第56部分(第5/7 頁)

the　fellow　described　it　to　Catlett　as　'not　much　more'n　stinkfinger。；　Sorry；　honey。〃

〃That's　all　right〃；　Janice　said。　She　looked　pale；　though。

〃How　old　was　the　girl？〃　Brutal　asked。

〃Nine〃；　I　said。

He　winced。

〃The　man　might've　taken　off　after　Wharton　himself；　if　he'd　had　him　some　big　old　brothers　or　cousins　to　give　him　a　help；　but　he　didn't。　So　he　went　to　Catlett；　but　made　it　clear　he　only　wanted　Wharton　warned。　No　one　wants　a　nasty　thing　like　that　right　out　in　public；　if　it　can　be　helped。　Anyway；　Sheriff　C。　had　been　dealing　with　e　…　had　him　in　the　reform　school　up　that　way　for　eight　months　or　so　when　Wharton　was　fifteen　…　and　he　decided　enough　was　enough。　He　got　three　deputies；　they　went　out　to　the　Wharton　place；　set　Missus　Wharton　aside　when　she　started　to　weep　and　wail；　and　then　they　warned　Mr。　William　'Billy　the　Kid；　Wharton　what　happens　to　big　pimple…faced　galoots　who　go　up　in　the　hayloft　with　girls　not　even　old　enough　to　have　heard　about　their　monthly　courses；　let　alone　started　them。　'We　warned　that　little　punk　good〃　Catlett　told　me。　'Warned　him　until　his　head　was　bleedin；　his　shoulder　was　dislocated；　and　his　ass　was　damn　near　broke。〃

Brutal　was　laughing　in　spite　of　himself。　〃That　sounds　like　Purdom　County；　all　right；〃　he　said。　〃Like　as　not。〃

〃It　was　three　months　later；　give　or　take；　that　Wharton　broke　out　and　started　the　spree　that　ended　with　the　holdup；〃　I　said。　〃That　and　the　murders　that　got　him　to　us。〃

〃So　he'd　had　something　to　do　with　an　underage　girl　once；〃　Harry　said。　He　took　off　his　glasses；　huffed　on　them；　polished　them。　〃Way　underage。　Once　isn't　exactly　a　pattern；　is　it？〃

〃A　man　doesn't　do　a　thing　like　that　just　once；〃　my　wife　said；　then　pressed　her　lips　together　so　tight　they　almost　weren't　th