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ellets for Cobb and eleven for Willard。 Buckley would ask a question； elicit a response； then interrupt to belabor a point。
〃Your Honor； we would be glad to stipulate as to the causes of death；〃 Jake announced with great frustration every thirty minutes。
〃We won't；〃 Buckley replied tersely； and moved to the next pellet。
Jake fell into his chair； shook his head； and looked at the jurors； those who were awake。
The doctor finished at noon and Noose； tired and numb with boredom； awarded a two…hour lunch break。 The jurors were awakened by the bailiff and led to the jury room where they dined on barbeque specials on plastic plates； then struck up card games。 They were forbidden to leave the courthouse。
In every small Southern town there's a kid who was born looking for the quick buck。 He was the kid who at the age of five set up the first lemonade stand on his street and charged twenty…five cents a cup for four ounces of artificially flavored water。 He knew it tasted awful； but he knew the adults thought he was adorable。 He was the first kid on the street to purchase a lawn mower on credit at the Western Auto and knock on doors in February to line up_yard work for the summer。 He was the first kid to pay for his own bike； which
he used for morning and afternoon paper routes。 He sent Christmas cards to old ladies in August。 He sold fruitcakes door to door in November。 On Saturday mornings when his friends were watching cartoons； he was at the flea markets at the courthouse selling roasted peanuts and corn dogs。 At the age of twelve he bought his first certificate of deposit。 He had his own banker。 At fifteen； he paid cash for his new pickup the same day he passed his driver's license exam。 He bought a trailer to follow the truck and filled it with lawn equipment。 He sold T…shirts at high school football games。 He was a hustler； a millionaire to be。
In Clanton； his name was Hinky Myrick； age sixteen。 He waited nervously in the rotunda until Noose broke for lunch； then moved past the deputies and entered the courtroom。 Seating was so precious that almost none of the spectators left for lunch。 Some would stand； glare at their neighbors； point at their seats and make sure everybody knew it was theirs for the day； then leave for the rest room。 But most of them sat in their highly treasured spaces on the pews； and suffered through lunch。
Hinky could smell opportunity。 He could sense people in need。 On Thursday； just as he had on Wednesday； he rolled a shopping cart down the aisle to the front of the courtroom。 It was filled with a wide assortment of sandwiches and plate lunches in plastic containers。 He began yelling toward the far end of the rows； then passing food down to his customers。 He worked his way slowly toward the rear of the courtroom。 He was a vicious scalper。 A tuna salad on white bread went for two dollars； his cost； eighty cents。 A plate lunch of cold chicken with a few peas went for three dollars； his cost； a buck twenty…five。 A canned soft drink was one…fifty。 But they gladly paid his prices and kept their seats。 He sold out before he reached the fourth row from the front； and began taking orders from the rest of the courtroom。 Hinky was the man of the hour。
With a fistful of orders； he raced from the courthouse； across the lawn； through the crowd of blacks； across Caffey Street and into Claude's。 He ran to the kitchen； shoved a twenty…dollar bill at the cook and handed him the orders。 He waited and watched his watch。 The cook moved slowly。 Hinky gave him another twenty。
The trial ushered a wave of prosperity Claude naa never dreamed of。 Breakfast and lunch in his small cafe became happenings as demand greatly exceeded the number of chairs and the hungry lined the sidewalk； waiting in the heat and haze for a table。 After the lunch recess on Monday； he had dashed around Clanton buying every folding card table and matching chair set he could find。 At lunch the aisles disappeared； forcing his waitresses to maneuver nimbly among and between the rows of people； virtually all of whom were black。
The trial was the only topic of conversation。 On Wednesday； the position of the jury had been hotly condemned。 By Thursday； the talk centered on the growing dislike for the prosecutor。
〃I hear tell he wants to run for governor。〃
〃He Democrat or Republican？〃
〃Democrat。〃
〃He can't win without the black vote； not in this state。〃
〃Yeah； and he ain't likely to get much after this trial。〃
〃I hope he tries。〃
〃He acts more like a Republican。〃
In pretrial Clanton； the noon hour began ten minutes before twelve when the young； tanned； pretty； coolly dressed secretaries from the banks； law offices； insurance agencies； and courthouse left their desks and took to the sidewalks。 During lunch they ran errands around the square。 They went to the post office。 They did their banking。 They shopped。 Most of them bought their food at the Chinese Deli and ate on the park benches under the shade trees around the courthouse。 They met friends and gossiped。 At noon the gazebo in front of the courthouse attracted more beautiful women than the Miss Mississippi pageant。 It was an unwritten rule in Clanton that an office girl on the square got a headstart on lunch and did not have to return until one。 The men followed at twelve； and watched the girls。
But the trial changed things。 The shade trees around the courthouse were in a bat zone。 The cafes were full from eleven to one with soldiers and strangers who couldn't get seats in the courtroom。 The Chinese Deli was packed with foreigners。 The office girls ran their errands and ate at their desks。
At the Tea Shoppe the bankers and other white collars discussed the trial more in terms of its publicity and how the town was being perceived。 Of particular concern was the Klan。 Not a single customer knew anyone connected with the Klan； and it had long been forgotten in north Mississippi。 But the vultures loved the white robes； and as far as the outside world knew； Clanton； Mississippi； was the home of the Ku Klux Klan。 They hated the Klan for being there。 They cussed the press for keeping them there。
For lunch Thursday； the Coffee Shop offered the daily special of country…fried pork chops； turnip greens； and either candied yams； creamed corn； or fried okra。 Dell served the specials to a packed house that was evenly divided among locals； foreigners； and soldiers。 The unwritten but firmly established rule of not speaking to anyone with a beard or funny accent was strictly enforced； and for a friendly people it was awkward not to smile and carry on with those from the outside。 A tight…lipped arrogance had long since replaced the warm reception given to the visitors in the first few days after the shootings。 Too many of the press hounds had betrayed their hosts and printed unkind； unflattering； and unfair words about the county and its people。 It was amazing how they could arrive in packs from all over and within twenty…four hours bee experts on a place they had never heard of and a people they had never met。
The locals had watched them as they scrambled like idiots around the square chasing the sheriff； the prosecutor； the defense lawyer； or anybody who might know