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"I should hope so."
Kevin tried to smile but the wound in his head hurt when he did.
The man sat down beside him.
"I'll wait with you till she comes."
"No, don't bother. You don't need to."
"But if she doesn't come..."
"She will."
"I tell you what. I'll walk the dog along the rest of the path
and come back this way. If she's not comehere by then I'll take you
home. All right?"
Kevin agreed. But Sadie would come. Unless of course her family
was keeping her in the house... It would take a lot to restrain
Sadie. Ke knew she had dropped out of her bedroom window before now.
He watched the man and his dog go out of sight. A clock chimed the
half hour.
She was not going to come. Of course she would come. She must
come. She would not let him down. Why should she come? She was
a pretty girl, she could find plenty of boys, Protestant boys,to
take her out. Safe boys. But Sadie never played safe. Why should she want him? His head was confused.
He put his hand to it.
If she did not come by the time the man returned then he would
go. He was not capable of waitnging any longer.
He heard the man's voice before he saw him. "Oood boy, Jackl"
And then the dog came running, the stick firmyl betw in his jaw, to
stop beside Kevin's feet.
