With the pump broken, Ralph lugged two buckets of water to the house to cool everyone off after they’d picked cotton since sunrise. A one-eared beagle with a bleeding wound waited on the porch wagging her tail; another pup a townie had been undoubtedly tossed out on the dirt road. Ralph’s dad always shot strays if they made their way up to the house and Ralph would toss the bodies in the north pasture. He cocked his rifle, and the beagle howled. Ralph walked over and let her drink out of one bucket. She licked Ralph’s hand and curled up at his feet.