Snippet #1828061

Henry became very interested in the styling of the hardwood floor as soon as Bill and Bonnie unleashed their verbal torrent on Crawley. Henry's eyes were filled half with panic and half with guilt. Sheriff Crawley was not a man who took insults lightly and if he decided to cause trouble for Mr.Duvick or Ms.Pheldman it would be all Henry's fault. He could take the Sheriff's lashings, he had put up with it enough times before, but if some one else got in hot water on Henry's account because they stood up for him...
Henry wasn't sure he could stomach the thought.

Suddenly Henry felt an arm slide through the gab between the crook of his elbow and his ribs. He looked up to see Ms.Pheldman's smile that glowed with equal parts warmth and defiance. "Besides sheriff, Henry here was bein' so kind as to help me get this tool back to my daddy's farm, weren't yah Henry?"

Henry cranked his head to stare at teh sheriff's hands which were quaking. Whether his hands trembled in shock or rage Henry couldn't tell. The sheriff opened his mouth to speak, closed it promptly, then exhaled as he said, "Well now. I guess that's aw'right. An honest business man has right to sell to whom, or what he wants. But," the sheriff jabbed a threatening finger at Henry, "you do so much as lay a finger on the missus here and I will have you in irons faster th'n a bell clapper in a goose's behind. You hear me, boy?"

Henry had no idea what a bell clapper was, or how it even remotely related to geese but the tone of the sheriff's voice, the context in which spoke, and the way his hand rested eagerly on the the revolver holster at his hip told Henry everything he needed to know. Not that he had at all planned on doing ill to any one, especially not Ms.Pheldman.

"You have a nice day, Mr.Duvick. Say 'ello to your father for me. I'm sure I'll be seein' him real soon down at the office for your new shop license." Crawley said with an oily chuckle as he showed himself to the door.

A relieving moment fill only with the distant calls of blue jays and the fleeting skid-step of the sheriff passed before Henry started breathing again. He had never seen the sheriff stood up like that before. Henry turned to his two rescuer's and said, "I say I ain't neva' seen Crawely laid so low in the ditch! My thanks. Now if the sheriff gives y'all any trouble though don't let no bad come t'you 'cause of me."

Henry uncoiled his arm from Bonnie's and retrieved the bills and coins from his overall's breast pocket. Mr.McNair's and his own, $3 in total. "I'd like two boxes of matches, please sir. And of course I'd be glad to help get that package fo' Ms.Pheldman."