ange　if　I　said　what　was　on　the　tip　of　my　tongue；　we　had　reached　a　point　beyond　which　retreat　would　likely　bee　impossible。

Except　retreat；　for　me；　at　least；　was　already　impossible。　I　opened　my　mouth　and　said

2。

〃That　won't　happen。〃

〃How　in　God's　name　can　you　be　so　sure？〃　Dean　asked。

I　didn't　answer。　I　didn't　know　just　how　to　begin。　I　had　known　this　would　e　up；　of　course　I　had；　but　I　still　didn't　know　how　to　start　telling　them　what　was　in　my　head　and　heart。　Brutal　helped。

〃You　don't　think　he　did　it；　do　you；　Paul？〃　He　looked　incredulous。　〃You　think　that　big　lug　is　innocent。〃

〃I'm　positive　he's　innocent；〃　I　said。

〃How　can　you　be？〃

〃There　are　two　things；〃　I　said。　〃One　of　them　is　my　shoe。〃

〃Your　shoe？〃　Brutal　exclaimed。　'What　has　your　shoe　got　to　do　with　whether　or　not　John　Coffey　killed　those　two　little　girls？〃

〃I　took　off　one　of　my　shoes　and　gave　it　to　him　last　night；〃　I　said。　〃After　the　execution；　this　was；　when　things　had　settled　back　down　a　little。　I　pushed　it　through　the　bars；　and　he　picked　it　up　in　those　big　hands　of　his。　I　told　him　to　tie　it。　I　had　to　make　sure；　you　see；　because　all　our　problem　children　normally　wear　is　slippers　…　a　man　who　really　wants　to　mit　suicide　can　do　it　with　shoelaces；　if　he's　dedicated。　That's　something　all　of　us　know。〃

They　were　nodding。

〃He　put　it　on　his　lap　and　got　the　ends　of　the　laces　crossed　over　all　right；　but　then　he　was　stuck。　He　said　he　was　pretty　s