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that basic feeling of loneliness。
Two little groups of people； discovered on a single trip； going and ing by the same road！ At that rate； there should be several dozen in the area of the whole United States。 He remembered the Negroes whom he had seen in Arkansas； long ago。 In that rich country of easy winters； there was no reason in the world why those three should not have survived and bee a nucleus to which others； either black or white； could attach themselves。 Yet that munity in its ways of life and thought would be vastly different from the one in New Mexico and from either of the two in California。 This divergence opened vast questions for the distant future。
But this was no time to be carrying philosophical speculation far into the future。 The dancing and shouting of the children around the fire had bee even more bacchanalian。 In the excitement the older boys； even some of the married ones； were joining the revel。 They were playing crack…the…whip； an the more exciting because the one who was thrown off the end of the whip had to dodge the fire。 Suddenly Ish felt himself stiffen。 Charlie was playing！ In the line； linked between Dick and Evie； he was swinging the whip。 The children were obviously delighted to have a grown…up； especially this stranger； playing with them。
Ish tried to argue down his resentment。 Why not？ Why shouldn't one of the older ones play that way？ Me…I'm just as bad as those people in Los Angeles and Albuquerque； not wanting to accept the stranger！ Yet I don't think I'd have minded； if Charlie had been a different kind of person。
But； try as he could； Ish felt himself unable to stifle some deep…seated sense of dislike。 He began to revise his estimate of the importance of the boys' trip。 However important the discovery of the other munities could be for the distant future； the immediate problem was Charlie。
By now it was getting late。 and mothers were gathering their children。 But after the celebration was over； most of the older ones went home with Ish and Em； to hear still more from the two boys and from Charlie。
〃Sit here；〃 said Ezra to Charlie； pointing to the big chair in front of the fireplace。 It was a place of honor； and fort too； and Ish thought how characteristic that was of Ezra； to sense the human relationship so quickly。 He himself； though he was host； had not thought of it； and so had not been able to make Charlie feel really wele。 And then he wondered； in quick reaction； whether he really wanted to make Charlie feel at home。
It was a chilly evening； and Ezra called for a fire。 The boys brought some wood； and before long the sticks were blazing cheerily。 The room grew fortably warm。
They talked； Ezra leading the conversation； as usual。 Charlie asked if he might have a drink。 Jack brought him a bottle of brandy and a glass。 He drank steadily； but with the habitual drinker's slow absorption。 He gave no sign of either excitement or drunkenness。
〃I'm still chilly；〃 said Ezra。
〃You're not getting sick； are you？〃 said Em。
Ish himself felt a little chill of uneasiness。 Sickness was so unmon with them that any occurrence of it was a matter of note。
〃Don't know；〃 said Ezra。 〃If this was the Old Times； I'd think I was getting a cold。 Of course； it can't be that now。〃
They piled more wood on the fire； and the room grew so unfortable to Ish that he took off his sweater and sat in his shirt sleeves。 Then Charlie took off his coat also； and unbuttoned his vest； but did not take it off。
George fortably settled down into his end of the davenport； and went to sleep。 His absence did not make much difference in the conversation。 Charlie continued his work on the bottle of brandy； but still it made no difference to him except that from the heat of the fire and from the brandy； his forehead was greasy with perspiration。
Ish could tell now that Ezra was swinging the conversation around； this way and that； to get more information about Charlie's background。 But finesse seemed not to be required； for Charlie talked frankly enough whenever the subject came close to him。
〃So after she croaked…〃 he said。 〃That was after we'd lived together for quite a few years； ten or twelve； I guess。 Well； after my woman died； I didn't want to stay there no more； not around that place。 So； when your boys came along； and I liked them； I picked up and came。〃
As Charlie talked； Ish began to feel himself swinging in the other direction again。 The boys liked Charlie immensely； and they had been with him for some time already。 There was strength in Charlie； and charm also。 Perhaps he would be a good man to add to the munity。 He noticed now that whole beads of sweat were standing out on Charlie's forehead。
〃Charlie；〃 he said； 〃you'd better take that vest off and be fortable。〃 Charlie started； but did not say anything。
〃I'm sorry；〃 Ezra said。 〃I don't know what's wrong with me。 Maybe I'd better go home； get to bed。〃 But he made no move to go。
〃Surely you can't be getting a cold； Ez；〃 said Em。 〃There's never been a cold！〃
They persuaded Charlie to move； himself and his brandy bottle； to a place farther from the fire； but he kept his vest on。
Charlie sat there； and the two house…dogs came nuzzling around him。 Obviously； even the dogs were interested in the stranger； he must mean a lot of new smells。 But they sensed that the stranger had been received。 Although at first they were merely neutral； soon they relaxed fortably under Charlie's pulling of their ears and scratching of their backs。 Their tails wagged。
Ish； always realizing that people were likely to baffle him； felt himself swing back and forth。 Now he sensed both power and charm in Charlie； and felt almost warm toward him。 And then the very sense of power and charm caused him to react； perhaps with fear for his own position as a dominant force in the munity； and he felt Charlie only as a thing of evil。
At last George woke from his nap； stretched his big body and rose； saying that it was time for him to get home to bed。 The others made ready to go with him。 Ish knew that Ezra would want to say a word to him personally before going； and so he drew Ezra aside into the kitchen。
〃You feeling bad？〃
〃Me？ No；〃 said Ezra。 〃Never felt better in my life。〃
Ezra smiled； and Ish began to see light。 〃You weren't chilly？〃 he asked。
〃Never felt less chilly in my life；〃 said Ezra。 〃Just wanted to see if we could make Charlie take his vest off。 I didn't think we could。 He don't like to be away from it。 Makes me pretty sure about what I think I see anyway。 He's got a vest…pocket he's deepened himself； enlarged it。 He's got in it one of those little things they used to make for ladies to carry around in their purses…just a small piece of hardware！〃
Ish had a sudden sense of relief。 Anything as simple and concrete as a pistol…that could be handled！ His relief faded as Ezra went on：
〃I wish I was sure about him。 Sometimes I think there's something ugly and dirty and mean…clear to the middle of him。 Sometimes I think he'll be my best friend。 Always； though； I know he's one that knows what he wants and generally gets it。〃
When they went back to the living…room； George was just leaving。
〃This is the best thing that's happened to us for a long time；〃 he was saying to Charlie。 〃We've needed another strong man。 We hope you stay with us。〃
There was a general confirmation chorus from the others； as all of them； Charlie and Ezra included； went out the door。
Ish was left standing with his thoughts。 He had tried to join in the choru； but his tongue had been suddenly stiff and his mouth dry。 All he could think now was： 〃Something dirty and ugly and mean…clear to the middle of him。〃
Chapter 7
After they had gone； Ish thought of something that he had not done during all those years。 In fact； after he had decided to do it； he was not sure whether he still could。 Yet； when he went into the kitchen； he found that there was a bolt on the back door。 He could remember his mother having had it put there because she never trusted ordinary locks。 He shot that bolt。 Then he went to the front door； and found that there was still a workable night…latch。
In all these years； there had been no need to secure a door。 No one in the munity was to be feared； no stranger； if there had been one； would have had a chance of getting through the cordon of dogs。 But now there was someone； perhaps not to be trusted； and he had made friends with the dogs。 Had that patting of the dogs had calculation behind it？
When Ish had gone to bed and shared his apprehensions with Em； he found her not very responsive。 Sometimes； he realized； she was too all…accepting for him。
〃What's so remarkable about him carrying a gun？〃 she said。 〃You carry one yourself； lots of the time； don't you？〃
〃Not concealed！ And I'm not afraid to take my vest off； and be away from my weapon。〃
〃Yes； but maybe you should give him a break for being nervous and unfortable； too。 You don't like his looks； maybe he don't like yours。 He's among strangers…surrounded！〃
Ish felt a surge of resentment； almost anger； against Charlie； the intruder。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃but we are on the ground here； this is our place； he es breaking in； he must adapt himself to us； not we to him。〃
〃You're right； darling； I guess。 But anyway； let's don't talk about it any more now。 I'm going to sleep。〃
If there was any one thing that Ish had always envied in Em； it was her capacity to go to sleep merely by saying so。 As for him； the harder he thought about going to sleep； the longer he was likely to take； and he could never slow down his mind as he wanted to。 Now again he felt it settle to work。 For suddenly he had had a new idea； and a disturbing one。 The trouble was； he decided； that he had to think of himself as pitted against Charlie in a personal struggle。 If The Tribe had been really drawn together already into some firm organization； if there were some symbolic unity by which they presented an unbroken front； then the mere advent of any stranger； strong though he might be as an individual； would be of little moment。 Now it might be too late。 The stranger had e already； and he must be met as man to man。
And Charlie would be no mean opponent。 Already he had won the loyalty and friendship of Dick and Bob； and doubtless of others of the younger ones。 George was obviously impressed。 Ezra seemed doubtful。 What was this strange charm； backed by strength？
Ish could not sense why anyone felt a liking for Charlie； but the fact was that they did。 And the fact might be also that he himself was too narrowly prejudiced against the man； out of a spirit of rivalry； to feel Charlie's real strength。 But of one thing he began to feel certain。 There would be some contest between the two of them。 Just what form this contest would take； he could not yet know。 But since they lacked the solidarity of anything that could be called a state； the contest would be an individual one。
Or at worst； it would be a struggle of factions with two opposing leaders。 On whom could be； Ish； depend？ He was not really a leader。 He had been a leader so far； doubtless； by default…because George had been too stupid and Ezra too easygoing to offer any petition。 Oh； intellectual leadership； yes！ But in any basic struggle for power； the intellectual man went under。 He thought of the deceptively pretty eyes of baby…blue； yet they had a coldness such as dark eyes could never show。
〃Who will follow my banner？〃 he questioned dramatically。 Even Em seemed to be failing him。 She had made light of things； almost defended Charlie。 All at once Ish felt himself the scared little boy of the Old Times。 Of all these people Joey alone was the one who could thoroughly understand； the only one on whom he could always count。 And Joey was a little boy； physically frail even for his years。 What help could he be against the rush of Charlie's power？ No； not pig…eyes； he thought again。 They are a boar's eyes！
Finally； however； he said to himself； 〃This is the mere madness of midnight； these are only the wild fantasies that e to a man in the darkness when he cannot sleep。〃 And he managed； at last； to di