Part 26 (2/2)

”What are you, blind?” the voice called after him.

Winn had crossed a street away from the celebration. He didn't know what he might run into here if he walked around. He decided he would recross and tryto tell by the surface under his boots when he was off the street. He listened for sounds of more wagons or horses and heard” none; perhaps the

noise from across the street merely drowned them out.He asked himself why he should care if a wagon did run him down. Whatdifference would it make? In fact, it might be the best solution since hewas too big a coward to shoot himself.

Peter met Cynthie before she got back to the crowd. ”Is Greg back?” heasked.”No!” Cynthie whispered, her fight with Kyle forgotten.

”Maybe he's with Winn.”

She and Peter hurried to where she had left him. A new table had been placed end to end with the first and was already filling up with food.

She looked around but couldn't find Winn. She couldn't even see the bench.

”Excuse me, did you see a man sit ting on the bench over here?” she askedone stranger after another. Peter left to resume his search.Cynthie prayed that they were together, for both their sakes.Finally she found the man who had asked Winn to move.”I didn't know he was blind,” he said apologetically.”I just thought he was kinda...” The man shrugged and tapped his head.Cynthie didn't waste time being angry with him, but went at a run in the direction he had pointed. She tried to look all around her at once.

Finally she came to the end of the grove and turned in a circle to lookbehind her again. Where could he have gone?She spun around to look across Waco Street and saw him. He was ready to start across at such an angle that it could put him in the intersection with Douglas

Street. She didn't even look for traffic. ”Winn!” she yelled as she ran toward him. When Winn heard her voice, he knew the answer to his question. As long as she was anywhere near him, he wanted desperately to live. She was at his side in a moment and leading him off the street. She took the basket from his hands and set it on the ground with a clatter. The next moment, her armswere around his neck and she was pressed up against him. He wrapped his ownarms around her and ignored the voice that told him he had no right.

”I was so scared,” she said into his shoulder. ”Why did you leave?””I didn't mean to,” he began.' ”I know, I know. That man made you get up. But you came so far.””I kind of got pushed here and there. I seem to get in the way easily.”To his complete surprise, she laughed. She slipped out of his arms. ' ”Come on back. I have to look for Greg.”Winn remembered the basket and reached for it where he had heard her drop it.She helped him find the handle and they started across the street. He realized that she was walking in a much different angle than he would have taken.

”I was hoping Peter had found Greg by now,” he said when he felt gra.s.s

beneath his feet again.

”He's probably found someplace to play and doesn't even know he's lost,”

she said.

”He always takes off when Dempsey's around.” Winn regretted the comment the

moment he said it. He hadn't meant to remind her of his own bad behavior where Dempsey was concerned. Besides, it sounded like he was trying to placethe blame for the boy's disappearance on someone else.

Cynthie surprised him by answering softly, ”I know.”

They returned to the area near the table where they had been when Greg ran off. There were long tables not far away, waiting for people who were ready

to eat. Cynthie led Winn to the end of one of these and set the basketnearby.”I'm sure Peter can find you here,” she said.”I'll come back in a little while to see if he's found Greg.”Winn nodded and prepared for a long wait.”Hi.” The little voice made Winn jump. In a moment Greg was climbing onto his lap.

”Where have you been?” Winn was too relieved to scold. He'd leave that to his mother.

”Over there,” came the reasonable answer.

Winn had to laugh.

”Why did you decide to go over there?”

'”Cause I don't like Kyle Dempsey.”

Winn nodded in agreement.

”Tell me why you don't like Dempsey.”

”” Cause he's bad. ”

Winn wasn't sure what he was hoping to find out from the boy but, since he

had started, he wanted to continue.

”What did he do that was bad?”

”He made Daddy scared of the ferry.” Greg's little hands began patting out a

rhythm on the tabletop.

”Is that why you're afraid of the ferry?” Winn asked.

Greg's hands stilled and he gave an exasperated sigh.

”I'm not afraid of the ferry,” he said slowly as

{ if he were explaining something that anyone should know.

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