| OCR Text |
Show page 217 Salem back home and to bring him t o Songster's the next day. At Old Man Wilkey's they picked up the pointer dog, learned that Songster was out in the night selling onions at fifteen cents a bunch, Wilkey whispered to Hutch, "This here dog's name is General Sherman, Miss L i l l i e might not like the yankee name," Hutch pondered t h i s information a l l the way home. Hutch had the dog in a pen, was starting to the seedbin with Salem Daylight when he heard someone threaten Miss L i l l i e in the house. He hurried, knowing who i t was. Willie Earl, a butcher knife in his hand, had Miss L i l l i e braced against the kitchen t a b l e . Willie was muddy to the waist, barefoot, his long matty hair down to the collar of his t a t t e r e d , sweaty s h i r t. "Money t o o , " he growled and jerked the knife backward as though he meant to run Miss L i l l i e through. "You are r e a l l y outdoing yourself, Willie," Miss L i l l ie said. Her hand s l i d to her holstered p i s t o l . "I do not believe in violence - nor uncleanliness - but I w i l l protect myself. Take that basket of food and clean clothes I ' v e prepared for you, go down to your shanty and get cleaned up and turn yourself in." "Money, t o o , " Willie demanded again, forgetting kind things Miss L i l l i e had done for him. Hutch, with a piece of wood from the porch woodbox, eased inside. He shifted Salem from his wrist to h i s shoulder, raised the wood to s t r i k e . Willie whirled around to meet the threat, his knife flashing. Salem squawked, flew at Willie with a fast |
