darkness. “City feller, did you say something?”

Catell snickered again. When the sheriff came toward him, kicking the cell door aside with his foot, Catell knew this was the pay-off. He also knew that the man at the door was a coward, dangerous because he was afraid, but weak because he was unsure.

“You want something, Sheriff?”

“Come over here with your hands up!”

Catell did.

“Now walk thataway, down the hall. Stop.”

This suited Catell fine. They were alone and they could not be seen from the outside.

“And now, jailbird, turn around.”

Catell turned, watching the sheriff, who stood in a crouch. Catell noticed that the gun hung loosely, but the hand that held the stick was tense, with knuckles white. The sheriff wasn’t thinking of doing any killing; he was going to have some sport. Then later, maybe, if he could make it look like an escape…

“Just so we understand each other, jailbird, I’m about to make you over.”

“Don’t call me jailbird.”

“What!” The sheriff leaned forward, startled by Catell’s matter-of-fact tone. His face reddened and he sucked in his breath. “Are you telling me what to do? You talking back to me, jailbird?”

Catell didn’t answer. He just watched the man, who was starting to tremble with rage.

“Say something, jailbird! Open that filthy mouth once more!” The sheriff prodded his stick at Catell.

At that instant Catell whipped out his hand and yanked at the stick. The sheriff, stiff with hate and fear, stumbled forward and caught Catell’s foot under his jaw. The gun clattered against the wall. Catell reached for the man’s ears and jerked hard, and both men spun to the floor. Before the sheriff could start to struggle, Catell’s weight jammed the wind out of his chest and two thumbs dug painfully into his Adam’s apple.

“Now I’m going to do the talking, Harry, and listen close. You called me a jailbird. Well, you’re right. I can bust out of better jails than yours, but you aren’t getting a thing on me that you can prove. So I’m sticking around a short while longer, but you better learn how to behave yourself. I want you to lay off, hear? I want you to lay off or else you’re going to be the one that gets hurt. Because one day after I’m out of here, you’re going to get a visit the likes of which you’ve never seen, except maybe in the movies. I got connections, Harry boy. I won’t even come back here myself to make a cripple out of you for life. I know plenty of eager young boys who’d break your legs on my say-so, or dig your eyes out for a sawbuck. So lay off me, Harry boy, or haven’t I made myself clear?”

Catell gave a sudden sharp squeeze to the sheriff’s neck. Then he jumped up.

“Did I make myself clear?”

The sheriff, face blue, gasping for air, got up on one arm.

“Did I make myself clear?”

Catell kicked his foot at the man’s arm, digging his toe painfully into a muscle.

“What’s your answer, Harry?”

With an effort that made the tears shoot into his eyes, the sheriff gagged out a word: “Yes.”

“That’s fine, Harry. Now, I’m going back to my cell. I’m expecting a good night’s sleep, so keep your voice down and step lightly. But lightly, Harry boy.”

Then Catell walked to the toilet. He washed his hands, dried them, and threw the towel on the floor. The nail on which the towel had been hanging was big and loose. Catell pulled it out and stuck it in his pocket. Then he went to his cell, clanked the door shut, and stretched out on his cot.

After a little while the sheriff came by. There still was a heavy wheezing in his throat and he didn’t look right or left. He sat down heavily on Catell’s car seat, arms folded, looking like a man in deep thought. When the front door opened, he hardly turned his head.

“Say, Harry, you comin’ over to the game? We’re movin’ to Rodney’s place.”

“Beat it.”

The man hesitated, then put his hand on the doorknob.

“Just thought I’d let you know. Rodney’s place, case you change your mind.” He went out.

In the middle of the night Catell woke from the throbbing in his hand. Sitting up, he saw that the light in the room up front was still burning. The sheriff, head sunk on his chest, sat asleep on the car seat. Catell saw it and laughed to himself.

The next morning Catell woke early, uncomfortable and stiff. The sheriff was still asleep