the　house　a　third　shake。　He　landed　on　his　knees　and　hung　his　head　over；　coughing　like　a　man　in　the　last　stages　of　TB。

I　thought；　Now　the　bugs。　He's　going　to　cough　them　out；　and　what　a　lot　there'll　be　this　time。

But　he　didn't。　He　only　went　on　coughing　in　deep　retching　barks；　hardly　finding　time　between　fits　to　snatch　in　the　next　breath　of　air。　His　dark；　chocolatey　skin　was　graying　out。　Alarmed；　Brutal　went　to　him；　dropped　to　one　knee　beside　him；　and　put　an　arm　across　his　broad；　spasming　back。　As　if　Brutal's　moving　had　broken　a　spell；　Moores　went　to　his　wife's　bed　and　sat　where　Coffey　had　sat。　He　hardly　seemed　to　register　the　coughing；　choking　giant's　presence　at　all。　Although　Coffey　was　kneeling　at　his　very　feet；　Moores　had　eyes　only　for　his　wife；　who　was　gazing　at　him　with　amazement。　Looking　at　her　was　like　looking　at　a　dirty　mirror　which　has　been　wiped　clean。

〃John！〃　Brutal　shouted。　〃Sick　it　up！　Sick　it　up　like　you　done　before！〃

John　went　on　barking　those　choked　coughs。　His　eyes　were　wet；　not　with　tears　but　with　strain。　Spit　flew　from　his　mouth　in　a　fine　spray；　but　nothing　else　came　out。

Brutal　whammed　him　on　the　back　a　couple　of　times；　then　looked　around　at　me。　〃He's　choking！　Whatever　he　sucked　out　of　her；　he's　choking　on　it！〃

I　started　forward。　Before　I　got　two　steps；　John　knee…walked　away　from　me　and　into　the　corner　of　the　room；　still　coughing　harshly　and　dragging　for　each　breath。　He　laid　his　forehead　against　the　wallpaper　…　wild