The Washington herald., 1915-09-26
The Under world Keeps Itself
Supplied With Drugs Through
Many Devious Channels, OF
Which Willie the Wrath ] Is
An Important Factor

~ RoCEEDING by series Of im-
pulses that materialised In dis
connected jerks. Willie the
Wrath" moved with caution
through the street. Afternoon
sunshine gilded the pavement, but close
to buildings was purple shade, and The
Wrath kept to the shade. shrinking to-
ward doorways, stopping occasionally to
snatch backward glances.
Though hts feet shuffled just bit he
lifted them high. Wasn't life coursfng
through his veins-wonderful, rose-hued,
comprehensive life? Under q xQsty hat
brim his eyes burned. grotesquely light
Ing a face like-a deaths head, with gray
skin stretched over the bones. Gray
skin and shadows under the cheeks and
thin blue lips drawn against ragged teeth.
The Wrath was not a lovely being.
Up the street and round certain cor
nes shabby. shaky building lurches to-
ward the lake. There's a drug store in
one end and dim stairway. better
known to the police than to the public.
The Wrath slid into the stairway and
slouched like . shadow against the dirty
wall Tho deaths head tipped. lifting
its eyes to q point on the horizon. He
dreamed, nonchalantly, almost jauntily
Only his finger tips moved. Hands pressed
against his sides, tightly, tightly, 30 they
dug into the bagging clothes and strained
along the thumbs and across the palms.
ceaselessly, as though they were part OF
q machine.
Someone stirred In the gloom above
the stairs foot. laid on q creaking
board, was removed hastily; sharp
breath was exhaled, as though from tor
tured lungs. The Wrath might have
been a craven image, excepting that
muscle at the side Of his lips Quivered.
jerked, and set up waving vibration.
There was no other sound; yet The
Wraith's consciousness strained toward
the person who moved down the stair
way.
That person was creeping along, bal
ancing on hands and feet, stopping some
times to lie full length. He was crouch
ing now like dog at The Wraith's feet,
shaking and sobbing. The Wraith's lips
sneered, but his eyes never shifted from
the point on the horizon. Then his finger
tips, steadied on q crumpled note; stead
led, flashed. released bit OF newspaper,
and doubled again across bis palm, back
and forth. over and over. as though they
were part Of machine.
fumbled at the catch on little case. But
the catch was tiny and his fingers. dane
ing crazily, refused to touch the spring.
With q snarl not to be recognized as the
expression Of . human being. he tore at
the newspaper, and with both hands car
ried It to his mouth, biting. choking.
Shut up. can't you!" growled The
Wrath.
"Ah-h-h!" 1t was the sigh with which
life passes death. The fantastic contor-
tion Of muscles ceased; sobs struggled
and died; the man rose slowly, swaying
Q little. And his eyes burned in q face
IrotAs0uely like 4 deaths head.
"God!" he whispered. sliding into the
street.
A man dressed inconspicuously IN
black walked soft-footedly past the
stairway. When the clock In the drug
store window showed the quarter hour
hs walked back agsin, slowly. And
though The Wraith's eyes stared at the
point on the horizon. . WY smile twist
Cd new shadows into his face.
Huh, Mr.. Plain Clo'es Man. how'd e
dof" he muttsrsd.