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he church。 Thrower was annoyed that Lolla…Wossiky was drunk； and Armor once again insisted on knowing who gave him likker。 Since all the other men who were doing the church…raising were gathered around； Armor made a speech； with a whole bunch of threats in it。 〃If I find out who's likkering up these Reds； I swear I'll burn his house down and make him go live with Harrison down on the Hio。 Up here we're Christian folk。 Now I can't stop you from putting those hexes on your houses and making those spells and conjures； even though they show lack of faith in the Lord； but I sure can stop you from poisoning the folk that the Lord saw fit to put on this land。 Do you understand me？〃
All the White folk nodded and said yes and that's right and reckon so。
〃Nobody here gave me whisky；〃 said Lolla…Wossiky。
〃Maybe he carried it with him in a cup！〃 said one of the men。
〃Maybe he's got him a still in the woods！〃 said another。
They all laughed。
〃Please be reverent；〃 said Thrower。 〃This heathen is accepting the Lord Jesus Christ。 He shall be covered with the water of baptism as was Jesus himself。 Let this mark the beginning of a great missionary labor among the Red men of the American forest！〃
Amen； murmured the men。
Well； the water was cold； and that's about all Lolla…Wossiky noticed； except that when Thrower sprinkled it on him the black noise just got louder。 Jesus Christ didn't show up； so he wasn't the dream beast after all。 Lolla…Wossiky was disappointed。
But Reverend Thrower wasn't。 That was the strange thing about White men。 They just seemed not to notice what went on around them。 Here Thrower performed a baptism that didn't do a lick of good； and he went strutting around the rest of the day like he had just called a buffalo into a starving village in the dead of winter。
Armor…of…God was just as blind。 At noon； when Eleanor brought dinner up the hill to the workmen； they let Lolla…Wossiky eat with them。 〃Can't turn away a Christian； can we？〃 said one。 But none of them was too happy about sitting next to Lolla…Wossiky； probably because he stank of liquor and sweat and he staggered when he walked。 It ended up that Armor…of…God sat with Lolla…Wossiky off a ways from the others； and they talked about this and that。
Till Lolla…Wossiky asked him； 〃Jesus Christ； he don't like hexes？〃
〃That's right。 He is the way； and all this beseeching and suchlike is blasphemy。〃
Lolla…Wossiky nodded gravely。 〃Painted hex no good。 Paint never was alive。〃
〃Painted； carved； same thing。〃
〃Wooden hex； a little strong。 Tree used to be alive。〃
〃Doesn't matter to me； wooden or painted； I won't have no hexes in my house。 No conjures； no e…hithers； no fendings； no wardings； none of that stuff。 A good Christian relies on prayer； and that's that。 The Lord is my shepherd； I shall not want。〃
Lolla…Wossiky knew then that Armor…of…God was just as blind as Thrower。 Because Armor…of…God's house was the strongest…hexed house Lolla…Wossiky ever saw。 That was part of the reason Lolla…Wossiky was impressed with Armor； that his house was actually well protected； because he understood enough to make his hexes out of living things。 Arrangements of living plants hanging on the porch； seeds with the life in them sitting in carefully placed jars； garlics； stains of berry juices； all so strongly placed that even with the likker in him to dull the black noise； Lolla…Wossiky could feel the pushing and pulling of the fendings and wardings and hexes。
Yet Armor…of…God didn't have the faintest idea that his house had any hexes at all。 〃My wife Eleanor； her folks always had hexes。 Her little brother Al Junior； he's that six…year…old wrassling with the blond…headed Swedish boy there see him？ He's a real hex…carver； they say。〃
Lolla…Wossiky looked at the boy； but couldn't exactly see him。 He saw the yellow…hair boy he was tussling with； but the other boy just couldn't e clear for him； he didn't know why。
Armor was still talking。 〃Don't that make you sick？ That young； and already he's being turned away from Jesus。 Anyway； it was real hard for Eleanor to give up those hexes and such。 But she did it。 Gave me her solemn oath； or we never would've got married。〃
At that moment Eleanor； the pretty wife that White men thought was ugly； came up to take away the dinner basket。 She heard the last words that her husband said； but she gave no sign that it meant anything to her。 Except that when she took Lolla…Wossiky's bowl from him； and looked him in the eye； he felt like she was asking him。 Did you see those hexes？
Lolla…Wossiky smiled at her； his biggest smile； so she'd know he didn't have any plan to tell her husband。
She smiled back； hesitantly； untrustingly。 〃Did you like the food？〃 she asked him。
〃Everything cooked too much；〃 said Lolla…Wossiky。 〃Blood taste all gone。〃
Her eyes went wide。 Armor only laughed and clapped Lolla…Wossiky on the shoulder。 〃Well； that's what it means to be civilized。 You give up drinking blood； and that's a fact。 I hope your baptism sets you on the right road it's plain you've been a long time on the wrong one。〃
〃I wondered；〃 said Eleanor and she stopped； glanced down at Lolla…Wossiky's loincloth； and then looked at her husband。
〃Oh； yes； we talked about that last night。 I've got some old trousers and a shirt I don't use anymore； and Eleanor's making me new ones anyway； so I thought； now that you're baptized； you really ought to start dressing like a Christian。〃
〃Very hot day；〃 said Lolla…Wossiky。
〃Yes； well； Christians believe in modesty of dress； Lolla…Wossiky。〃 Armor laughed and hit him on the shoulder again。
〃I can bring the clothes up this afternoon；〃 said Eleanor。
Lolla…Wossiky thought this was a very stupid idea。 Red men always looked stupid dressed in White man's clothes。 But he didn't want to argue with them because they were trying to be very friendly。 And maybe the baptism would work after all； if he put on White man's clothes。 Maybe then the black noise would go away。
So he didn't answer。 He just looked at where the yellow…hair boy yvas running around in circles； shouting； 〃Alvin！ Ally！〃 Lolla…Wossiky tried very hard to see the boy that he was chasing。 He saw a foot touching the ground and raising dust； a hand moving through the air； but never quite saw the boy himself。 Very strange thing。
Eleanor was waiting for him to answer。 Lolla…Wossiky said nothing； since he was now watching the boy who wasn't there。 Finally Armor…of…God laughed and said； 〃Bring the clothes up； Eleanor。 We'll dress him like a Christian； all right； and maybe tomorrow he can lend a hand on building the church； start learning a Christian trade。 Get a saw into his hand。〃
Lolla…Wossiky didn't actually hear that last； or he might have taken off into the woods right away。 He had seen what happened to Red men who started using White man's tools。 The way they got cut off from the land； bit by bit； every time they hefted that metal。 Even guns。 A Red man starts using guns for hunting； he's half White the first time he pulls the trigger； only thing a Red man can use a gun for is killing White men； that's what Ta…Kumsaw always said； and