44OHENRY-100SELECTEDSTORI

ES

'
Youwi
l
lex
cuseme,
Chunk,
'sai
dIkey
.'Imustmakeapr
escr
ipt
ion

t
hati
stobecal
l
edf
orsoon.
'

'
Say
,'sai
dMcGowan,
looki
ngupsuddenl
y,'
say
,Ikey
,ai
n'
t

t
her
eadr
ugofsomeki
nd-someki
ndofpowder
sthat
'l
lmakea

gi
rll
i
key
oubet
teri
fyougi
ve'
em t
oher
?'

I
key
'sl
i
pbeneat
hhi
snosecur
ledwi
tht
hescor
nofsuper
ior

enl
i
ght
enment
;butbef
orehecoul
danswer
,McGowancont
inued:

'
Tim Lacyt
oldmeoncet
hathegotsomef
rom acr
oakerup-

t
ownandf
ed'
em t
ohi
sgi
rli
nsodawat
er.Fr
om t
hev
eryf
ir
stdose

hewasace-
highandev
ery
bodyel
sel
ookedl
i
ket
hir
tycent
stoher
.

Theywasmar
ri
edi
nlesst
hant
woweeks.
'

St
rongandsi
mpl
ewasChunkMcGowan.Abet
terr
eaderof
ment
hanI
keywascoul
dhav
eseent
hathi
stoughf
ramewas

st
runguponf
inewi
res.Li
keagoodgener
alwhowasaboutt
o

i
nvadet
heenemy
'st
err
it
oryhewasseeki
ngt
oguar
dev
erypoi
nt

agai
nstpossi
blef
ail
ure.

'
Ithought
,'
wentonChunkhopef
ull
y,'
thati
fIhadoneoft
hem

powder
stogi
veRosywhenIseeheratsuppert
o-ni
ghti
tmi
ght

br
aceherupandkeepherf
rom r
enegi
ngont
hepr
oposi
ti
ont
o

ski
p.Iguessshedon'
tneedamul
eteam t
odr
agheraway
,but

womenar
ebet
teratcoachi
ngt
hant
heyar
eatr
unni
ngbases.I
f

t
hest
uff
'l
lwor
kjustf
oracoupl
eofhour
sit
'l
ldot
het
ri
ck.
'

'
Wheni
sthi
sfool
i
shnessofr
unni
ngawayt
obehappeni
ng?
'

askedI
key
.
'
Nineo'
cl
ock,
'sai
dMr
.McGowan.'
Supper
'satsev
en.Atei
ght

Rosygoest
obedwi
thaheadache.Atni
neol
dPar
venzanol
etsme

t
hrought
ohi
sbacky
ard,
wher
ether
e'saboar
dof
fRi
ddl
e'
sfence,

nextdoor
.Igounderherwi
ndowandhel
pherdownt
hef
ir
e-

escape.We'
vegott
omakei
tear
lyont
hepr
eacher
'saccount
.It
's

al
ldeadeasyi
fRosydon'
tbal
kwhent
hef
lagdr
ops.Cany
ouf
ix

meoneoft
hem powder
s,I
key
?'

I
keySchoenst
einr
ubbedhi
snosesl
owl
y.

'
Chunk,
'sai
dhe,
'i
tisofdr
ugsoft
hatnat
uret
hatphar
ma-

ceut
ist
smusthav
emuchcar
eful
ness.Toy
oual
oneofmyacquai
n-

t
ancewoul
dIent
rustapowderl
i
ket
hat
.Butf
ory
ouIshal
lmake

i
t,andy
oushal
lseehowi
tmakesRosyt
othi
nkofy
ou.
'

I
keywentbehi
ndt
hepr
escr
ipt
iondesk.Ther
ehecr
ushedt
oa
powdert
wosol
ubl
etabl
ets,
eachcont
aini
ngaquar
terofagr
ainof

mor
phi
a.Tot
hem headdedal
i
ttl
esugarofmi
l
ktoi
ncr
easet
he

bul
k,andf
oldedt
hemi
xtur
eneat
lyi
nawhi
tepaper
.Takenbyan

adul
tthi
spowderwoul
densur
esev
eral
hour
sofheav
ysl
umber

wi
thoutdangert
othesl
eeper
.Thi
shehandedt
oChu