THE NEW HOUSEKEEPER
65
picking at each other like cocks in a bag. He cleared his throat.
"Don't let that wild Buffalo Bill rope you. We need you yet a
while." He threw her the front key.
Upstairs Steve went around and around like a horse with
a boom bringing up water, waiting for Bill to come back. Mule
was working on the floor over a small engine. He too jerked
up his head at the first faint sounds of the car. Bill swaggered
in
with his pipe going pup, pup, pup.
·
First time he swore he couldn't get at anything but her
work hand. She was too uneasy about her job. Second time
he said he had more luck. That belly of hers was as firm and
curved like a banjo and-.
Mule got up slowly, the big jaw of his hitched forward in
fury.
"You little spi thug you, coming here to start trouble,
meddling-."
Bill roared back, standing his ground.
"If
that gun didn't
knock your little brains out, you'd feel the same way, you crazy
old gelding. What's this to you? Hell, she can take care of
herself. You and who else'll drive me off?"
They trooped downstairs. Behind the silo. There was
enough moon.
Bill feinted, drove a left cross. He laughed and danced
around, tattooing Mule's collarbone and sore arm, driving those
big ears back with a twisting first. Mule towered above him
swinging those long bats of his arms in wild roundhouse swings
that always cut Bill down in the end, knocking the breath out of
him, knocking him cold in the moon watering the ring. Mule
waited
aga!n~t
the silo hoarsely breathing.
Every time he got up, Bill ground out, "I'll bull her yet
before you'll."
It wasn't long, however, before he was so punchdrunk that
he kept reeling into Mule's first. He dropped on Mule's knee, in
his great pain butting Mule's crotch. Mule caught him as on
the horn of an anvil. He hammered his head until the bones
cracked.
The seconds washed up Bill with cider. They poured cider
down his throat and over his clothing. They dragged him into
his car. Steve drove it half way across the county, Murf follow–
ing
in the milk truck. They stopped in front of a doctor's place,
rang the bell, and drove off, the truck banging like a shotgun.
Couple of days later, the boss returned from the mill with
the news that Bill was in a bad auto smashup, that's why he
