gc.shadowslinger-第25部分

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pper；　he　returned　to　the　Lily　and　started　an　inventory。
　　At　least　Wally　hadn't　sold　what　he　had　bought　on　credit。　The　Lily　was　well…stocked。
　　Only　what　was　he　going　to　do　about　his　mother？
　　The　house　was　paid　for。　That　was　a　plus。　But　the　old　girl　needed　her　servants　to　survive。　And　he　couldn't　pay　their　wages。　But　he　didn't　want　her　back　in　the　Lily。　He　could　sell　all　those　clothes。　He'd　spent　a　fortune　on　them　and　couldn't　wear　them。　He　did　some　figuring。　Yes。　Sell　the　clothes　and　he　could　support　his　mother　till　next　summer。
　　No　more　clothes。　No　more　women。　No　more　improvements　on　the　Lily。　。　。　。　Maybe　Wally　hadn't　spent　it　all。
　　Finding　Wally　was　not　difficult。　He　returned　to　his　family　after　two　days　in　hiding。　He　thought　Shed　would　endure　the　loss。　He　didn't　know　he　was　dealing　with　a　new　Shed。
　　Shed　stormed　to　his　cousin's　tiny　one…room　apartment；　kicked　the　door　in。　〃Wally！〃
　　Wally　squealed。　His　children　and　wife　and　mother　all　screeched　questions。　Shed　ignored　them。　〃Wally；　I　want　it　back！　Every　damned　copper！〃
　　Wally's　wife　got　in　his　way。　〃Calm　down；　Marron。　What's　the　matter？〃
　　〃Wally！〃　Wally　cowered　in　a　corner。　〃Out　of　my　way；　Sal。　He　stole　damned　near　a　hundred　leva。〃　Shed　grabbed　his　cousin　and　dragged　him　out　the　doorway。　〃I　want　it　back。〃
　　〃Shed。　。　。　。〃
　　Shed　shoved　him。　He　staggered　backward；　tripped；　rolled　down　a　flight　of　stairs。　Shed　charged　after　him；　hurled　him　down　another　flight。
　　〃Shed；　please。　。。。〃
　　〃Where's　the　money；　Wally？　I　want　the　money。〃
　　〃I　don't　have　it；　Shed。　I　spent　it。　Honest。　The　kids　had　to　have　clothes。　We　had　to　eat。　I　couldn't　help　it；　Shed。　You　had　so　much。　。　。　。　You're　family；　Shed。　You're　supposed　to　help。〃
　　Shed　shoved　him　into　the　street；　kicked　him　in　the　groin；　dragged　him　upright；　started　slapping。　〃Where　is　it；　Wally？　You　couldn't　have　spent　that　much。　Hell；　your　kids　are　wearing　rags。　I　paid　you　enough　to　handle　that。　Because　you　were　family。　I　want　the　money　you　stole。〃　As　he　raged；　Shed　drove　his　cousin　toward　the　Lily。
　　Wally　whined　and　begged；　refusing　to　tell　the　truth。　Shed　guessed　he　had　stolen　upward　of　fifty　leva；　enough　to　have　pleted　the　renovation　of　the　Lily。　This　hadn't　been　petty　pilfering。　He　hurled　blows　in　an　angry　rain。
　　He　herded　Wally　around　behind　the　Lily；　away　from　prying　eyes。　〃Now　I　get　nasty；　Wally。〃
　　〃Shed；　please。　。。。〃
　　〃You　stole　from　me　and　you're　lying　about　it。　I　could　forgive　you　for　doing　it　for　your　family。　But　you　didn't。　Tell　me。　Or　give　it　back。〃　He　punched　Wally　hard。
　　The　pain　in　his　hands；　from　hitting　the　man；　sapped　his　rage。　But　then　Wally　broke。　〃I　lost　it　gambling。　I　know　I　was　stupid。　But　I　was　so　sure　I　was　going　to　win。　They　took　me。　They　let　me　think　I　was　going　to　win　big；　then　took　me；　and　the　only　way　out　was　to　steal。　They　would　have　killed　me。　I　borrowed　from　Gilbert　after　I　told　him　how　good　you　were　doing。　。。。〃
　　〃Lost　it？　Gambling？　Borrowed　from　Gilbert？〃　Shed　muttered。　Gilbert　had　moved　in　on　Krage's　territories。　He　was　a　bad　as　his　predecessor。　〃How　could　you　be　so　stupid？〃　The　rage　took　him　again。　He　snatched　a　board　off　a　scrap　pile　left　for　kindling。　He　hit　Wally　hard。　And　hit　him　again。　His　cousin　went　down；　stopped　trying　to　fend
off　the　blows。
　　Shed　froze；　suddenly　coldly　rational。　Wally　wasn't　moving。　〃Wally？　Wally？　Hey；　Wally。　Say　something。〃
　　Wally　did　not　respond。
　　Shed's　stomach　knotted。　He　tossed　the　board　into　the　pile。　〃Have　to　get　that　inside　before　people　cart　it　off。〃　He　gripped　his　cousin's　shoulder。　〃e　on；　Wally。　I　won't　hit　you　anymore。〃
　　Wally　did　not　move。
　　〃Oh；　shit；〃　Shed　muttered。　〃I　killed　him。〃　This　tore　it。　What　now？　There　wasn't　much　justice　in　the　Buskin；　but　what　there　was　was　quick　and　rough。　They　would　hang　him　sure。
　　He　whirled；　looking　for　witnesses。　He　saw　no　one。　His　mind　flew　in　a　hundred　directions。　There　was　a　way　out。　No　body；　no　proof　that　murder　had　been　done。　But　he'd　never　gone　up　that　hill　alone。
　　Hastily；　he　dragged　Wally　to　the　scrap　pile　and　covered　him。　The　amulet　he　needed　to　get　into　the　black　castle。　Where　was　it？　He　dashed　into　the　Lily；　roared　upstairs；　found　the　amulet；　examined　it。　Definitely　serpents　intertwined。　The　workmanship　was　amazingly　detailed。　Tiny　jewels　formed　the　eyes　of　the　snakes。　They　sparkled　menacingly　in　the　afternoon　sun。
　　He　stuffed　the　amulet　into　his　pocket。　〃Shed；　get　yourself　together。　Panic　and　you're　dead。〃
　　How　long　before　Sal　yelled　for　the　law？　A　few　days；　surely。　Plenty　of　time。
　　Raven　had　left　him　his　wagon　and　team。　He　hadn't　thought　to　keep　paying　the　stable…keeper。　Had　the　man　sold　them？　If　so；　he　was　in　trouble。
　　He　cleaned　out　his　coin　boxes；　left　the　Lily　in　Lisa's　care。
　　The　stable…keeper　hadn't　sold　off；　but　the　mules　were　looking　lean。　Shed　cursed　him。
　　〃I　should　feed　them　at　my　own　expense；　mister？〃
　　Shed　cursed　him　some　more　and　paid　what　was　owed。　He　said；　〃Feed　them。　And　have　them　hitched　and　ready　at　the　tenth　hour。〃
　　Shed　remained　panicky　all　afternoon。　Somebody　might　find　Wally。　But　no　lawman　came　stamping　in。　Soon　after　dark　he　stole　away　to　the　stable。
　　He　spent　the　journey　alternately　being　terrified　and　wondering　how　much　Wally　would　bring。　And　how　much　he　could　get　for　his　wagon　and　team。　He　hadn't　factored　them　into　his　earlier　calculations。
　　He　ought　to　help　Wally's　family。　He　had　to。　It　was　the　decent　thing。　。。。　He　was　acquiring　too　many　dependents。
　　Then　he　was　facing　the　dark　gate。　The　castle；　with　all　its　monstrous　decoration；　was　terrible；　but　it　didn't　seem　to　have　grown　since　last　he　had　been　there。　He　knocked　as　Raven　had　done；　his　heart　in　his　throat。　He　gripped　his　amulet　in　his　left　hand。
　　What　was　taking　them　so　long？　He　hammered　again。　The　gate　jumped　open；　startling　him。　He　fled　to　his　wagon；　got　the　mules　moving。
　　He　entered　exactly　as　Raven　had　done；　ignoring　everything　but　his　driving。　He　halted　in　the　same　place；　climbed　down；　dragged　Wally　out。
　　No　one　came　for　several　minutes。　He　grew　ever　more　nervous；　wishing　he'd　had　the　sense　to　e　armed。　What　guarantee　did　he　have　that　they　wouldn't　turn　on　him？　That　silly　amulet？
　　Something　moved。　He　gasped。
　　The　creature　that　stepped　out　of　the　shadow　was　short　and　wide　and　radiated　an　air　of　contempt。　It　never　looked　at　him。　Its　examination　of　the　cadaver　was　detailed。　It　was　being　difficult；　like　some　petty　official　with　a　helpless　citizen　momentarily　in　his　power。　　Shed　knew　how　to　handle　that。　Stubborn　patience　and　refusal　to　bee　irritated。　He　stood　motionless；　waiting。
　　The　creature　finally　placed　twenty…five　pieces　of　silver　near　Wally's　feet。
　　Shed　grimaced；　but　collected　the　cash。　He　returned　to　his　seat；　backed　the　wagon；　got　the　team　aligned　with　the　gate。　Only　then　did　he　register　his　protest。　〃That　was　a　prime　corpse。　Next　time　you'll　do　better；　or　there　won't　be　a　time　after　that。　Git　up。〃　Out　the　gate　he　went；　amazed　at　his　temerity。
　　Going　down　the　hill　he　sang。　He　felt　great。　Except　for　a　fading　guilt　about　Wally…the　bastard　had　earned　it…he　was　at　peace　with　his　world。　He　was　free　and　safe；　out　of　debt；　and　now　had　money　in　reserve。　He　returned　his　team　to　its　stable；　wakened　the　stable…keeper；　paid　four　months　in　advance。　〃Take　good　care　of　my　animals；〃　he　admonished。
　　A　representative　of　the　precinct　Magistrate　showed　up　next　day。　He　had　questions　about　Wally's　disappearance。　Sal　had　reported　the　fight。
　　Shed　admitted　it；　〃I　kicked　the　shit　out　of　him。　But　I　don't　know　what　happened　to　him。　He　just　took　off。　I　would've　run；　too；　if　I　had　somebody　that　mad　at　me。〃
　　〃What　was　the　fight　about？〃
　　Shed　played　the　role　of　a　man　who　didn't　want　to　get　anybody　in　trouble。　Finally；　he　admitted；　〃He　worked　for　me。　He　stole　money　to　pay　back　money　he　borrowed　to　pay　gambling　debts。　Check　with　my　suppliers。　They'll　tell　how　he　bought　on　credit。　He　told　me　he　was　paying　cash。〃
　　〃How　much　was　involved？〃
　　〃Can't　say　exactly；〃　Shed　replied。　〃More　than　fifty　leva。　My　whole　profit　for　the　summer；　and　then　some。〃
　　The　questioner　whistled。　〃I　don't　blame　you　for　getting　pissed。〃
　　〃Yeah。　I　wouldn't　have　begrudged　him　money　to　help　his　fa