Copperhead Page #4

Been eating his way into

me like a deer tick.

I'd not be surprised if he's behind every

mean and miserable thing that's happened.

And naturally, it's his daughter

Jeff takes a shine to.

It was you that got her the job

teaching school.

Well, that hasn't anything to do with it.

Ah. I'm not blaming her.

She's a good gal, as far as I know.

Quality, like her mother.

The world is turning upside down, M'rye.

At least the Corners is.

Lies taken for truth...

...my neighbors turning against me.

Now my son, my only son.

- Maybe if you speak to Jeff...

- Oh, I'll speak to him, all right.

I'll speak to him so he hears me.

Boy, you run down the creek road

and see can you find Jeff.

If he's not around the schoolhouse,

he'll be around the Hagadorns'.

Tell him get back here now.

And you needn't tell him what about.

Go on, pick up your feet.

Thank you, dear.

Whoa!

You want a lift?

Get in. I ain't gonna bite.

You seen Jeff?

Can't call him Jeff no more.

You have to call him Tom.

I suppose your pa put him up to it.

Maybe so, maybe no.

Pa is funny on names.

He's mortified I don't up and kill people

on account of my name being Benaiah.

He says to me, "Boy, here I named you

after David's General Benaiah...

...who killed him

an 8-foot Egyptian giant...

...and instead of making ready

to kill the enemies...

...all you do is read dime novels

and cut up monkeyshines.

Should have named you Pete or Steve

or William Henry." Heh.

That's what I get every day.

Last time he went after me

for "Benaiah," I said:

"Now, look here, patriarchs in glass houses

mustn't heave stones.

You're named after Jehoiada.

In the Bible he made a covenant with God.

I ain't never seen you make no covenant.

All you do is make barrels."

Well, what did he say?

I left before he said anything.

Abner wants you

to come right straight home.

Pa send you to say that?

There ain't nothing the matter at the farm?

He don't want me for nothing special?

He didn't say.

He just said he wanted you home.

Tell Pa I ain't coming.

Tell the old man and Ma

I'm going to enlist in the Army.

If they want to say goodbye,

they can send word...

...I'll manage to slip back.

If they ain't willing...

...they needn't send word.

- Tom, don't you think...?

- His name's Jeff.

You oughtn't leave them like that.

Bye, boy.

You'll empty out the creek with that pole.

Jeff says he's going to join the Army and if you

want to say goodbye, you're to let him know.

That's what he said.

You'd better go around and get your supper.

Gentlemen.

Be safe.

Troops, fall in

behind the band in force. Quickly.

By the way he marched so proudly...

...you'd have thought Warner Pitts

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