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our bills in town or not； the Mansfield credit is still good'
To drink the coffee Frances set before him； Randall gripped the large white mug with both hands。 His fingers didn't tremble； but it must have taken a good deal of concentrated effort to hold them steady。
〃Going to see Mary Elizabeth？〃 he asked suddenly。
I shrugged and lit a cigarette。 I offered the pack to my brother。 He held up a palm in refusal； changed his mind and took one out of the pack。 He held both of his hands in his lap； after putting the cork tip in his mouth； and I had to lean across the table to light it for him。
〃You kind of believe in long engagements； don't you； Bubba？〃 he said； smiling sardonically。 〃It's been about seven years now； hasn't it？〃
〃Eight。〃 Frances emended。 〃Eight years e November。〃
〃Well； you can't say I haven't done my part to bring you together；〃 Randall said wryly； watching my face closely。 〃Five years ago our farms were almost three miles apart。 But thanks to selling land to Wright Gaylord； we're less than a mile away from them now！〃 He laughed with genuine amusement。
I was unable to listen to him any longer。 He made me feel sick to my stomach。 I rose from the table； and picked up my shaving kit from the sideboard。
〃There's plenty of hot water upstairs if you want to shave； but not enough yet for a bath。 Lately I've taken to turning the heater off at night and not lighting it again till I get up；〃 Frances said。 〃Your room is dusty； too； but when Leona es over this morning I'll have her do it up and put fresh sheets on the bed。〃
I nodded at my sister…in…law and left the room。 As I climbed the stairs to the second floor； Randall said； 〃Maybe you'd better scramble me a couple of eggs； Hon。 But don't put any grease in the skillet； just a little salt 。 。
Not only was Randall weak； he was a petty tyrant to his long…suffering wife。 Before she could scramble eggs she would have to pour the good milk gravy into a bowl； and wash and dry the frying pan。
My old room was at the very end of the upstairs hallway； next to the bathroom。 When Daddy bought the farm and moved us out from town； I had been elated about the move because it meant having a room to myself。 And somehow； Daddy had made a go of the farm when many other good farmers were half starving in Georgia。 He had earned a fair sum by not planting things and by collecting checks from the government。 But even when times were excellent； he had never made any real money out of the farm。 He was a fair farmer； but a poor businessman。 Daddy had only been good for giving Randall and me advice； cheap advice； and he had never found anything in either one of us except our faults。
My room was dusty all right； as Frances had said。 It had also been used as a catchall storeroom during the two years I had been away。 The stripped double bed had been stacked with some cardboard cartons full of books； two shadeless table lamps and two carelessly rolled carpets。 Extra pieces of dilapidated furniture had been tossed haphazardly into the room； and the hand…painted portrait of Grandpa was lying flat on top of my desk。 A thick layer of dust was scattered over everything。 When I opened the window； dust puffs as large as tennis balls took out after each other across the floor。
For a moment or two I looked out the window at the familiar view； but it didn't seem the same。 Something was missing。 And then I noticed that the ten…acre stand of slash pine had disappeared…cut down and sold as firewood probably； and not replanted。
I lifted the stern…faced portrait of Grandpa off the desk and leaned it against the dresser。 I wiped the surface of the desk with my handkerchief。 After rummaging through the drawers； I found a cheap； lined tablet with curling edges。 Sitting down at the desk； I took out my ballpoint。
It took approximately a half hour to write out a list of instructions for Judge Brantley Powell。 I wanted to be sure that I covered everything pletely so he wouldn't have any questions。 After rereading the list； and making a few interlinear corrections； I folded the sheaf of papers and stuffed them into my hip pocket。
I went into the bathroom and shaved； planning on an immediate departure for town in order to catch the judge in his office before he went home for the day。 After returning to my room； I was rebuttoning my shirt when a soft rap sounded at the door。
〃Bubba；〃 Randall's voice called through the door。 〃How long're you going to be？〃
I opened the door and looked quizzically at my brother。 He was smiling a sly； secretive smile。 Whenever Mother had caught him smiling that way； she slapped his face on general principles； knowing instinctively that he had done something wrong； and also knowing that she would never find out what he had done。
〃e on downstairs；〃 he said mysteriously。 〃I've got a surprise for you。〃 Still smiling； he turned away abruptly and descended the stairs。
I slipped into my corduroy jacket； put my hat on and followed him。
The surprise was Mary Elizabeth； the last person I wanted to see right then； standing at the bottom of the stairs； cool and crisp in a wide…necked white blouse； blue velvet pinafore and white sling pumps。 Ordinarily； I would have stopped to see Mary Elizabeth first； before ing home； but I didn't want to see her at all when I was broke and without a car。 My last visit home； when I had first made my vow of silence； had been a strained； miserable experience for both of us。
〃Hello； Frank；〃 Mary Elizabeth said shyly； 〃wele home。〃
She hadn't changed a fraction in two years。 She was every bit as beautiful as I remembered。 Mary Elizabeth had pale golden hair； and dark blue eyes…which often changed to emerald green in bright sunlight…a pink…and…white plexion； fair； thick； untouched pale brows； and long delicate hands。 Her figure was more buxom than it had been ten years before； but that was to be expected。 She was no longer a young girl。 She was a mature woman of twentynine。
A moment later Mary Elizabeth was in my arms and I was kissing her； and it was as though I had never been away。 There was a loud click as Randall closed the double doors to the dining room and left us alone。 At the sound； Mary Elizabeth twisted her face to one side。 I released her reluctantly and stepped back。
〃Your voice still hasn't e back。〃 It was a statement； not a question。
Slowly； regretfully； I shook my head。
〃And you haven't been to a doctor either； have you？〃 she said accusingly。
Again the negative headshake； but acpanied this time with a stubborn smile。
〃I've had a lot of time to think about it； Frank；〃 she said eagerly； 〃and I don't believe your sudden loss of speech is organic at all。 There's something psychological about it。〃 She dropped her eyes demurely。 〃We can discuss it later at The Place。 Randall's telephone call caught me just as I was leaving for school； and I don't think Mr。 Caldwell liked it very well when I called him the last minute that way。 When I take a day off without notice； or get sick or something； he has to take my classes。
〃But I've packed a lunch； and it's still warm enough to go for a swim at The PlaceShe colored prettily。 〃If you want to go？〃
I opened the front door and took her arm。 As we climbed into her yellow Nova； she was over her initial nervousness； and she began to scold me。
〃Did it ever occur to you； Frank； that even a picture postcard mailed in advance would be helpful to everybody concerned？〃 I rather enjoyed the quality of Mary Elizabeth's voice。 Like most schoolteachers of the female sex； she had an overtone of fretful impatience in her voice； and this note of controlled irascibility amused me。
I grinned and tweaked the nipple of her right breast gently through the thinness of her white cotton blouse。
〃Don't！〃 The sharp expletive was delivered furiously； and her blue…green eyes blazed with sudden anger。 She set her lips grimly and remained silent for the remainder of the short drive to her farm； where she lived with her brother。 As she pulled into the yard and parked beneath a giant pepper tree； I noticed that she had cooled off。 The moment she turned off the engine； I pulled her toward me and kissed her mouth softly； barely brushing her lips with mine。
〃You do love me； don't you； Frank？〃 she asked softly； with her eyes glistening。
I nodded； and kissed her again； roughly this time the way she liked to be kissed。 One day； when we had first started to go together； Mary Elizabeth had asked me thirty…seven times if I loved her。 At each affirmative reply she had been as pleased as the first time。 Women never seem to tire of being told； again and again and again。
〃Here es Wright；〃 Mary Elizabeth said quickly； looking past my shoulder。 〃We'd better get out of the car。〃
We got out of the car and waited beneath the tree； watching her brother approach us from the barn with his unhurried； shambling gait。 Wright Gaylord hated me； and I was always uneasy in his presence because of his low boiling point。 He worshiped his little sister and had put her through college。 Now in his late forties； Wright was still unmarried。 He had never found a woman he could love as much as he loved his sister。 He hated me for two reasons。 One； I could sleep with Mary Elizabeth and he couldn't。 After all these years he was bound to know about us； or at least suspect the best。 And two； when I married Mary Elizabeth； he knew that I would take her away and he would never see her again。 When our engagement had been announced and published in the paper； he had locked himself in his bedroom for three days。
〃I didn't get sick or anything。〃 Mary Elizabeth said as Wright came within earshot。 〃Frank came home； so I took the day off for a picnic。〃
Wright glared at me。 His face reminded me of a chunk of red stone； roughly hewn by an amateur sculptor； and then left in the rain to weather。
〃When are you leaving？〃 Wright asked rudely； shoving both hands into his overall pockets deliberately； to avoid shaking hands。
〃Now； that's no way to talk； Wright；〃 Mary Elizabeth chided。 〃Frank just got home this morning。〃 She patted her brother's meaty arm。 〃We're going to The Place for our picnic。 Why don't you e with us？〃
〃I ain't got time for picnics；〃 he said sullenly。 〃I got too much work to do。 Anyway； I've been meanin' to go to town all week。 Give me the keys； and I'll take your car instead of the pickup。〃
Mary Elizabeth handed him her keys。 〃It might do you good to take a day off and e with us。〃
Wright grunted something under his breath； got into the car； and slammed the door。 We entered the house； picked up a quilt and the lunch basket to take with us； and then cut across the fields for The Place。
We had called it The Place for as long as I could remember。 The tiny pool in the piney woods wasn't large enough to be called a swimming hole。 Fed by an underground spring that bubbled into a narrow brook about fifty yards up the pine…covered slope； the pool was only big enough for two or three people to stand in fortably； and the water was only chest deep。 The clear water was very cold； even on the hottest days。 On a cruel summer day； a man could stand in the pool； his head shaded by pines； and forget about the heat and humidity of Georgia。
The Place had other advantages。 There was a wide flat rock to the right of the pool； with enough room for one person at a time to stretch out on it and get some dappled sunlight。 To the left of the pool； facing up the steep hill； there was a clearing well matted with pine needles。 For two people； the clearing was the perfect size for an opened quilt and a picnic。 Best of all； The Place was secluded and private。 Located on the eastern edge of the Gaylord farm； the wooded section merged with a Georgia state forest。 The only direct access to The Place was across Wright Gaylord's property。 and nobody in his right mind would have trespassed on Wright's land。
Two hours before； Mary Elizabeth and I had arrived at the pool； hot and dusty from trudging across the cultivated fields。 We had stripped immediately and jumped into the water。 After splashing each other and wrestling playfully in the icy water； we had allowed the sun to dry us thoroughly before we made love on th