78
PARTISAN REVIEW
upon it. Just hold tight and let me do most of the talking.
I wish ... "
He didn't finish, but I knew what he wished. That Jimmy
was there. I nodded, and Tex saying nothing, we all piled into
the cars that had been drafted and started for the hospital.
Doc Halper and my wife was to bring Tex's wife and Tex
was to go with them in the Doc's big Buick.
Sam was right about the sheriff. Two of his cars was
parked in front of the place when we drew up. We waited until
everybody had unloaded and Doc came and then our Committee
of Doc, two women, me and Sam, started up the steps. Just
then, the doors opened and sheriff Hawkins and six of his
deputies came out.
They came down the steps and we waited for 'em. Haw–
kins walked right past us and up to Tex. The deputies waited
a little above.
"Buckley," the sheriff said, "what's all this furore about?"
Before Tex could say anything, Sam busted in. ''I'm the
spokesman for this Committee, sheriff.
vV
e came out here to
see that Tex Buckley's wife gets taken care of in the County
Hospital here. She's going to have a baby quick and we brought
her with us." Sam waved a big arm towards the cars, but he
kept looking at the sheriff.
Hawkins hesitated. "But the superintendent has already
told you that there was no room."
Sam moved closer. "That don't cut no ice with us,
~v1i st er
Hawkins. I reckon they'd mighty soon find some room for a
rich man's wife, and I reckon th ey'd could find room for Buck–
ley's wife if they hunted." Sam's face had that same look it
had the day out on the job when he told us about th e Kluxers,
but his voice was quiet and soft.
Anybody could see Hawkins didn't like the way Sam was
talking, but it was also plain Hawkins didn't know just what
to do. He tried soft soap.
"Now look here boys! I feel the same way you do about
this thing. But there isn't any room and that's that. You would
get a lot farther if you didn't go around looking for trouble
and threatening people. That doesn't do any good." He was
talking over Sam's shoulder at us.
Sam cut him -short.
"vV
e didn ' t threaten any one, Mister
Hawkins. We just told the superintendent we
had
to have
room.''
