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〃You can't stop me；〃 said the Meddler。
〃I can kill you；〃 his brother corrected。
〃Look； Henry；〃 the Meddler said desperately； 〃I'm not going into this blindly。 I know what I'm doing。〃
〃Do you？〃 His brother laughed。 〃You damned fool； you haven't the faintest notion what you could do by killing that fool policeman。 Suppose a criminal he would have apprehended goes on to kill some innocent people instead？ Suppose the simple removal of him from history suffices to disrupt this time…stream beyond repair？ You may be killing every man； woman and child in your time； John！〃
〃Don't you think I know that？〃 cried the man in the overcoat。 〃And do you suppose that's all there is to be afraid of？ Suppose I'm entirely successful； and only bring about a world without Bobbi Joy。 She brought us all a self…conscious awareness of collective guilt which had an enormous effect for good。 I don't know that I have the right to deprive the world of her music。
〃Suppose there's a Law of Conservation of Pain？ Suppose pain can't be destroyed within a continuum？ Then all I'll have done is redirected her pain： I suspect it will all be transferred to me … and I can't sing worth a damn。 Henry； I admit I don't have any idea what the consequences of my action may be。 But I do know what I have to do。〃
〃And I can't let you；〃 his brother repeated。
He lifted the strange glass pistol and aimed it at the Meddler's heart； and I saw Callahan's big hands go under the bar for the sawed … off shotgun； and I saw Long…Drink and the Doc and Tommy Janssen start to close in on the gunman； and I knew that none of them would be in time； and without thinking I spun on my heel； twisted the volume knob savagely on my amp； clutched my E … string as high as I could and snapped the pick across it。 A shrieking high … note lanced through the air； and I rammed the guitar in front of the monitor … speaker for maximum feedback。
A red…hot knife went through every ear in the room； freezing the action like a stop…motion camera。 The guitar fed back and fed back； building from a noise like a gutshot pig to something that was felt rather than heard。 Glasses began to shatter along the bar； then bottles on the long shelves behind it。。。
And all at once； so did that deadly little glass gun。
Quickly I muted the guitar； and our ears rang for a lingering minute。 Blood ran from a couple of cuts on Callahan's face； and the gunman's hand was a mess。 Doc Webster was at his side somehow； producing bandages and antiseptic from his everpresent black bag and steering the wounded man into a seat。
The Meddler sat down beside him。 〃How did you do it； Henry？ I thought I had
the only … 〃
〃You do；〃 Henry snapped。 〃You came back with it； you bloody maniac； and as soon as you reappeared I knew from the look on your face that you had succeeded。 I didn't wait around to find out what change you'd made in the world I knew； I hit you with a chair and took the belt； determined to make one last desperate try to save my time。 You laughed as you went down； and now I guess I know why。 Meddler！〃
The Meddler stood up； faced Callahan。 〃You've got a gun under that bar；〃 he stated。 〃I want it。〃
Callahan stood his ground。 〃Not a chance；〃 he said。
〃Then I'll knife him； or bash in his skull with a rock； or drop a match in his gas…tank。〃 He headed for the door； and no one got in his way。
〃Hold on a minute；〃 I called out； and he stopped。
〃Look；〃 he told me； 〃I'm grateful for what you did； but … 〃
〃Listen；〃 I interrupted； 〃maybe we can't give you a gun。。。 but we can sure pass the hat for you。〃
His jaw dropped as I whipped off the eleven…gallon hat and offered it to Noah Gonzalez。 Noah dropped in a five…dollar bill without hesitating； and passed the hat to Slippery Joe。 People began digging into their pockets； emptying their wallets； and dropping the swag in the hat as it came their way。 It filled rapidly； and by the time it reached Fast Eddie I guess it had maybe a hundred dollars or better in it。
Eddie took it from Callahan and looked at the Meddler。 〃I ain't got no dough；〃 he announced； 〃but I got a '65 Chevy outside dat'll do a hunnert'n'ten easy。〃 He fished out a set of keys and dropped them into the hat。 〃Don't waste no time parkin' the bastard； you'll never find a parkin' space in Harlem dis time o' night。 Double park it； I'll pick it up from de cops tomorra。〃
There were tears running down the Meddler's face； he seemed unable to speak。
〃Okay；〃 said Callahan briskly； 〃you've got three or four hours。 That should be plenty of time。 You drive to Hannah's as fast as you can； wave around that dough and tell Hannah you want to take one of the girls home for the night。 She sees all that cabbage； she'll go for it。 That'll get Bobbi clear of the bust； and what happens after that is up to you。 Good luck。〃
He took the hat from Eddie and handed it to the Meddler； who took it with a trembling hand。
〃Th … thank you；〃 the Meddler said。 〃I。。。 I hope I'm doing the right thing。〃
〃You're doing what you have to do；〃 said Callahan； 〃and you don't have to kill anyone。 Now get out of here。〃
The Meddler got。
We sent his brother home eventually； and Eddie and I packed up our equipment for the night。 We felt sort of inadequate after having heard Bobbi Joy； and anyway everyone in the joint was broke now。 By closing time； we were all ready to leave。
The next night we were all there by seven； and although it was Punday Night nobody felt much like making jokes。 A few of us had tried to get news of the previous night's raid from the police； but they weren't talking； and we were as filled with suspense as the fireplace was with glass。
Along about eight the sporadic conversation was silenced by the sudden appearance of the time…traveling belt on the bar； a soft green sphere and a single piece of paper encircled in it。 The piece of paper proved to be a note； which read：
Didn't want to leave you hanging。 Please destroy this belt。 The next time we all might not be so lucky。 Many thanks from both of us。
Callahan tossed the belt into the fireplace； and it landed with a crunching sound。 Then he picked up the sphere； and held it in his big hand。 For the second time in two days； the fireplace faded from sight； but this time it was replaced by a mountain stream； crisp clean pines in the background； an achingly beautiful sunset playing tag with ominous grey stormclouds。
Bobbi Joy sat by the stream； her guitar across her lap； and her unscarred face was more beautiful than all the sunsets that ever were。 She gazed serenely at all of us； and fitted her fingers to the strings。
It began slowly； a simple statement of key woven out of ninth chords that rose and fell like cyclical hopes in a crazy time … signature。 Gradually； the pauses between the ringing chords were filled in with rhythmic direction； picking up speed and being almost a calypso beat … save that calypso never used such chords。 And Bobbi Joy sang：
I walk around with。。。 doubt inside of me
I don't believe in。。。 what I try to be
Words I whisper。。。 seem like a lie to me
Strange thing
Wonder what's happening？