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Show page 191 Snell Jamison, recently of our town of Caudolia, staggered toward Rhine, holding his head with one shaky hand. Snell was bald except for an old-fashioned green eyeshade. His accountant' s cuffs hung loose on his arms. He peered after the dust cloud made by the departing horse and rider, then came closer to Rhine on trembly legs, his blue serge trousers shaking noticeably Rhine moved t o help him up to the boardwalk, then removed Snell's hand from h i s head. Visible was a small lump the size of a b i r d ' s egg. But there was no damage to the green eyeshade, Rhine noticed. " S t a n d t a l l , " Jamison wheezed, as a small crowd of townspeople began gathering. "How much did that Indian get?" Rhine asked. "About twenty thousand," Jamison said. "He tussled me hard, wouldn't l e t me go u n t i l I unlocked the safe." " S t a n d t a l l ' s one bad Injun," someone in the crowd said. "Not so bad that Jonathan Beasly Rhine won't make him a guest in our j a i l , " someone else said. The crowd f e l l s i l e n t , waiting some decision. Rhine took a deep, frustrating breath, his seersucker coat expanding with his chest. He ran his thumbs under his belt and viewed with utmost suspicion the small lump on S n e l l 's head. Then he turned to the boy, who was s t i l l present. "You run along now, Tommy, and get your cows up. Tell Katie we're a l l thinking of h e r . " He placed a hand at the seat of the boy's pants and propelled him away. JamisonfeltJzeJJ»enough to complain further: "I helped |
