she stared at me for long moments , our eyes not breaking contact . he was tired ; he had been hauling stone all day . really , he had only been thinking aloud , hardly aware of having spoken . and you just wasted a question , ms . `` that 's jane , she 's worked here for years . i would like to show you his place . dang it mouth , why ca n't you and my brain ever seem to work together most of the time ? 