Trouble in July by Erskine Caldwell Read Free Book Online

building was as dark as any of the others. He wished he could go inside and wake Mammy and tell her what had happened, but he remembered what Henry had told him, and he turned sadly away.
    When he passed the box where the rabbits were, he stopped and looked inside again. Jim Dandy and the does were so busy eating the fresh grass that they had not moved in all that time. The box looked as if it were bursting with rabbits. All the young ones had started eating grass, too. They were hopping all over the place, nibbling first at one blade of grass, then hopping off to nibble at another one.
    He was about to climb through the fence when he suddenly ran back and caught one of the little ones. Holding it tightly in both hands, he climbed through the fence and ran out across the field.
    When he came to a drain ditch where a patch of grass was growing, he stopped and snatched up several handfuls and stuffed it into his shirt. Then he put the rabbit in with the grass and buttoned the shirt carefully.
    After that he ran across the field, not stopping until he reached the fence on the other side. When he stood up after climbing through, he could feel the rabbit’s moist nose against his bare skin. It felt cool and friendly, and he was no longer lonely. He hurried along a path to Earnshaw Ridge, holding his elbows close to his sides so the motions of his body would not jolt and frighten the animal.

Chapter IV
    A FTER LEAVING A NDREWJONES, Jeff McCurtain drove slowly down the highway through the low country, already missing his wife more than he thought he could endure for three or four days. He would find a Negro somewhere along the creek to cook his meals and keep him company, but even then he would be unhappy every minute. There was nothing in the world that could take the place of Corra’s cooking and of her mere presence when night fell.
    The highway was flat and straight, and he reached the narrow lane that led to Lord’s Creek a lot quicker than he had wanted to. He slowed down the car, taking a last longing look at the low country before turning into the deep tangled swamp-growth that bordered the creek for two or three miles on each side of its banks.
    The headlights of another automobile suddenly broke through the darkness and flashed upon him. The car drew up behind him and jerked to a stop. He did not have time to move before he saw Jim Couch.
    “I’m glad I caught you in time,” Jim said breathlessly. “If you had got to the creek, I couldn’t have found you till daylight.”
    “What in the world’s the matter, Jim?” he asked.
    “It’s Judge Ben Allen, Sheriff Jeff,” Jim replied quickly. “He said he wants to see you right away.”
    “Man alive, Jim!” Jeff exclaimed. “Why didn’t you tell him I’d already gone to Lord’s Creek?” All he wanted was to know if I’d heard about the trouble and come down here, wasn’t it?”
    “I told him that, Sheriff Jeff,” Jim said, watching his face, “and he said he wanted you to come back to town as fast as you could and come straight to see him.”
    Jeff dropped his hands from the steeringwheel. His wrists suddenly began throbbing with weakness.
    “I don’t know what far-fetched thing Judge Ben Allen could be thinking about,” he said. “It ain’t like him to change his mind and not want me to come down to the creek, after all these years.”
    “I don’t know, either, Sheriff Jeff, but he sounded pretty positive talking on the phone.”
    Jeff gazed out at the fields of corn that covered the land as far as he could see towards the east. On the other side of the road, the earth was alive with tangled vegetation of the swamp. It looked peaceful and quiet out there towards the creek. The moon had come up, and the cool silvery light on the dew-drenched bushes reminded him of the night many years before when he walked seven miles to Corra’s home to court her for the first time. He wondered why he was reminded of that night, and then he began wishing he