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Chapter 4
“You’reagoodone,Standing,”hecackled.“Youneversquealed.”
“ButIneverknew,Jack,”Iwhisperedback—Iwascompelledtowhisper,forfiveyearsofdisusehadwell-nighlostmemyvoice.“Idon’tthinkthereeverwasanydynamite.”
“That’sright,”hecackled,noddinghisheadchildishly.“Stickwithit.Don’teverlet’mknow.You’reagoodone.Itakemyhatofftoyou,Standing.Youneversquealed.”
Andtheguardsledmeon,andthatwasthelastIsawofSkysailJack.Itwasplainthatevenhehadbecomeabelieverinthedynamitemyth.
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TwicetheyhadmebeforethefullBoardofDirectors.Iwasalternatelybulliedandcajoled.Theirattituderesolveditselfintotwopropositions.IfIdeliveredupthedynamite,theywouldgivemeanominalpunishmentofthirtydaysinthedungeonandthenmakemeatrustyintheprisonlibrary.IfIpersistedinmystubbornnessanddidnotyieldupthedynamite,thentheywouldputmeinsolitaryfortherestofmysentence.Inmycase,beingalifeprisoner,thiswastantamounttocondemningmetosolitaryconfinementforlife.
Oh,no;Californiaiscivilized.Thereisnosuchlawonthestatutebooks.
