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Back Come Again No More Save as PDF
Chapters (55)
  1. Cover
  2. Back Cover
  3. Title Page
  4. Contents
  5. PART I 
  6. 1.
  7. 2.
  8. 3.
  9. 4.
  10. 5.
  11. 6.
  12. 7.
  13. 8.
  14. 9.
  15. 10.
  16. 11.
  17. 12.
  18. PART II 
  19. 13.
  20. 14.
  21. 15.
  22. 16.
  23. 17.
  24. 18.
  25. 19.
  26. 20.
  27. 21.
  28. 22.
  29. 23.
  30. 24.
  31. 25.
  32. 26.
  33. 27.
  34. 28.
  35. 29.
  36. 30.
  37. PART III 
  38. 31.
  39. 32.
  40. 33.
  41. 34.
  42. 35.
  43. 36.
  44. 37.
  45. 38.
  46. 39.
  47. PART IV 
  48. 40.
  49. 41.
  50. 42.
  51. 43.
  52. 44.
  53. 45.
  54. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  55. Touchstone Reading Group Guide

“What you did was bad enough. Don’t make it worse by lying. I know you’re a hopeless, ignorant hillbilly, but nobody can be that stupid. You had to know it would bother me.”

“It aint a lie. You never seemed to care for it all that much. You go at it like it’s a awful burden. I thought you’d be relieved if I was hammerin at somebody else for a change.”

“I used to like it all right. I don’t care for you going at me three or four times a day when I’m tired and there’s work to do.”

“All the same, I swear to God. If I knew that you cared one way or t’other, I wouldn’t a done it.”

“I don’t know whether you’re the stupidest man who ever lived or the biggest liar. All I know is that if I decide I want to go to the ranch, I’m going. After what you did, you have no claim on me.”

“You’re my damned wife, that’s what claim I have. You’re my wife and you’ll do as I say.”

“Like hell I will.”

“If you think I’m goin to set still and let my wife leave me, you got another think comin.”

“I didn’t say I was leaving you. I said I might go to Wyoming.”

“If that aint leavin, I don’t know what is. It sure as hell aint stayin.”

“Please give me some peace, Jake. I need to rest. Don’t keep going on at me. I’m going to need some time, then we’ll see.”

“How much time?”

“I don’t know. Time. A month, six months, I don’t know.”

He got up, paced to the window and back. “I’m not goin to allow it. No way, no how. Soon’s you’re well enough, you’re comin back to the farm.”

“No, I am not. Not until I’m good and ready, if that day ever comes. I’m going to go someplace where I can think for a while. That’s that.”

“No, it aint. I’m your husband and you’ll by God do as I say.”

“I will not. You will not order me around like a servant anymore. You’ve done that long enough. When I saw you with that woman, that was the end of it. If I choose to go, I will go.”

He leaned over her, his face black with fury.

“No, goddammit. You will do as I say. Exactly as I say. When you get outa this place, you’re goin to learn to behave like a proper wife.”

“I have been a proper wife, you fool! What do you want? A woman like Thelma Pearl? Was she a proper wife?”

“Thelma Pearl was a goddamned she-bitch, and that’s exactly how you’re actin right this minute.”