAndresonfor?Whatdidheeverdotoyou?"
"Heneverhadacetodoanythingtous。Heneverevenseenus。"
"Andhe'sonlygoingtoseeuso;Alsaidfromthekit。
&quoingtokillhimfor，then?&queasked。
"himforafriend。Justtoobligeafriend，brightboy。"
"Shutup，"saidAlfromthekit。"Youtalktoogoddamnmuch。"
"Well，Igotthtboyamused。Don&aphtboy?"
"Youtalktoodamnmuch，"Alsaid。"Theniggerandmybrightboyareamusedbythemselves。Igotthemtieduplikeacoupleofgirlfriendsi;
"Isupposeyouwerei;
"Youneverknow。"
"Youwerei。That'swhereyouwere。"
Geelookedupattheclock。
"Ifanyoneesihecookisoff，andiftheykeepafterit，youtellthemyou'llgobadcookyourself。Doyougetthat，brightboy?"
&quht，&quesaid。"Whatyougoingtodowithusafterward?"
"That'lldepend，"Maxsaid。"That'sohosethingsyouthetime。"
Geelookedupattheclock。Itastsix。Thedoorfromthestreetope-ein。