The Huttig news. (Huttig, Ark.) 1907-1955, 1912-01-06

stepped forward A look of duh mis-
cry was stamped on his countenanee,
a hopeless disregard Of the fate in
store for him showed in Il s manner.
Take good look. at thi- ook,
commanded the Chief "Ne7ea vas
pinched before Caught with the goods
en-, however, by Virgins and Wolf
Swipin' lead pipe from halt-fnished
house"
The eyes of the detectives bent on
the human wreck as he shrank hack
into line.
philip Pratt" called the lieuten-
ant
venng man. not more than thirty
who's sulien mein and restless eyes
betrayed his occupation even before
the Chief announced II, faced the
.aasse4 battery OF eyes. His thin lips
CURED into a disdainful smile as the
Chief read his record from a slip o,
paper
Another cd friend back" the head
Of the detective force commented
Phi ip Pratt alias Morse, alias
Charlie Dodge alias Toledo Phi. Con
fidence gent. Did term in Elmira
/ TWO short stretches up the river. ant
long leg in Joliet
The particular offcnse for winch
the prisoner was in the tolls again
was again described, and he, tco. re
tired to temporary obscurity in the
lines of uniortunates.
Carrie Chase" came from the lieu
tenant.
Member of that frail siste~hood
Whose shame is no deeper than that
of the civilization from which it
| springs, she carried herself with an
easy dignity born of fami iarity with
her surroundings The heavy lines oil
her face were drawn into an express
sion OF grim defiance. but her eyes,
dulled by long dissipation, could not
hide the dumb fear that lurked in her
! soul.
Got away with a gents super.
the Chief drawied He displayed
god watch as If it held all the tri-
umph of his years OF pursuit in the
underworld. But we found the goods
/ on her. he added smilingly.
Her career was part of the ele-
mental know edge OF the assembled
/ detectives and the Chief dismiss ed
her quickly.
The chances are she'll do a Ions
stretch this trip he commented,
Every condition of moral obiiGuity
was represented in that shifting line
of prisoners. There were youths. still
In the formative period OF their Grim
inal careers vying with the old-timers
In the forced bravado of their de
meanors. Others there We're. shame
raced and sad, overcome with remorss
and praying silently Cor the teimina
ton of the painful spectacle Still
others, men aud young men, re
earding the proceedings with The in
! difference of disintere5ted spectators
And there were women too, from the
hedizened badger queen, her hair
| and complexion as false as the jewell
shimmering from her fingers and
throat, to the tremu,ous. weeping re-
taurant cashier accused oil some petty
deialcation. They represented tyre
as varied as the emotions struggling
within them, but as they stood side
! by side facing the eXpres sionlesS
masks. they seemed headed toward
the same ultimate destiny. One aftel
another they stepped forward for In
spection until the line was exhausted
When the last of them had fled out
of the room, the detectives did not re-
move their masks. as was the custom
Instead, they s.ood about In a high
fever of expectancy. Quizzical glances
were cast In the direction of the door
leading to the cells Suddenly the
men Blu ked forward, as If inspired by
common impulse of curiosity The
swish of skirts, accompanied by the
tread of masculine feet. sounded in
the doorway. A w0man's form. her
head bent to her brs asst, her limbs un-
able to bear the weight of her fIail
body, was being half dragged, half
carried into the room. All the life
seemed to have drained out of her
Her hair hung disordered over her
shoulders, her hands swung Imply,
like loose pendulums
"Elinor Hoicomb." cried the lieu
tenant.
Donnelly and Carson, each with an
arm under her shoulder, propped her
sinking form.
Lift your head" commanded the
Chief.
The order fell on deaf ears. She
seemed as one in the last agony of a
mortal Illness.
Lift it for her" eame in voice
OF ming ed sternness and compassion
Donnelly's hand flew to her chin,
fitting her face upward For an in
slant she raised her heavy eyelids:
then recoiled as from blow The
crowd OF masked spectators hoated
before her eyes ike hideous specters
of horrid dream. A low groan, like
the last lament of a tortured soul,
came from her lips. She seemed turn
ed into a mass of jelly.
Take her away" commanded the
Chief, and the two detectives carried
her out of the room.
Accused of stealing the Missioner