The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1919-09-26
1.-THE FIRE FINGERS"
AT Bentley Grand, Friday, Sept. 70.

incongruous to the peaceful country
-side-two men in ill-ftting clothes,
with a fur:ive air as Of those un-
accustomed to be abroad.
Richard Hatton and Chris Cotteril
ask of the world but one thing
peace. They had been ceIlmates in
San Quentin Prison. There they
had formed the resolution to go
straight. Their debt to society
now paid in full, they seek only the
chance to forget those terrible
years and to find surcease in work.
In the prison they had learned the
printing trade. Coming to town
they halt before the great printing
establishment of Richard dwell.
Can they summon courage to enter
and ask for work? They are
hesitating when smallish, ferret
faced man with a suitcase comes
around the corner. He starts as he
sees them: then, looking at his
watch, hastens away.
Hatton and Cotteril at last nerve
themselves to enter. Men are need
ed at the forms and they are put TO
work. All the morning they sing
at their tasks, looking up OCCASION
ally to smile into each other eyes
that their salvation is accomplish
ed.
But all that morning, Nemesis is
approaching, and approaching by
the queer process Of Fastening
further away at express train speed.
That little man with the ferret-eyes
was the Chief of Police of San
Francisco. He had recognized the
men he sent to prison years before.
He had only few minutes to catch
his train and had not time then to
follow his police instinct of hound
ing those who had once made
misstep.
But from Chicago he sends a wire
that brings the police to OlweIl's
plant. Hatton and Cotteril are dis
charged, driven from the place with
sneers and curses.
"But you owe US for the morn
ing's work. protests Hatton, with
the mildness born of years of prison
discipline.
Olwell's answer is an insult.
Cptteril rushes toward him. but
Hatton. who has resolved with his
whole being that he and his pal
shall never again feel the heavy
hand of the law, restraints him.
They leave, broken and detected.
Olwell-brutai, cruel, shallow,
magnetic Olwell. that beast in the
habiliments of a gentleman-is at
the parting Of the ways. His wife
has ceased to interest him. Even
the delight Of torturing her mental
ly and physically has pal'ed.
In his office is Maggie Driver a
girl of just the mixture of sensuali-
ty and sensibility, of selfshness and
intense femininity that would
appeal to one of OlwelI's nature.
They have planned to elope and to
take Mrs. Olwel's money with
them.
Moved by rude sense of justice,
Cotteril and Hatton go to OlwelI's
home begging for bread in lieu of
the wages rightfully due them.
Mrs. Olwell receives them. Smart
ing under the cruelty she had her
self experienced, she invites them
in and summons the maid to see
that they are fed.
In the midst of the meal, dwell
comes home. dwell has boasted
that it will not take long to run his
wife out of the house and to shave
and make preparations for the
flight.
Nor is it many moments before
Winifred Olwell is hurrying from
the house. in terror of her life.
Hatton and Cotteril, in the kitchen,
pause and look questioningly at each
other, then stolidly resume their
meal.
In the dining room dwell comes
upon loaf Of bread standing on
the uncleared table. Cutting four
slices Of bread. he places the green
backs between them, and wraps the
'sandwiches" in newspaper.
Then. in the kitchen. he comes
upon the two men he had driven
from his Office with curses and in
suits. He attacks them with the
savageness of a maddened brute.
Freed Of Hatton, Cotteril faces
dwell again. But before he can
carry out his purpose Of vengeance.
dwell has flung himself at him.
Cotteril steps aside and the drunk
en- man runs headlong into the wall
of the fireplace and drops like a
poled OK.