The Red Cloud chief., 1920-05-06
4 The City of
3 Purple Dreams

80 49, 49, -
which brought blood. In the next rush.
however, % slcdgc hammer seemed to
swing upon the point Of his chin. and
he spun dizzily backward, unable to
regain his balance, aud fell heavily
against a fender. But Nikolay was
not quick enough to follow up his adj.
vantage, and when next he charged,
Fitzhugh had recovered, and was
dancing around him rs before. his lip
drawn back from his cleaning teeth
in n taunting smile.
The blood was streaming from a
dozen cuts on the Russians face, its
crimson blots I'm his eyes; and ever
that smiling. white.and-black face
swan before him like "a pirouetting
phantom.
Knowing his endurance TO be his
strongest, and the others weakest,
wear his opponent down until such
time as he could rush in and finish
him.
Nikolay vas 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 Mt his sides.
For q little while. coughing and spit
ting blood and catching his breath in
wheezy gasps, he stared drunkenly.
Then, Selling n heavy water pitcher
from beside an overturned chair, he
hurled II, with a 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 Nlkolay's jaw, and the
nan ven down like a dubbed OK.
The conqueror walked to a corner,
picked up his coat, and slung 1t 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.
"Im sorry you had to see 1t. I told
you I'd slaughter him."
The next moment the woman was
sObbing Historically In his arms. ~
can't let you go! I can't can'tw
She chung to him as a drowning per-
son, %clutching his hands, his arms, his
neck.
"You must, Esther" He stroked her
hair tenderly. 1.-THE police may be
here Mt any moment. Get away as
quickly as possible. Never mind about
him-heTl be all right presently. I'll
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 a
mirror. He concluded he was ef-
fectually disguised against anybody
who had not seen him during the past
four weeks. He left the saloon and
continued nOrthward.
In State street he stopped before an
alleged restaurant-One of those dis
colored, unwashed places that can be
scented n hundred yards Off on a warm
day, and where a full meal" may be
had for twenty cents-and read this
sign hanging from a nail on the door
post:
"DISHWASHER WANTED"
He removed the sign, walked inside
and handed 1t to the chemical-blonde
cashier perched on a high stool be-
tween n cash register and a pyramid
Of toothpicks.
I'm It," said he. favorlng her with
an engaging smile.
1t was a swelterlng, filthy place.
reeklng with multitudinous odors and
overrun with ~cockroaches. The soIled
dishes came In a n~ever-endlng torrent,
and all day. with three respites for
food, he bent at the wash-bench, his
arms immersed to the elbows in black,
soapy. water. At eight came the night
man, and he drew a breath OF relief
and a dollar on his weekly wage, and
started home. Or, rather, he started
to look for a home. lie found one for
two dollars a week-a depressing
room, little larger than a coalbox,
tucked away In the upper regions OF
a shoddy lodging house. lie paid the
grim-faced landlady half of his cant
tai. bought 4 packet OF tobacco and
an evening newspaper, and went TO his
room.
He disrobed to his undertaking,
and with the newspaper and a clga.
rette, stretched himself on the couch.
bed, allowing his feet TO rest on a
chair. He inhaled a satisfying cloud
or smoke and unfolded the news sheet
and his fingers closed rlgldly on the
paper; his heart seemed to stand still.
What he read at n glance stretched
across four columns Of the front page :
MURDER MYSTERY AMO,;G REDS,
OLAF NIKOLAY. RUSSIAN NIHU.
lST, FOUND DEAD IN SOUTH
SIDE BASEMENTl
WOMAN SUSPECT COMET