Give it to me.
Please, Jason.
It's mine. I saw the name."
"I'll take a hame string to you," I says. "That's what I'll give you.
Going into my papers."
"Is there some money in it?" she says, reaching for it. "She said she would send me some money.
She promised she would.
Give it to me."
"What do you want with money?" I says.
"She said she would," she says. "Give it to me.
Please, Jason. I wont ever ask you anything again, if you'll give it to me this time."
"I'm going to, if you'll give me time," I says.
I took the letter and the money order out and gave her the letter.
She reached for the money order, not hardly glancing at the letter.
"You'll have to sign it first," I says.
"How much is it?" she says.
"Read the letter," I says. "I reckon it'll say."
She read it fast, in about two looks.
"It dont say," she says, looking up.
She dropped the letter to the floor. "How much is it?"
"It's ten dollars," I says.
"Ten dollars?" she says, staring at me.
"And you ought to be dam glad to get that," I says. "A kid like you.
What are you in such a rush for money all of a sudden for?"
"Ten dollars?" she says, like she was talking in her sleep. "Just ten dollars?" She made a grab at the money order. "You're lying," she says. "Thief!" she says. "Thief!"
"You would, would you?" I says, holding her off.
"Give it to me!" she says. "It's mine.
She sent it to me.
I will see it.
I will."
"You will?" I says, holding her. "How're you going to do it?"
"Just let me see it, Jason," she says.
"Please.
I wont ask you for anything again."
"Think I'm lying, do you?" I says. "Just for that you wont see it."
"But just ten dollars," she says. "She told me she--she told me--Jason, please please please.
I've got to have some money.
I've just got to.
Give it to me, Jason.
I'll do anything if you will."
"Tell me what you've got to have money for," I says.
"I've got to have it," she says.
She was looking at me.
Then all of a sudden she quit looking at me without moving her eyes at all.
I knew she was going to lie. "It's some money I owe," she says. "I've got to pay it.
I've got to pay it today."
"Who to?" I says.
Her hands were sort of twisting.
I could watch her trying to think of a lie to tell. "Have you been charging things at stores again?" I says.
"You needn't bother to tell me that. If you can find anybody in this town that'll charge anything to you after what I told them, I'll eat it."