第4部分(第3/8 頁)

likes　so　much！〃

And　he　probably　had。　Percy　Wetmore　was　a　great　reader　of　Argosy　and　Stag　and　Men's　Adventure。　There　was　a　prison　tale　in　every　issue；　it　seemed；　and　Percy　read　them　avidly；　like　a　man　doing　research。　It　was　like　he　was　trying　to　find　out　how　to　act；　and　thought　the　information　was　in　those　magazines。　He'd　e　just　after　we　did　Anthony　Ray；　the　hatchet…killer　…　and　he　hadn't　actually　participated　in　an　execution　yet；　although　he'd　witnessed　one　from　the　switch…room。

〃He　knows　people；〃　Harry　said。　〃He's　connected。　You'll　have　to　answer　for　sending　him　off　the　block；　and　you'll　have　to　answer　even　harder　for　expecting　him　to　do　some　real　work。〃

〃I　don't　expect　it；〃　I　said；　and　I　didn't　。。。　but　I　had　hopes。　Bill　Dodge　wasn't　the　sort　to　let　a　man　just　stand　around　and　do　the　heavy　looking…on。　〃I'm　more　interested　in　the　big　boy；　for　the　time　being。　Are　we　going　to　have　trouble　with　him？〃

Harry　shook　his　head　with　decision。

〃He　b　at　court　down　there　in　Trapingus　County；〃　Dean　said。　He　took　his　little　rimless　glasses　off　and　began　to　polish　them　on　his　vest。　〃Of　course　they　had　more　chains　on　him　than　Scrooge　saw　on　Marley's　ghost；　but　he　could　have　kicked　up　dickens　if　he'd　wanted。　That's　a　pun；　son。〃

〃I　know；〃　I　said；　although　I　didn't。　I　just　hate　letting　Dean　Stanton　get　the　better　of　me。

〃Big　one；　ain't　he？〃　Dean　said。

〃He　is；〃　I　agreed。　〃Monstrous　big。〃

〃Probably　have　to　crank　Old　Sparky　up　to　Super