think　he　heard　one　word　in　six。　Probably　just　as　well。　I　don't　think　that　particular　homily　made　a　whole　lot　of　sense；　anyway。

Fifteen　minutes　later　I　was　back　at　the　desk；　where　a　shaken…looking　Brutus　Howell　was　sitting　and　licking　the　tip　of　the　pencil　we　kept　with　the　visitors'　book。　〃Will　you　stop　that　before　you　poison　yourself；　for　God's　sake？〃　I　asked。

〃Christ　almighty　Jesus；〃　he　said；　putting　the　pencil　down。　〃I　never　want　to　have　another　hooraw　like　that　with　a　prisoner　ing　on　the　block。〃

〃My　Daddy　always　used　to　say　things　e　in　threes；〃　I　said。

〃Well；　I　hope　your　Daddy　was　full　of　shit　on　that　subject；〃　Brutal　said；　but　of　course　he　wasn't。　There　was　a　squall　when　John　Coffey　came　in；　and　a　fullblown　storm　when　〃Wild　Bill〃　joined　us　…　it's　funny；　but　things　really　do　seem　to　e　in　threes。　The　story　of　our　introduction　to　Wild　Bill；　how　he　came　onto　the　Mile　trying　to　mit　murder；　is　something　I'll　get　to　shortly；　fair　warning。

〃What's　this　about　Delacroix　copping　his　joint？〃　I　asked。

Brutal　snorted。　〃He　was　ankle…chained　and　ole　Percy　was　just　pulling　him　too　fast；　that's　all。　He　stumbled　and　started　to　fall　as　he　got　out　of　the　stagecoach。　He　put　his　hands　out　same　as　anyone　would　when　they　start　to　fall；　and　one　of　them　brushed　the　front　of　Percy's　pants。　It　was　a　plete　accident！〃

〃Did　Percy　know　that；　do　you　think？〃　I　asked。　〃Was　he　maybe　using　it　as　an　excuse　just　because　he　felt　like　whaling　on　Delacroix　a　little