in the cap。 gettin the cap； gettin the cap；〃 Toot said； and nouffled。 The straps held his jaw almost closed； and I suspected Brutal had snugged it down a little tighter than he strictly had to for purposes of rehearsal。 He stepped back； faced the empty seats； and said： 〃Arlen Bitterbuck； electricity shall now be passed through your body until you are dead； in accordance with state law。 May God have mercy on your soul。〃
Brutal turned to the mesh…covered rectangle。 〃Roll on two。〃
Old Toot； perhaps trying to recapture his earlier flare of ic genius； began to buck and flail in the chair； as Old Sparky's actual customers almost never did。 〃Now I'm fryin！〃 he cried。 〃Fryin！ Fryyyin！ Geeeaah！ I'm a done tom turkey！〃
Harry and Dean； I saw； were not watching this at all。 They had turned away from Sparky and were looking across the empty storage room at the door leading back into my office。 〃Well； I'll be goddamned；〃 Harry said。 〃One of the witnesses came a day early。〃
Sitting in the doorway with its tail curled neatly around its paws； watching with its beady black oilspot eyes； was the mouse。
5。
The execution went well … if there was ever such a thing as 〃a good one〃 （a proposition I strongly doubt）； then the execution of Arlen Bitterbuck； council elder of the Washita Cherokee； was it。 He got his braids wrong … his hands were shaking too badly to make a good job of it … and his eldest daughter； a woman of thirty…odd； was allowed to plait them nice and even。 She wanted to weave feathers in at the tips； the pinfeathers of a hawk； his bird； but I couldn't allow it。 They might catch fire and burn。 I didn't tell her that； of course； just said it was against regulations。 She made no protest； only bowed her head and put her hands to her temples