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like I have. The first time I saw you, when Buck brought you here from wherever it was you came from, I felt like getting right down there and then and licking something. That’s a rare feeling to come over a man, and when I have it, it does me proud to talk about it for you to hear.”
    “Please, Pa,” she said.
    Ty Ty continued talking, but it was impossible for anyone to hear what he was saying. He sat on the stump talking to himself and looking down at the hard white sand at his feet
    Pluto moved his hands a little. He wished to get closer to Griselda, but he was afraid. He turned around to see if anyone was looking. The others were all looking elsewhere, and he quickly put his hand on her legs and leaned against her. Griselda turned and slapped him so quickly he did not know what had struck him. He felt the flow of blood rushing to his stinging cheeks and he heard the tingle of bells in his ears. When he could open his eyes and look up, Griselda was standing on the ground in front of him, and Buck and Shaw were doubled up with laughter.
    “I’ll teach you not to get fresh with me, you big haystack!” she cried angrily. “Don’t get me confused with Darling Jill. She may not always slap you, but I certainly shall. You’ll know better than to try something like that again.”
    Ty Ty got up and came across the yard, looking at Pluto to see how badly he was hurt.
    “Pluto didn’t mean no harm, Griselda,” Ty Ty said, trying to calm her. “Pluto wouldn’t harm you, not with Buck around, anyhow.”
    “You’d better be going on down the road to count your votes, Mr. Swint,” she said.
    “Now, Griselda, you know good and well Pluto can’t leave till Darling Jill comes back with his car.”
    “He can walk, can’t he?” she asked, laughing at Pluto. “I didn’t know he had got so he can’t even walk any more.”
    Pluto looked around him frantically, as if he were looking for something to hold on to. The thought of getting out into the hot sun and walking in the red dust terrified him. He clutched the overlapping boards of the steps with both hands.
    Shaw noticed someone coming towards the house from the barn. He looked again a moment later and saw that it was Black Sam. When the colored man came closer, Shaw left the yard and went to meet him.
    “Mr. Shaw,” Black Sam said, taking off his hat, “I’d like pretty much to have a word with your Pa. I need to see him.”
    “What do you want to see him about? I told you what he said about the rations.”
    “I know you did, Mr. Shaw, but I’m still hungry. I’d like to see your Pa, please, sir, boss.”
    Shaw called Ty Ty to the corner of the house.
    “Mr. Ty Ty, I’m all out of something to eat at my house, and we ain’t had nothing to eat all today. My old woman is downright hungry for something to eat.”
    “What in the pluperfect hell do you mean by coming to the house and bothering me, Black Sam?” Ty Ty shouted. “I sent you word that I’d get you some food when I get around to it. You can’t come here to the house and bother me like this. Now get on home and stop worrying me. I’m going off to rope an all-white man tonight, and I’ve got to give all my thoughts to that. This all-white man is going to help me locate the lode.”
    “You ain’t speaking of a conjur-man, is you, Mr. Ty Ty?” Black Sam asked fearfully. “Mr. Ty Ty, please, sir, white-folks, don’t bring no conjur-man here, Mr. Ty Ty, please, sir, boss, I can’t stand to see a conjur-man.”
    “Shut up, durn it,” Ty Ty said. “It’s none of your business what I do. Now go on home and stop coming here to the house when I’m busy.”
    The colored man backed away. He forgot for the time being about his hunger. The thought of seeing an albino on the place made him breathless.
    “Now, wait a minute,” Ty Ty said. “If you butcher that mule and eat him while I’m gone, when I get back I’ll make you pay for him, and it won’t be in money either, because I know you