jg.paintedhouse-第64章

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y。
　　　〃Did　Cowboy　take　his　things　with　him？〃　my　father　asked　Miguel。
　　　〃Si；　senor。〃
　　　〃Did　Tally　take　her　things　with　her？〃　my　father　asked　Mr。　Spruill。
　　　He　didn't　answer；　and　the　question　hung　in　the　air　until　Bo　said；　〃Yes　sir。　Her　bag's　gone。〃
　　　〃What's　in　her　bag？〃
　　　〃Clothes　and　such。　And　her　money　jar。〃
　　　Mrs。　Spruill　cried　harder。　Then　she　wailed；　〃Oh　my　baby！〃　I　wanted　to　crawl　under　the　house。
　　　The　Spruills　were　a　beaten　bunch。　All　heads　were　down；　shoulders　shrunk；　eyes　half…closed。　Their　beloved　Tally　had　run　away　with　someone　they　considered　low…bred；　a　dark…skinned　intruder　from　a　godforsaken　country。　Their　humiliation　before　us　was　plete；　and　very　painful。
　　　I　was　hurting；　too。　How　could　she　have　done　such　a　terrible　thing？
　　　She　was　my　friend。　She　treated　me　like　a　confidant；　and　she　protected　me　like　a　big　sister。　I　loved　Tally；　and　now　she　had　run　off　with　a　vicious　killer。
　　　〃He　took　her！〃　Mrs。　Spruill　bawled。　Bo　and　Dale　led　her　away；　leaving　only　Trot　and　Mr。　Spruill　to　tend　to　the　matter。　Trot's　normally　vacant　look　had　been　replaced　with　one　of　great　confusion　and　sadness。　Tally　had　been　his　protector；　too。　Now　she　was　gone。
　　　The　men　launched　into　a　windy　discussion　of　what　to　do　next。　The　top　priority　was　to　find　Tally；　and　the　truck；　before　she　could　get　too　far。　There　was　no　clue　as　to　when　the　two　left。　They　had　obviously　used　the　storm　to　cover　their　getaway。　The　Spruills　had　heard　nothing　during　the　night；　nothing　but　thunder　and　rain；　and　the　driveway　passed　within　eighty　feet　of　their　tents。
　　　They　could've　been　gone　for　hours；　certainly　enough　time　to　drive　to　Jonesboro　or　Memphis　or　even　Little　Rock。
　　　But　the　men　seemed　optimistic　that　Tally　and　Cowboy　could　be　found；　and　quickly。　Mr。　Spruill　left　to　unhitch　his　truck　from　the　tents　and　tables。　I　begged　my　father　to　let　me　go　with　them；　but　he　said　no。　Then　I　went　to　my　mother；　and　she　held　firm；　too。　〃It's　not　your　place；〃　she　said。
　　　Pappy　and　my　father　squeezed　into　the　front　seat　with　Mr。　Spruill；　and　off　they　went；　sliding　on　our　road；　tires　spinning；　mud　slinging　behind　them。
　　　I　went　past　the　silo　to　the　weedy　remains　of　an　old　smoke　shed　and　sat　for　an　hour　under　the　rotted　tin　roof；　watching　rain　drip　in　front　of　me。　I　was　relieved　that　Cowboy　had　left　our　farm；　and　for　this　I　thanked　God　in　a　short　but　sincere　prayer。　But　any　relief　in　his　departure　was　overshadowed　by　my　disappointment　in　Tally。　I　managed　to　hate　her　for　what　she　had　done。　I　cursed　her；　using　words　Ricky　had　taught　me；　and　when　I　had　spewed　forth　all　the　foul　language　I　could　remember；　I　asked　God　to　forgive　me。
　　　And　I　asked　Him　to　protect　Tally。
　　　
　　　It　took　the　men　two　hours　to　find　Stick　Powers。　He　said　he'd　been　en　route　from　headquarters　in　Jonesboro；　but　Pappy　said　he　looked　as　if　he'd　been　sleeping　for　a　week。　Stick　was　plainly　thrilled　to　have　such　a　high　crime　within　his　jurisdiction。　Stealing　the　truck　of　a　farmer　was　only　a　notch　below　murder　in　our　code；　and　Stick　kicked　into　high　gear。　He　radioed　every　jurisdiction　he　could　pick　up　on　his　old　radio；　and　before　long　most　of　northeast　Arkansas　was　buzzing　with　the　news。
　　　According　to　Pappy；　Stick　was　not　too　worried　about　Tally's　whereabouts。　He　guessed　correctly　that　she　had　voluntarily　run　off　with　a　Mexican；　which　was　a　low…class　and　disgraceful　thing　to　do；　but　not　exactly　a　felony；　even　though　Mr。　Spruill　kept　using　the　word　〃kidnapping。〃
　　　It　was　doubtful　that　the　two　lovebirds　would　venture　a　long　journey　in　our　truck。　They　most　certainly　wanted　to　flee　Arkansas；　and　Stick　reasoned　that　their　most　likely　means　would　be　by　bus。　They　would　be　too　suspicious　as　hitchhikers；　Arkansas　drivers　were　not　likely　to　pick　up　such　a　swarthy　character　as　Cowboy；　especially　with　a　young　white　girl　at　his　side。　〃They're　probably　on　a　bus　headed　North；〃　Stick　said。
　　　When　Pappy　told　us　this；　I　remembered　Tally's　dream　of　living　in　Canada；　a　long　way　from　the　heat　and　humidity。　She　wanted　lots　of　snow；　and　for　some　reason　she　had　chosen　Montreal　as　her　place　in　the　world。
　　　The　men　discussed　money。　My　father　did　the　math　and　guessed　that　Cowboy　had　earned　close　to　four　hundred　dollars　picking　cotton。　No　one　knew；　though；　how　much　he'd　sent　home。　Tally　had　earned　about　half　that　much　and　had　probably　saved　most　of　it。　We　knew　she'd　been　buying　house　paint　for　Trot；　but　we　had　no　idea　of　her　other　expenditures。
　　　It　was　at　this　point　in　Pappy's　narrative　that　I　wanted　to　bare　my　soul　about　Hank。　Cowboy　had　robbed　him　after　he　killed　him。　There　was　no　way　of　knowing　how　much　picking　money　Hank　had　saved；　but　I　knew　for　certain　that　there　was　250　of　Samson's　money　now　in　Cowboy's　pocket。　I　almost　blurted　this　out　as　we　sat　around　the　kitchen　table；　but　I　was　simply　too　frightened。　Cowboy　was　gone；　but　they　might　catch　him　somewhere。
　　　Wait；　I　kept　telling　myself。　Just　wait。　The　moment　will　e　when　I　can　unload　my　burdens。
　　　Whatever　their　finances；　it　was　obvious　that　Tally　and　Cowboy　had　enough　money　to　ride　a　bus　for　a　long　time。
　　　And　we　were　broke；　as　usual。　There　was　a　brief　conversation　about　how　to　replace　the　truck　in　the　event　that　it　was　never　found；　but　the　subject　was　too　painful　to　pursue。　Plus；　I　was　listening。
　　　We　ate　an　early　lunch；　then　sat　on　the　back　porch　and　watched　the　rain。
　
　
　Chapter　29
　　　
　　　Stick's　old；　loud　patrol　car　came　rolling　into　the　front　yard；　with　our　stolen　truck　right　behind　it。　Stick　got　out；　full　of　importance　because　he'd　solved　the　most　urgent　part　of　the　crime。　Black　Oak's　other　deputy　was　driving　the　truck；　which；　as　far　as　we　could　tell；　had　not　changed　at　all。　The　Spruills　ran　over；　anxious　for　some　word　about　Tally。
　　　〃Found　it　at　the　bus　station　in　Jonesboro；〃　Stick　announced　as　the　small　crowd　gathered　around　him。　〃Just　like　I　figured。〃
　　　〃Where　was　the　key？〃　asked　Pappy。
　　　〃Under　the　seat。　And　the　tank's　full　of　gas。　Don't　know　if　it　was　full　when　they　left　here；　but　it's　full　now。〃
　　　〃It　was　half　empty；〃　Pappy　said；　astonished。　We　were　all　surprised；　not　only　to　see　the　truck　again　but　to　see　it　unchanged　in　any　way。　We'd　spent　the　day　worrying　about　a　future　with　no　truck；　with　no　means　of　transportation。　We'd　be　in　the　same　boat　as　the　Latchers；　forced　to　bum　rides　to　town　from　anybody　passing　by。　I　couldn't　imagine　such　a　plight；　and　I　was　now　more　determined　than　ever　to　someday　live　in　a　city　where　folks　had　cars。
　　　〃I　guess　they　just　borrowed　it；〃　Mr。　Spruill　said；　almost　to　himself。
　　　〃That's　the　way　I　see　it；〃　Stick　said。　〃You　still　want　to　press　charges？〃　he　asked　Pappy。
　　　He　and　my　father　exchanged　frowns。　〃I　guess　not；〃　Pappy　said。
　　　〃Did　anybody　see　them？〃　Mrs。　Spruill　asked　quietly。
　　　〃Yes　ma'am。　They　bought　two　tickets　for　Chicago；　then　hung　around　the　bus　station　for　five　hours。　The　clerk　knew　somethin'　was　up；　but　figured　it　wasn't　his　business。　Runnin'　off　with　a　Mexican　ain't　the　smartest　thing　in　the　world；　but　it　ain't　no　crime。　The　clerk　said　he　watched　them　through　the　night；　and　they　tried　to　ignore　each　other　as　if　nothin'　was　happenin'。　They　wouldn't　sit　together。　But　when　the　bus　loaded　they　got　on　together。〃
　　　〃What　time　did　the　bus　leave？〃　Mr。　Spruill　asked。
　　　〃Six　this　mornin'。〃　Stick　removed　a　folded　envelope　from　his　pocket　and　handed　it　to　Mr。　Spruill。　〃Found　this　on　the　front　seat。　I　think　it's　a　note　from　Tally　to　y'all。　I　ain't　read　it。〃
　　　Mr。　Spruill　handed　it　to　Mrs。　Spruill；　who　quickly　opened　it　and　removed　a　sheet　of　paper。　She　started　reading；　and　she　began　wiping　her　eyes。　Everybody　watched　her；　waiting　without　a　sound。　Even　Trot；　who　was　hiding　behind　Bo　and　Dale；　leaned　forward　and　watched　the　letter　being　read。
　　　〃Ain't　none　o'　my　business；　ma'am；〃　Stick　said；　〃but　if　there's　any　useful　information；　then　maybe　I　need　to　know。〃
　　　Mrs。　Spruill　kept　reading；　and　when　she　finished；　she　looked　at　the　ground　and　said；　〃She　says　she　ain't　in'　home。　She　says　she　and　Cowboy　are　gonna　get　married　and　live　up　North；　where　they　can　find　good　jobs　and　such。〃　The　tears　and　sniffles　had　suddenly　vanished。　Mrs。　Spruill　was　now　more　angry　than　anything　else。　Her　daughter　hadn't　been　kidnapped；　she'd　run　off　with　a　Mexican；　and　she　was　going　to　marry　hi