h…swollen　hands。　He　didn't　look　at　it　or　reach　up　to　touch　it；　and　after　a　moment　she　took　it　back。　It　occurred　to　me；　fleetingly；　that　they　looked　more　like　brother　and　sister　than　husband　and　wife　…　he'd　gotten　the　brains；　she'd　gotten　the　looks；　but　neither　of　them　had　escaped　some　underlying　resemblance；　a　heredity　that　could　never　be　escaped。　Later；　going　home；　I　realized　they　didn't　look　alike　at　all；　what　made　them　seem　to　was　the　aftermath　of　stress　and　the　lingering　of　sorrow。　It's　strange　how　pain　marks　our　faces；　and　makes　us　look　like　family。

She　said；　〃Yew…all　want　a　cold　drink；　Mr。　…　？〃

〃It's　Edgebe；〃　I　said。　〃Paul　Edgebe。　And　thank　you。　A　cold　drink　would　be　wonderful；　ma'am。〃

She　went　back　inside。　I　held　out　my　hand　to　Hammersmith；　who　gave　it　a　brief　shake。　His　grip　was　limp　and　cold。　He　never　took　his　eyes　off　the　kids　down　at　the　bottom　of　the　yard。

〃Mr。　Hammersmith；　I'm　E　Block　superintendent　at　Cold　Mountain　State　Prison。　That's…〃

〃I　know　what　it　is；〃　he　said；　looking　at　me　with　a　little　more　interest。　〃So　…　the　bull…goose　screw　of　the　Green　Mile　is　standing　on　my　back　porch；　just　as　big　as　life。　What　brings　you　fifty　miles　to　talk　to　the　local　rag's　only　full…time　reporter？〃

〃John　Coffey；〃　I　said。

I　think　I　expected　some　sort　of　strong　reaction　（the　kids　who　could　have　been　twins　working　at　the　back　of　my　mind　…　and　perhaps　the　doghouse；　too；　the　Dettericks　had　had　a　dog）；　but　Hammersmith　only　raised　his　e