UNDER THE SUN
365
"You leave me alone," Cade said.
"I
ain't interferin' with your
life, and don't you interfere with mine. The little life
I
have, that
is." He grunted.
"lowe something to you and that's why
I
can't just let you be
any old way you feel like being," Jesse said.
"You don't owe me a thing," Cade told him.
"I
know who lowe .and who
I
don't," Jesse replied.
"You always say you owe me on account of my brother saved
your life just before he got hisself blowed up."
"Cade, you be careful!" Jesse warned, and his head twitched
as he spoke.
"I'm glad he's gone," Cade said, but without the emotion he
usually expressed when he spoke of his brother. He had talked against
his brother so long in times past in order to get Jesse riled up that it
had lost nearly all meaning for both of them. "Yes, sir,
I
don't care!"
Cade repeated.
J esse moved his lips silently and Cade knew he was praying for
help.
Jesse opened his eyes wide then and looking straight at Cade,
twisted his lips, trying not to let the swear words come out, and
said: "All right, Cade," after a long struggle.
"And if religion is going to make you close with your money,"
Cade began looking at Jesse's mouth, "close and
mean,
too, then
I
can clear out of here.
I
don't need you, Jesse."
"What put the idea into your head religion made me close with
my money?" Jesse said, and he turned very pale.
"You need me here, but you don't want to pay what it takes
to keep me," Cade said.
Jesse trembling walked over to Cade very close and stared at
him.
Cade watched
him,
ready.
J esse said, "You can stay here as long as you ever want to. And
no questions asked." Having said this, Jesse turned away, a glassy
look on his face, and stared at the cracked calcimine of their wall.
"On account of myoId brother
I
can stay!" Cade yelled.
"All right then!" Jesse shouted back, but fear on
his
face. Then
softening with a strange weakness he said, "No, Cade, that's not it
either," and he went over and put his arm on Cade's shoulder.
