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¨But they havenˇt taken it away。〃
¨Weˇll wait and see。〃
¨Come on back in the shade；〃 he said。 ¨You mustnˇt feel that way。〃
¨I donˇt feel any way；〃 the girl said。 ¨I just know things。〃
¨I donˇt want you to do anything that you donˇt want to do〃
¨Nor that isnˇt good for me；〃 she said。 ¨I know。 Could we have another beer？〃
¨All right。 But youˇve got to realize〃
¨I realize；〃 the girl said。 ¨Canˇt we maybe stop talking？〃
They sat down at the table and the girl looked across at the hills on the dry side of the valley and the man looked at her and at the table。
¨Youˇve got to realize；〃 he said； ¨that I donˇt want you to do it if you donˇt want to。 Iˇm perfectly willing to go through with it if it means anything to you。〃
¨Doesnˇt it mean anything to you？ We could get along。〃
¨Of course it does。 But I donˇt want anybody but you。 I donˇt want anyone else。 And I know itˇs perfectly simple。〃
¨Yes； you know itˇs perfectly simple。〃
¨Itˇs all right for you to say that； but I do know it。〃
¨Would you do something for me now？〃
¨Iˇd do anything for you。〃
¨Would you please please please please please please please stop talking？〃
He did not say anything but looked at the bags against the wall of the station。 There were labels on them from all the hotels where they had spent nights。
¨But I donˇt want you to；〃 he said； ¨I donˇt care anything about it。〃
¨Iˇll scream；〃 the girl said。
The woman came out through the curtains with two glasses of beer and put them down on the damp felt pads。
¨The train comes in five minutes；〃 she said。
¨What did she say？〃 asked the girl。
¨That the train is coming in five minutes。〃
The girl smiled brightly at the woman； to thank her。
¨Iˇd better take the bags over to the other side of the station；〃 the man said。 She smiled at him。
¨All right。 Then come back and weˇll finish the beer。〃
He picked up the two heavy bags and carried them around the station to the other tracks。 He looked up the tracks but could not see the train。 Coming back； he walked through the bar…room； where people waiting for the train were drinking。 He drank an Anis at the bar and looked at the people。 They were all waiting reasonably for the train。 He went out through the bead curtain。 She was sitting at the table and smiled at him。
¨Do you feel better？〃 he asked。
¨I feel fine；〃 she said。 ¨Thereˇs nothing wrong with me。 I feel fine。〃
THE KILLERS
THE door of Henryˇs lunch…room opened and two men came in。 They sat down at the counter。
¨Whatˇs yours？〃 George asked them。
¨I donˇt know；〃 one of the men said。 ¨What do you want to eat； Al？〃
¨I donˇt know；〃 said Al。 ¨I donˇt know what I want to eat。〃
Outside it was getting dark。 The street light came on outside the window。 The two men at the counter read the menu。 From the other end of the counter Nick Adams watched them。 He had been talking to George when they came in。
¨Iˇll have a roast pork tenderloin with apple sauce and mashed potatoes；〃 the first man said。
¨It isnˇt ready yet。〃
¨What the hell do you put it on the card for？〃
¨Thatˇs the dinner；〃 George explained。 ¨You can get that at six oˇclock。〃
George looked at the clock on the wall behind the counter。
¨Itˇs five oˇclock。〃
¨The clock says twenty minutes past five；〃 the second man said。
¨Itˇs twenty minutes fast。〃
¨Oh； to hell with the clock；〃 the first man said。 ¨What have you got to eat？〃
¨I can give you any kind of sandwiches；〃 George said。 ¨You can have ham and eggs； bacon and eggs； liver and bacon； or a steak。〃
¨Give me chicken croquettes with green peas and cream sauce and mashed potatoes。〃
¨Thatˇs the dinner。〃
¨Everything we wantˇs the dinner； eh？〃 Thatˇs the way you work it。〃
¨I can give you ham and eggs； bacon and eggs； liver〃
¨Iˇll take ham and eggs；〃 the man called Al said。 He wore a derby hat and a black overcoat buttoned across the chest。 His face was small and white and he had tight lips。 He wore a silk muffler and gloves。
¨Give me bacon and eggs；〃 said the other man。 He was about the same size as Al。 Their faces were different； but they were dressed like twins。 Both wore overcoats too tight for them。 They sat leaning forward； their elbows on the counter。
¨Got anything to drink？〃 Al asked。
¨Silver beer； bevo； ginger…ale；〃 George said。
¨I mean you got anything to drink？〃
¨Just those I said。〃
¨This is a hot town；〃 said the other。 ¨What do they call it？〃
¨Summit。〃
¨Ever hear of it？〃 Al asked his friend。
¨No；〃 said the friend。
¨What do you do here nights？〃 Al asked。
¨They eat the dinner；〃 his friend said。 ¨They all come here and eat the big dinner。〃
¨Thatˇs right；〃 George said。
¨So you think thatˇs right？〃 Al asked George。
¨Sure。〃
¨Youˇre a pretty bright boy； arenˇt you？〃
¨Sure；〃 said George。
¨Well； youˇre not；〃 said the other little man。 ¨Is he； Al？〃
¨Heˇs dumb；〃 said Al。 He turned to Nick。 ¨Whatˇs your name？〃
¨Adams。〃
¨Another bright boy；〃 Al said。 ¨Ainˇt he a bright boy； Max？〃
¨The townˇs full of bright boys；〃 Max said。
George put down two platters； one of ham and eggs； the other of bacon and eggs； on the counter。 He set down two side dishes of fried potatoes and closed the wicket into the kitchen。
¨Which is yours？〃 he asked Al。
¨Donˇt you remember？〃
¨Ham and eggs。〃
¨Just a bright boy；〃 Max said。 He leaned forward and took the ham and eggs。 Both men ate with their gloves on。 George watched them eat。
¨What are you looking at？〃 Max looked at George。
¨Nothing。〃
¨The hell you were。 You were looking at me。〃
¨Maybe the boy meant it for a joke Max；〃 Al said。
George laughed。
¨You donˇt have to laugh；〃 Max said to him。 ¨You donˇt have to laugh at all； see？〃
¨All right；〃 said George。
¨So he thinks itˇs all right；〃 Max turned to Al。 ¨He thinks itˇs all right。 Thatˇs a good one。〃
¨Oh； heˇs a thinker；〃 Al said。 They went on eating。
¨Whatˇs the bright boyˇs name down the counter？〃 Al asked Max。
¨Hey； bright boy；〃 Max said to Nick。 ¨You go around on the other side of the counter with your boy friend。〃
¨Whatˇs the idea？〃 Nick asked。
¨There isnˇt any idea。〃
¨You better go around； bright boy；〃 Al said。 Nick went around behind the counter。
¨Whatˇs the idea？〃 George asked。
¨None of your damn business；〃 Al said。 ¨Whoˇs out in the kitchen？〃
¨The nigger。〃
¨What do you mean the nigger？〃
¨The nigger that cooks。〃
¨Tell him to come in。〃
¨Whatˇs the idea？〃
¨Tell him to come in。〃
¨Where do you think you are？〃
¨We know damn well where we are；； the man called Max said。 ¨Do we look silly？〃
¨You talk silly；〃 Al said to him。 ¨What the hell do you argue with this kid for？ Listen；〃 he said to George； ¨tell the nigger to come out here。〃
¨What are you going to do to him？〃
¨Nothing。