use it myself. I make sure that I will not take that second drink, or those successive drinks, by not taking the first drink; and I make sure that I will not take the first drink by walking right on by every saloon I see. You might like to try that." So Eustis is out on his own recognizance. Only thing is, in about three months or less he'll be in again.'
Abner said, 'Irwin's a good man.'
'I don't think anyone would ever argue with you about that,' Bunting said, 'and he knows more law than anybody in the county, except maybe your father. But he shouldn't have let Eustis off. I was afraid for a while he was going to sit in this Zollicoffer case. I know Harry was praying that he would. I think we have that pretty well in hand. Mrs. Z. wasn't too bad; and I think Leming is going to be all right. Doctor Janvier says he's much better. You never know what will happen when these dopers lay off. The jury won't like him because of his turning state's evidence; but they don't like Basso standing mute, either. Probably about cancels out —' He fell silent, absorbed and reflective.
Warm air sang by. The new grey concrete road rolled smoothly in long gradients, bent gently right and left between its cable-strung fences. At the white church and stone store at Waltons Corners, Abner put out a hand and swept into the dirt lane that went down through an orchard of rotting apple trees to cross the canal. He parked the car below the old fan-trussed bridge, and they got out.
The barge was approaching on a mile-long straightaway of tranquil water. Between the low green banks, beneath the green arch of overhanging trees, it moved at a snail's pace, fanning out slow smooth ripples from its bow. Hoots and cheers came from it to show that Bunting and Abner had been observed. Ben Wister cried to his mules and aimlessly cracked his whip. On board somebody had a portable radio, and the beat of music grew louder, approaching. Thickets of underbrush shadowed most of the canal, but level sun here and there broke across the tow path. Suddenly the mules would amble into shafts of splendour. Immaculate and glowing, the barge's new paint lit up; on deck, the dazzling gold light gilded women's dresses and men's white flannels. Waiting where the tow path, revetted with stone, passed under the hump of the little bridge, Abner could hear ice clatter in a cocktail shaker; and, regardless of the radio, Harry Wurts' unmistakable voice, loudly lifted, singing: 'I wish I was single! Oh, then, oh, then...'
The mules came up, ducking their stubborn heads, twitching their big ears. Bunting said, 'Hello, Ben. Don't you get tired walking?'
Ben winked. 'Slipped me a little that snakes' milk they got there. Some of that, and you can walk to China.'
The long tow line went by, the barge drew abreast. Mark Irwin, who had evidently been at the snakes' milk, too, said, 'Stand by to repel boarders, men!'
Muriel Bunting called out, 'Marty, where on earth have you been? Honestly, you might have —'
Abner stepped on to the moving deck. He nodded to Doctor Mosher, who said, 'Want to speak to you later, Ab.' Abner made his way through the crowd along the board table where hampers were being unpacked and supper laid out. Harry Wurts, filling cocktail glasses from a huge silver shaker with two crossed calumets on it, said, 'I admit the law, but deny its applicability to the case in hand. Wake up, Bonnie! Here's the boy friend.'
Abner took the glass held out to him and looked at Bonnie and laughed. She had both hands full of knives and forks. Pushing him gently with her elbow, she said, 'Get out of my way. I have to —'
'Let them grab their own,' Abner said. He took a swallow of the mixed whisky and vermouth. Bonnie pushed on by him. 'Hello,' she said. 'Don't you get tight.'
'The thing I like about her,' said Harry, 'is that she looks so damn Scotch —Oh, wad,' he said, with dramatic expression, 'some power the giftie gie us —' He laughed and laughed, pouring himself
Abner said, 'Irwin's a good man.'
'I don't think anyone would ever argue with you about that,' Bunting said, 'and he knows more law than anybody in the county, except maybe your father. But he shouldn't have let Eustis off. I was afraid for a while he was going to sit in this Zollicoffer case. I know Harry was praying that he would. I think we have that pretty well in hand. Mrs. Z. wasn't too bad; and I think Leming is going to be all right. Doctor Janvier says he's much better. You never know what will happen when these dopers lay off. The jury won't like him because of his turning state's evidence; but they don't like Basso standing mute, either. Probably about cancels out —' He fell silent, absorbed and reflective.
Warm air sang by. The new grey concrete road rolled smoothly in long gradients, bent gently right and left between its cable-strung fences. At the white church and stone store at Waltons Corners, Abner put out a hand and swept into the dirt lane that went down through an orchard of rotting apple trees to cross the canal. He parked the car below the old fan-trussed bridge, and they got out.
The barge was approaching on a mile-long straightaway of tranquil water. Between the low green banks, beneath the green arch of overhanging trees, it moved at a snail's pace, fanning out slow smooth ripples from its bow. Hoots and cheers came from it to show that Bunting and Abner had been observed. Ben Wister cried to his mules and aimlessly cracked his whip. On board somebody had a portable radio, and the beat of music grew louder, approaching. Thickets of underbrush shadowed most of the canal, but level sun here and there broke across the tow path. Suddenly the mules would amble into shafts of splendour. Immaculate and glowing, the barge's new paint lit up; on deck, the dazzling gold light gilded women's dresses and men's white flannels. Waiting where the tow path, revetted with stone, passed under the hump of the little bridge, Abner could hear ice clatter in a cocktail shaker; and, regardless of the radio, Harry Wurts' unmistakable voice, loudly lifted, singing: 'I wish I was single! Oh, then, oh, then...'
The mules came up, ducking their stubborn heads, twitching their big ears. Bunting said, 'Hello, Ben. Don't you get tired walking?'
Ben winked. 'Slipped me a little that snakes' milk they got there. Some of that, and you can walk to China.'
The long tow line went by, the barge drew abreast. Mark Irwin, who had evidently been at the snakes' milk, too, said, 'Stand by to repel boarders, men!'
Muriel Bunting called out, 'Marty, where on earth have you been? Honestly, you might have —'
Abner stepped on to the moving deck. He nodded to Doctor Mosher, who said, 'Want to speak to you later, Ab.' Abner made his way through the crowd along the board table where hampers were being unpacked and supper laid out. Harry Wurts, filling cocktail glasses from a huge silver shaker with two crossed calumets on it, said, 'I admit the law, but deny its applicability to the case in hand. Wake up, Bonnie! Here's the boy friend.'
Abner took the glass held out to him and looked at Bonnie and laughed. She had both hands full of knives and forks. Pushing him gently with her elbow, she said, 'Get out of my way. I have to —'
'Let them grab their own,' Abner said. He took a swallow of the mixed whisky and vermouth. Bonnie pushed on by him. 'Hello,' she said. 'Don't you get tight.'
'The thing I like about her,' said Harry, 'is that she looks so damn Scotch —Oh, wad,' he said, with dramatic expression, 'some power the giftie gie us —' He laughed and laughed, pouring himself
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