"You just think you're better than all the rest of us, don't you, pretty boy?" Perry asked, his eyes on the pile of money in the middle of the rock. "You think that since your mama hauled your Okie ass off to California that you're better than us southern boys, don't you?"

"Now, come on," Enos said smoothly. Whether Enos thought so or not didn't matter so much. Perry sure had a way of making it seem like just about anybody was better than him. "Where'd you get that idea? I never said anything like it. Besides, would I be sitting here beating you boys at poker if I didn't like you?"

"Beating us? Fool, you ain't beating us," Perry spat.

"Yeah, boy," Rice finally spoke up. "Why don't you shut your mouth and show us what you got."

"If you're sure you don't want to back out," Enos grinned.

"Hell, no," Perry continued with his rankling jabber. "I ain't no sissy boy like Brown here."

Brown glared contemptuously at Perry. Funny that not even Perry's friends seemed to like him much. Once again, Enos wondered why Rice had so suddenly taken to him. He shrugged.

"All right then. Let's go," Enos prompted.

Perry laid down his cards. It was a full house, three tens, two Queens. Not a bad hand. Rice had a better hand, though. Four Jacks and a nine. No wonder they'd both stayed in.

Enos took a deep breath. "Enos, you're a lucky man," he thought. "Jean would kill you if you lost this much money." He took a glance at his companions and put his cards on the rock.

"I think I won after all," he announced. "Four big boys and a pretty lady."

He started to gather the take and jumped as Rice stopped him, digging his fingers into Enos' forearm. He looked up at Rice's face and was startled by the cold anger in the eyes staring back at him.

"How did you do that, you cheating bastard?" Rice demanded.

Enos cocked his head and stared back at Rice. "I don't know, Buddy," he replied icily. "You tell me. You were the one dealing."

Just then, Jean appeared through the trees from the path that led to her mother's house.

"Ready to go?" She asked cheerfully, then looked up to see the men gathered around the rock.

Enos heard her gasp as she stopped cold at the sight. Rice was glaring menacingly at Enos, one hand on his arm, the other behind his back. Perry was fingering his pocket nervously.

"See there, city boy," Perry taunted. "You may think you're better than us, but you still married an ugly, white trash, hillbilly whore."

That was enough. Enos threw Rice off of him. He jumped to his feet and stepped toward Perry, cards and money flying everywhere.

Brown fell off his log and scrambled backward.

"Enos, no!" Jean cried from where she stood. "It's all right. He's just a stupid, lazy kid. Ignore him. Let's just go."

But Enos didn't back down. "What did you say?" he thundered.

"I said you married a..."

"You listen," Enos yelled as he grabbed Perry by the shirtfront. "You say whatever you want about me. But Jean is my wife. You do not talk about my wife that way."

At this, a gunshot rang through the air and Enos fell backward into his chair, red blossoming across his chest.

"No!" Jean screamed and raced toward him, deaf to the continued popping of gunshots. She reached him and flung her arms around him just in time for a final bullet to catch her in the throat.

She crumpled against her husband, her eyes wild, her body struggling for breath. And then she was gone.

The forest was silent. The three men stood, staring in shock and disbelief. A breeze blew through the trees above them, sunlight filtering through the leaves.

Brown spoke first. "God, what just happened? What did you? Why?"

"Go home, Perry." Rice said authoritatively.

"What?" Perry questioned, visibly shaken.

"I said go on home. I'll see to it that the sheriff comes by to pick you up."

"But I didn't..."

"I said go home. And you better stay there. You'll listen if you know what's good for you."

Perry stared at him unblinkingly. He looked down, then up again, as if trying to decide something. His face was full of fear.

Rice gazed into Perry's eyes and whispered, barely audible. "There are worse things than prison, Perry."

Perry turned on his heels and broke out in a run toward home.

"You, boy. Brown," Rice said next. "You don't want want no part of this trouble, do you?"

"No, sir," Brown replied.

"Then I suggest you go on home, too. And if you're smart you'll find a way to disappear for a while. I'll take care of this mess."

Rice didn't watch Brown go. He just turned to look at Enos and Jean sprawled, lifeless, together. They were both so young. Jean's arms still clung to her husband's body.

He turned and started down the path to Mabel's house, his jaw set, eyes glinting in the fading light.