At this moment she knew he was watching Renda and the one called Brazil. Not looking at them directly, but watching every move they made from the shadow of the curled hatbrim.

Karla half turned as the screen door opened. “He’s here,” she said, a trace of excitement in the tone of her voice.

Her father stepped out into the yard. He carried a Voucher for Supplies and Services Rendered, made out by Seely, Lewis & Foss, Government Contractors. As he looked toward the wagon he asked, “Which one?”

“He’s wearing 18.”

“I can’t make out figures from here.”

“The one without sleeves in his shirt.”

Demery squinted in the sunlight, studying the convict. “He looks like any other jailbird to me.”

“You have to see him up close,” Karla said.

“Why do you think he’s any different from the rest?”

“I don’t know…haven’t you ever had a feeling about a person?” She glanced at her father. “Like Ma…you liked her right away, didn’t you? You didn’t ask to see her papers before you married her.”

“You’re planning to marry him, are you?”

“I’m drawing a parallel.”

“Sis, the difference is I didn’t meet your mother in a convict camp.”

“How do you know why he’s there?” Karla said hotly. “For all we know he was hungry and killed somebody else’s cow. You can’t blame a man for something like that.”

Demery nodded. “Only maybe it wasn’t a cow,” he said mildly, glancing at Karla. “A nice-looking boy who doesn’t look like he should be in convict clothes, so you feel sorry for him.”

“It’s more than that,” Karla said earnestly. “But I can’t explain it.”

“Like getting a warm feeling for a boy at school.”

“You make it sound ridiculous.”