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Her smile faded。 〃The desert。 Just the desert。 I thought you'd stay for a little。〃
〃What's south of the desert？〃
〃How would T know？ Nobody crosses it。 Nobody's tried since I was here。〃 She wiped her hands on her apron； got potholders； and dumped the tub of water she had been heating into the sink； where it splashed and steamed。
He got up。
〃Where are you going？〃 She heard the shrill fear in her voice and hated it。
〃To the stable。 If anyone knows； the hostler will。〃 He put his hands on her shoulders。 The hands were warm。 〃And to arrange for my mule。 If I'm going to be here； he should be taken care of。 For when I leave。〃
But not yet。 She looked up at him。 〃But you watch that Kennerly。 If he doesn't know a thing； he'll make it up。〃
When he left she turned to the sink； feeling the hot； warm drift of her grateful tears。
Kennerly was toothless； unpleasant； and plagued with daughters。 Two half…grown ones peeked at the gunslinger from the dusty shadows of the barn。 A baby drooled happily in the dirt。 A full…grown one； blonde； dirty； sensual； watched with a speculative curiosity as she drew water from the groaning pump beside the building。
The hostler met him halfway between the door to his establishment and the street。 His manner vacillated between hostility and a craven sort of fawning like a stud mongrel that has been kicked too often。
〃It's bein' cared for；〃 he said； and before the gunslinger could reply； Kennerly turned on his daughter： 〃You get in； Soobie！ You get right the hell in！〃
Soobie began to drag her bucket sullenly toward the shack appended to the barn。
〃You meant my mule；〃 the gunslinger said。
〃Yes； sir。 Ain't seen a mule in quite a time。 Time was they used to grow up wild for want of 'em； but the world has moved on。 Ain't seen nothin' but a few oxen and the coach horses and。 。 。 Soobie； I'll whale you； 'fore God！〃
〃I don't bite；〃 the gunslinger said pleasantly。
Kennerly cringed a little。' It ain't you。 No； sir； it ain't you。〃 He grinned loosely。 〃She's just naturally gawky。
She's got a devil。 She's wild。〃 His eyes darkened。 〃It's ing to Last Times； mister。 You know how it says in the Book。 Children won't obey their parents； and a plague'll be visited on the multitudes。〃
The gunslinger nodded； then pointed south。 〃What's out there？〃
Kennerly grinned again； showing gums and a few sociable yellow teeth。 〃Dwellers。 Weed。 Desert。 What else？〃 He cackled； and his eyes measured the gunslinger coldly。
〃How big is the desert？〃
〃Big。〃 Kennerly endeavored to look serious。 〃Maybe three hundred miles。 Maybe a thousand。 I can't tell you； mister。 There's nothing out there but devil…grass and maybe demons。 That's the way the other fella went The one who fixed up Norty when he was sick。〃
〃Sick？ I heard he was dead。〃
Kennerly kept grinning。 〃Well； well。 Maybe。 But we're growed…up men； ain't we？〃
〃But you believe in demons。〃
Kennerly looked affronted。 〃That's a lot different。〃
The gunslinger took off his hat and wiped his forehead。 The sun was hot； beating steadily。 Kennerly seemed not to notice。 In the thin shadow by the livery； the baby girl was gravely smearing dirt on her face。
〃You don't know what's after the desert？〃
Kennerly shrugged。 〃Some might。 The coach ran through part of it fifty years ago。 My pap said so。 He used to say 'twas mountains。 Others say an ocean。。。 a green ocean with monsters。 And some say that's where the world ends。 That there ain't nothing but lights that'll drive a man blind and the face of God with his mouth open to eat them up。〃
〃Drivel；〃 the gunslinger said shortly。
〃Sure it is。〃 Kennerly cried happily。 He cringed again； hating； fearing； wanting to please。
〃You see my mule is looked after。〃 He flicked Kennerly another coin； which Kennerly caught on the fly。
〃Surely。 You stayin' a little？〃
〃I guess I might。〃
〃That Allie's pretty nice when she wants to be； ain't she？〃
〃Did you say something？〃 The gunslinger asked remotely。
Sudden terror dawned in Kennerly's eyes； like twin moons ing over the horizon。 〃No； sir； not a word。 And I'm sorry if I did。〃 He caught sight of Soobie leaning out a window and whirled on her。 〃I'll whale you now； you little slut…face！ 'Fore God！ I'll 〃
The gunslinger walked away； aware that Kennerly had turned to watch him； aware of the fact that he could whirl and catch the hostler with some true and untinctured emotion distilled on his face。 He let it slip。 It was hot。 The only sure thing about the desert was its size。 And it wasn't all played out in this town。 Not yet。
XI
They were in bed when Sheb kicked the door open and came in with the knife。
It had been four days； and they had gone by in a blinking haze。 He ate。 He slept。 He made sex with Allie。 He found that she played the fiddle and he made her play it for him。 She sat by the window in the milky light of daybreak； only a profile； and played something haltingly that might have been good if she had been trained。 He felt a growing （but strangely absent…minded） affection for her and thought this might be the trap the man in black had left behind。 He read dry and tattered back issues of magazines with faded pictures。 He thought very little about everything。
He didn't hear the little piano player e up … his reflexes had sunk。 That didn't seem to matter either； although it would have frightened him badly in another time and place。
Allie was naked； the sheet below her breasts； and they were preparing to make love。
〃Please；〃 she was saying。 〃Like before； I want that； I want 〃
The door crashed open and the piano player made his ridiculous； knock…kneed run for the sun。 Allie did not scream； although Sheb held an eight…inch carving knife in his hand。 Sheb was making a noise； an inarticulate blabbering。 He sounded like a man being drowned in a bucket of mud。 Spittle flew。 He brought the knife down with both hands； and the gunslinger caught his wrists and turned them。 The knife went flying。 Sheb made a high screeching noise； like a rusty screen door。 His hands fluttered in marionette movements； both wrists broken。 The wind gritted against the window。 Allie's glass on the wall； faintly clouded and distorted； reflected the room。
〃She was mine！〃 He wept。 〃She was mine first！ Mine！〃
Allie looked at him and got out of bed。 She put on a wrapper； and the gunslinger felt a moment of empathy for a man who must be seeing himself ing out on the far end of what he once had。 He was just a little man； and gelded。
〃It was for you；〃 Sheb sobbed。 〃It was only for you； Allie。 It was you first and it was all for you。 I ah；oh God； dear God 〃The words dissolved into a paroxysm of unintelligibilities； finally to tears。 He rocked back and forth； holding his broken wrists to his belly。
〃Shhh。 Shhh。 Let me see。〃 She knelt beside him。 〃Broken。 Sheb； you ass。 Didn't you know you were never strong？〃 She helped him to his feet。 He tried to hold his hands to his face； but they would not obey； and he wept nakedly。； 〃e on over to the table and let me see what I can do。〃
She led him to the table and set his wrists with slats of kindling from the fire box。 He wept weakly and without volition； and left without looking back。
She came back to the bed。 〃Where were we？〃
〃No；〃 he said。
She said patiently； 〃You knew about