Wish You Well(72)

"Shouldn't he get away from there?"

"Naw. Don't use that much dynamite for a bucketful. After it blow and the dust settles, I

show you round in there."

"What's to see in some old mine?" asked Lou.

Diamond suddenly hunched forward. "I tell you what. I seed some fellers down here late

one night poking round. 'Member Miss Louisa told me to keep my eyes open? Well, I

done that. They had lanterns and carrying boxes into the mine. We go in and see what

they's up to."

"But what if they're in the mine now?"

"Naw. I come by just a bit ago, looked round, threw a rock inside. And they's fresh

footprints in the dirt heading out. 'Sides, Eugene would'a seed 'em." He had a sudden

idea. "Hey, mebbe they running shine, using the mine to store the still and corn and

such."

"More likely they're just hobos using the mine to keep dry at night," said Lou.

"Ain't never heard tell of no hobos up here."

"So why didn't you tell Louisa?" Lou challenged him.

"She got enough to worry 'bout. Check it out first. What a man do."

Jeb flushed out a squirrel and chased it around a tree while they all watched and waited

for the explosion.

Lou said, "Why don't you come live with us?"

Diamond stared at her, clearly troubled by this question. He turned to his hound. "Cut it

out, Jeb. That squirrel ain't doing nuthin' to you."

Lou added, "I mean, we could use the help. Another strong man around. And Jeb too."

"Naw. I a feller what needs his freedom."

"Hey, Diamond," said Oz, "you could be my big brother. Then Lou wouldn't have to beat

up everybody by herself."

Lou and Diamond smiled at each other.

"Maybe you should think about it," said Lou.

"Mebbe I will." He looked at the mine. "Ain't be long now."

They sat back and waited. Then the squirrel broke free from the woods and flashed right

into the mine. Jeb plunged in after it.

Diamond leapt to his feet. "Jeb! Jeb! Git back here!" The boy charged out of the woods.

Eugene made a grab for him, but Diamond dodged him and ran into the mine.

Lou screamed, "Diamond! Don't!"

She ran for the mine entrance.

Oz shouted, "Lou, no! Come back!"

Before she could reach the entrance, Eugene grabbed her. "Wait here. I git him, Miss

Lou."

Eugene fast-limped into the mine, screaming, "Diamond! Diamond!"

Lou and Oz looked at each other, terrified. Time ticked by. Lou paced in nervous circles

near the entrance. "Please, please. Hurry." She went to the entrance, heard something

coming. "Diamond! Eugene!"

But it was Jeb that came racing out of the mine after the squirrel. Lou grabbed at the dog,

and then the con-cussive force of the explosion knocked Lou off her feet. Dust and dirt

poured out of the mine, and Lou coughed and gagged in this maelstrom. Oz raced to help

her while Jeb barked and jumped.

Lou got her bearings and her breath and stumbled to the entrance. "Eugene! Diamond!"

Finally, she could hear footsteps coming. They drew closer and closer, and they seemed

unsteady. Lou said a silent prayer. It seemed to take forever, but then Eugene appeared,

dazed, covered with dirt, bleeding. He looked at them, tears on his face.

"Damn, Miss Lou."

Lou took one step back, then another, and then another. Then she turned and ran down

the trail as fast as she could, her wails covering them all.

Some men carried the covered body of Diamond to a wagon. They had had to wait for a

while to let the smoke clear out, and to make certain that the mine would not collapse on

them. Cotton watched the men take Diamond away, and then went over to Eugene, who

sat on a large rock, holding a wet cloth to his bloodied head.

"Eugene, sure you don't need anything else?"

Eugene looked at the mine like he expected to see Diamond walk out with his stuck-up

hair and silly smile. "All I need, Mr. Cotton, is this be a bad dream I wake myself up

from."

Cotton patted his big shoulder and then glanced at Lou sitting on a little hump of dirt, her

back to the mine. He went to her and sat down.

Lou's eyes were raw from crying, her cheeks stained with tears. She was hunched over in

a little ball, like every part of her was in wrenching pain.

"I'm sorry, Lou. Diamond was a fine boy."

"He was a man. A fine man\"

"I suppose you're right. He was a man."

Lou eyed Jeb, who sat mournfully at the mine entrance.

"Diamond didn't have to go in that mine after Jeb."

"Well, that dog was all Diamond had. When you love something, you can't just sit by and

not do anything."

Lou picked up some pine needles and then let a few trickle out between her fingers.