BooksBarbecue
Back Anything for Billy
Chapters (127)
  1. Cover Page
  2. ANYTHINGFOR BILLY
  3. Dedication
  4. PART I
  5. 1.
  6. 2.
  7. 3.
  8. 4.
  9. 5.
  10. 6.
  11. 7.
  12. 8.
  13. 9.
  14. 10.
  15. 11.
  16. 12.
  17. 13.
  18. 14.
  19. 15.
  20. 16.
  21. 17.
  22. 18.
  23. PART II
  24. 1.
  25. 2.
  26. 3.
  27. 4.
  28. 5.
  29. 6.
  30. 7.
  31. 8.
  32. 9.
  33. 10.
  34. 11.
  35. 12.
  36. 13.
  37. 14.
  38. 15.
  39. 16.
  40. 17.
  41. 18.
  42. 19.
  43. 20.
  44. 21.
  45. 22.
  46. 23.
  47. 24.
  48. 25.
  49. 26.
  50. 27.
  51. 28.
  52. 29.
  53. 30.
  54. 31.
  55. PART III
  56. 1.
  57. 2.
  58. 3.
  59. 4.
  60. 5.
  61. 6.
  62. 7.
  63. 8.
  64. 9.
  65. 10.
  66. 11.
  67. 12.
  68. 13.
  69. 14.
  70. 15.
  71. 16.
  72. 17.
  73. 18.
  74. 19.
  75. 20.
  76. 21.
  77. 22.
  78. 23.
  79. PART IV
  80. 1.
  81. 2.
  82. 3.
  83. 4.
  84. 5.
  85. 6.
  86. 7.
  87. 8.
  88. 9.
  89. 10.
  90. 11.
  91. 12.
  92. 13.
  93. 14.
  94. 15.
  95. 16.
  96. PART V
  97. 1.
  98. 2.
  99. 3.
  100. 4.
  101. 5.
  102. 6.
  103. 7.
  104. 8.
  105. 9.
  106. 10.
  107. 11.
  108. 12.
  109. 13.
  110. 14.
  111. 15.
  112. 16.
  113. 17.
  114. 18.
  115. PART VI
  116. 1.
  117. 2.
  118. 3.
  119. 4.
  120. 5.
  121. 6.
  122. 7.
  123. 8.
  124. 9.
  125. 10.
  126. 11.
  127. 12.

I was so scared I could barely scarcely put one foot in front of the other, but I came with her. She was so small no one noticed her at first, and she walked right into that crowd, brushing this sleeve and that; and, as they did notice her, the rioters jerked back, abashed. Several quickly removed their hats. I kept close at her elbow and we plowed through the crowd. Sister Blandina never slowed. She marched right through that crowd and rapped on the door of the hardware store. Tully Roebuck, who took such events as calmly as any man I’ve ever known except Joe Lovelady, opened the door and let us in.

“Sister, you’re a welcome sight, and you too, Mr. Sippy,” Tully said.

Billy and the two deputies were crouched behind a barricade of nail kegs. The deputies were too scared to speak, and Billy looked white and small, as young-looking, almost, as the Apache boy he had killed such a short time before. He managed a wan smile at the sight of Sister Blandina.

“Billy, I’m sorry for you, but I can’t save you long,” the Sister said. “Come along now, while I’ve got them embarrassed, and let me walk you to jail.”

“I doubt you should trouble about me, Sister,” Billy said. “I expect I deserve the worst.”

“What you deserve is not for this mob to decide,” Sister Blandina said. “Don’t try my temper, Billy! Come.”

She took one of Billy’s arms; Tully took the other. The two deputies and I kept as close behind as we could, well aware that Sister Blandina’s power of sanctuary might not extend to us.

Then we walked out into the blinding sun, and through that hoarse mob, which had grown suddenly dead silent. Sister Blandina looked at each man as she passed. For myself, I expected to be snatched at any second; I’m sure the trembling deputies expected the same.

But the power of the woman was enough; soon Billy was chained to a bench on the upper story of the old stone jail. Sister Blandina stood outside the bars looking at him sadly. Her victory, as she well knew, had been a very limited one; I believe the little nun was on the verge of tears.

“Sister, I’m sure glad I didn’t try your temper,” Billy said, attempting to joke.

“Where’s the good in you, Billy?” Sister Blandina asked. “I seemed to see it once. I wish I could see it now.”

Billy just shook his head. He didn’t expect to answer the question, and in a moment, Sister Blandina turned, tears on her cheeks, and left.

14.