The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1920-09-17
B. The City Of
81 Purple Dreams


swing upon the point of his chin. and
he spun dizzily backward, unable to
regain his balance. and fell heavily
against q fender But Nikolay was
not quick enough to follow up his ad
vantage, and when next he charged
Fitzhugh had recovered, and was
dancing around him as before, his lip
drawn back from his cleaning teeth
in haunting smile.
The blood was streaming from a
dozen cuts on the Russians face. it's
crimson blots in his eyes; ard ever
that smiling, white-and-black face
swan before him like q pirouetting
phantom.
Knowing his endurance to be his
strongest. and the others weakest;
point, Fitzhugh desired chiefly to
wear his opponent down until such
time as he could rush in and finish
him.
Nikolay was fast becoming exhaust
ed. Ten minutes of this mad pace was
more than he could stand. His breath
came shorter and shorter. At last he
stopped and allowed his arms to
dangle Imply at his sides
For little while. coughing and spit
ting blood and catching his breath in
wheezy gasps, he stared drunkenly.
Then, selling heavy water, pitcher
from beside an overturned chair, he
hurled it. with vile word. FitZhugh
lodged the missile and leapt for his
foe. He put every atom of his vigor-
GUS young strength into the blow he
landed under Nikolay's jaw, and the
man went down like a dubbed OK.
The conquerOr walked to a corner,
picked up his coat. and slung it over
his shoulder He came back to Esther.
crouching against the wall like one
awakening from some horrible dream.
He smiled but in the neutral light the
smile was CHASTITY.
I'm sorry you had to see It, told
You I'd slaughter him."
The next moment the woman was
sobbing Historically In his arms. Il
can't let you go! can't can't ~
She chung to him as drowning per-
son. clutching his hands. his arms, his
neck.
"You must Esther" He stroked her
hair tenderly. 1.-The police may be
here at any moment. Get away. as
| quickly as possible. Never mind about
him-hell be all right presently. III
write you care Of the post Office. You
write me, too. Good-by. dear. good-by.'
| With these words of parting he
turned and left the house.
| Fitzhugh entered a saloon and laved
his hurts and washed up. afterward
surveying his face very critically In q
mirror. He concluded he was eff
fectually disguised against anybody
who had not seen him during the past
four weeks. He left the saloon anG
continued northward.
In State street he stopped before al
alleged restaurant-One of those dis
colOred, unwashed places that can b,
scented hundred yards off on warn
day. and where a full meal" may b.
had for twenty cents-and read thi
sign hanging from a nail on the door
post:
| "DISHWASHER WANTED"
He removed the sign. walked insid
and handed 1t to the chemical-blOnd
cashier perched on high stool be
tween a cash register and a py,ami,
of tO0thpicks.
I'm it." said he, favOring her wit
an engaging smile.
1t was sweltering. filthy place
reeking with multitudinous odors an
overrun with cOckroaches. The sole
dishes came In never-ending torren
and all day, with three respites 70
food, he bent at the wash-bench, hi
arms immersed to the elbows in blacl
soapy water. At eight came the nigh
man. and he drew breath of relic
and dollar on his weekly wage. an
started home. Or. rather, he starte
to look for home. He found one fl
two dollars a week-a depressin
room, little larger than a coalbo
tucked away in the upper regions {
shOddy lodging house. He paid II
grim-faced landlady half of his cap
tai, bought packet Of tobacco an
an evening newspaper, and went to h
room.
He disrObed to his underclothn
and with the newspaper and a Gig
rette. stretched himself on the couc
bed. allowing his feet to rest on
chair. He inhaled a satisfying clol
Of smoke and unfolded the news she
and his fingers closed rigidly on Il
paper; his heart seemed to stand sti
What he read at glance stretch,
across four columns of the front pag
MURDER MYSTERY AMONG RED
J OLAF NIKOLAY. RUSSIAN NIHI
|. IST. FOUND DEAD IN SOUTH
SIDE BASEMENT
u WOMAN SUSPECT GONE!