"What''syourswillcometoyou.Don''treachforwhatain''t."hesaid,wipinghismouthwiththebackofhishand.

        "Girlslikeher—nobodygivesadamn.Whentheyvanish,noonereallylooks.Maybetheyfileareport,makesomenoiseforshow,butthat''sit.Youknowhowmanypeoplegomissinginthiscountryeveryyear?Evenifthecopswantedtodosomething,theycouldn''t."

        Heleanedbackinhischair,voiceturningrougher.

        "Firsttimeshecameherefornoodles,Inoticedherrightaway.Woresomeoutdatedolddress.Finishedtwobowlsinonego—hungrylikeshehadn''teatenindays.Someguypaidherbill,andshejustwalkedoffwithhim.I''vetalkedtoher.She''sanorphan,livingwithherfosterfathernow."

        "Youknow,aman,"Hesaidwithachuckle."Gothimselfagrown-upfosterdaughter,hehe."

        Hetiltedthebottle,watchingtheliquorslosh.

        "We''regivinggirlslikethatachance.Oncethey''reout,followtherightman,andaslongastheyplaytheircardsright,they''lleatwell,livesoft.Theluckyones?Youcouldn''tdreamofhavingtheirlife."

        Thesonfellsilent.Theoldermanpattedhimontheshoulder.

        "Gogetsomesleep.Weopenearlytomorrow."

        Hepaused,aglintofcalculationinhiseyes.

        "Ifyou''rereallyworriedaboutthatman,"headded,"I''lltakehertothe''shipment''myselftomorrow.It''sarush,Iknow—butnosenselettingthenightbreedtrouble."

        ***

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