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Show page 189 Say you like the r o l l , boy, whether you do or not; i t ' l l make me feel good. You say and do nice things, y o u ' l l get nice things.' The boy looked around the cafe, at the sheriff and his seersucker s u i t , and at his holstered p i s t o l . Rhine was a t a l l man, heavily b u i l t , his face pleasant but weathered. In addition to his s h e r i f f ' s salary he owned some pine timber land, and often rode a horse on the b a c k t r a i l s , through thick pine and scrub-oak, as do many other s e t t l e r s of the area. He looked sideways at the boy while the boy nibbled at the r o l l and drank his soda. "Eat the r o l l , boy, i t ' s free," Mrs. Scott said. She looked at the sheriff and walked through swinging doors to the kitchen. The boy peeled the r o l l to b i t e - s i z e , careful to keep some icing on every p a r t . He balanced himself on the stool, placing his feet on one rung and then another, as he became more at ease. Rhine kept watching him, waiting for him to finish eating and speak. He sipped his coffee. When Rhine saw that the boy had almost finished the r o l l , h e cut his own in half with his coffee sooon and ©laced a half before the boy. "I don't care much for r o l l s so l a t e in the day," he said. The boy looked at Rhine with some approval, consumed the half r o l l and took a f i n a l swig of soda. Rhine asked, "Why you in town t h i s time of day, boy?" The boy cleared his throat and said, "Chief Matthew Bill Standtall, he came a f t e r Katie." He t i l t e d his soda b o t t l e, to get the last ounce from i t . Then he looked a t Rhine, waiting an answer. Rhine's eyes were as hard as river rock, cold and emotion-l e s s . y*How you know""lHx&t, boyr^? " |