第20部分(第3/7 頁)

on　came　alive　just　as　Dean　turned　the　key　and　pulled　the　handle。　He　voiced　a　screaming；　gibbering　cry　…　a　kind　of　Rebel　yell　…　that　froze　Harry　to　temporary　immobility　and　pretty　much　finished　Percy　Wetmore　for　the　entire　encounter。　I　heard　that　scream　through　the　partly　opened　door　and　didn't　associate　it　with　anything　human　at　first；　I　thought　a　dog　had　gotten　into　the　yard　somehow　and　had　been　hurt；　that　perhaps　some　mean　tempered　con　had　hit　it　with　a　hoe。

Wharton　lifted　his　arms；　dropped　the　chain　which　hung　between　his　wrists　over　Dean's　head；　and　menced　to　choke　him　with　it。　Dean　gave　a　strangled　cry　and　lurched　forward；　into　the　cool　electric　light　of　our　little　world。　Wharton　was　happy　to　go　with　him；　even　gave　him　a　shove；　all　the　time　yelling　and　gibbering；　even　laughing。　He　had　his　arms　cocked　at　the　elbows　with　his　fists　up　by　Dean's　ears；　yanking　the　chain　as　tight　as　he　could；　whipsawing　it　back　and　forth。

Harry　landed　on　Wharton's　back；　wrapping　one　hand　in　our　new　boy's　greasy　blond　hair　and　slamming　his　other　fist　into　the　side　of　Wharton's　face　as　hard　as　he　could。　He　had　both　a　baton　of　his　own　and　a　sidearm　pistol；　but　in　his　excitement　drew　neither。　We'd　had　trouble　with　prisoners　before；　you　bet；　but　never　one　who'd　taken　any　of　us　by　surprise　the　way　that　Wharton　did。　The　man's　slyness　was　beyond　our　experience。　I　had　never　seen　its　like　before；　and　have　never　seen　it　again。

And　he　was　strong。　All　that　slack　looseness　was　gone。　Harry　said　later　that　it　was　like　jumping　onto　a　coiled　nest　of　steel　springs　that　had　somehow　e　to　life。　Wharton；　now　inside　and　near　the　duty　desk；　whirled　to　his　left　and　flung　Harry　off。　Harry　hit　the　desk　and　went　sprawling。

〃Whoooee；　boys！〃　Wharton　laughed。　〃Ain't　this　a　party；　now？　Is　it；