Evening star., 1919-11-30

DNioN hotci. Inc dream OF years
electric lights. little trick push-but-
tons that summoned comforts, white
sheets and two kinds of water, had
fallen absolutely fiat. he was accus-
toned % siceping space surrounded
on all sides by the horizon, foored with
good, honest dirt or grass and canopied
by the blue sky with twinkling stars
In lieu OF incandescents. So the box
like compartment, low ccilinged ana
poorly ventilated, for which he paid
three dollars. drove sleep from his sys-
TEN. lie felt sensation of suffoca-
tlon that would not down, and after
several hours tossing about in a fruit
legs effort to WOO repose he arose, bath
ed his face IN the ice wafer an admiring
beliboy had brought, dressed and made
for the street, condemning the hotel and
It's accessories to n place whose best
known attribute is its Warmth.
Outside Dick found conditions little
bctter-thc deep canyons formed by the
towering skyscrapers were full Of sour
rying. unfriendly humans, the noisy roar
or traffic. crying children and other
strange bcdlam His picturesque attire,
for he had come straight from the big
hills. blue shirted and sombreroed, drew
curious glances and sometimes coarse
auiDs. had sent him tramping restlessly
TO the outskirts, devoutly wishing HIM
SELF back In Calveras, matching his wits
against the sheriffs posse.
There came sudden runlbIing sound
1t was like the buzzing Of gigantic
bee He sprang erect and listened at
tentively. instinctively sensing coming
action. and the next moment both hands
shot to his belt, his veins thrilling with
quick pumping blood as he caught the
staccato report of n revolver. Then
came the long, shrill blasts Of a sirenic
whistle and he ran to the crossing, 1uss
missing death as a big, black autonlo-
bile swept past him, carecned crazily
around n bend in the road and vanished
IN a droning human dust cloud--but
not Before gun had barked viciously
twice from the rear seat \
Amazed. yet alert. Didl stood hesi-
tatingly. his own revolver in hand, as
. mounted officer coming at fun gal
lop spied him and pulled up at his
side. In a moment the policeman had
3ismounted and, having Dick covered
with wicked looking automatic, re-
Heved the latter Of his armament in a
manner which, while 1t chagrined him,
reused his admiration and respect.
People were running up now from
all directions, and in a moment they
were the center Of a milling press of
humans
fought through the crowd, mounted
and afoot, conferred with Dicks cap
tor. cast malevolent glances at Dick
and went on in pursuit OF the flying
car. The pandemonium made Dicks
explanations to the skeptical police
man futile, but he gathered that q
band Of yeggs had looted the post Of
flee and were now in the process Of
escaping in high-powered car That
is, Ill except Dick were escaping.
Three weeks later a jury of sales
men. bookkeepers and clerks gazed at
Dicks picturesque garb and unshaven
face, heard the circumstance Of his
capture dwelt on by the district at
torney, noted the amount Of money
taken from the post Office. looked at
Dick again, shuddered collectively,
and found him guilty.
Dicks defense was hampered some
what by his exploits in Calveras and
points west. He felt that sending back
Tor references might be in bad taste,
SO he kept silent and took his medi-
cine. after the first outburst.
That was five years ago. In a week
he was to be released from the state
penitentiary on the fringe of the
metropolis. where the snug faced
Judge had sonorously consigned him.
and he sat now In his cell speculating
on this event. Dicks brain, ordinarily
as quick acting as the trigger of his
revolver. had developed into a think
Ing apparatus of rare ingenuity dur
Ing those drear years--for while out
wardly a sulien brooder,. when the
constant confinement with these hui
man beasts and soddcn types began to
tell, inwardly he was exercising his
goodly portion Of gray matter. Keep
ing it we'll prirned, SO that after his
release it would be seasoned to match
itself against this law OF the city,
which shut him UP for a span of his
lifo with these dregs of humanity,
treating him in way that had 4 man
done so to hts horse he would have
killed him.
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