The Washington herald., 1921-07-31


developed Uranium above his cresseu
neck, though one denotins more
obstinacy than Imagination. lie
wore q dark blue coat, and his
derby must be. Heron guessed. sine
seven or a little better BE prob
ably weighed 80.
The white CLEAN ef his corlsr
trritated him. Lfke most swell
mobsmen and con artists, be was
meticulous dresser; not at all loud
OF faddy, but fastidious. BE found
himself whimsicslly building up,
from Loushrey's collar, q mental
picture Of the man himself. II was
the sort Of collar whose laundering
il thriftily achieved with damp rag.
The crsvst, Heron was ready to
rsmble. snapped on with q little
IN rubber loon. Probably In winter be
lin wore red fsnnels, possibly wristletSs
4 lll Every Saturday night be took hot
N lIl tub bath, and hs kept his neck
\ lll shaved. On Sundays be had chicken
| lll potpie, eating IN his shirt-sleeves.
iii and took an after-dinner nap with
III newspaper over his face.
Heron was amusing himself by
completine his sketch Of the eiephan-
fine DEPUTY at home, when Louie
rstsed his skinny right hand, as IL
to scratch his neck. and showed two
fingers spread In v. This meant
that be had picked his handouts;
that he was now free.
r,J Iol, Her-,n came bach 70 resli-
w ties. They were about ten miles be-
yond Poughkeepsie now. Louie had done bis
part-and now II was up to hini In the
midst Of his perplexity he found time to pity
the man who must sit stlll and wait, un-
able to lift a finger to save himself untd
another gave him the cue.
The milestones raced BY them. The dep
uty glanced casually at Louie sucking on
his cigar stub, and offered him q fresh
smoke, which was refused. He looked lazily
up the aisle, consulted his fat watch, and
finally lighted another cigar and changed
papers with Louie. Herron's heart beat q
trihe faster. Nothing happened.
He lighted a cigar himself, and watched
for a milepost to check up their position.
Then he fell once more 10 gazing at Loush-
collar. It annoyed him intensely. He was
certain that he could detect It faint sus-
gestion Of camphor, even in the stmospherie
disturbance Of the smoking car. There was
q little sooty smudre on one dde. When
Loughrey noticed II on undressing at night.
be would probably wet his handkerchief with
the dip Of his tongue and carefully clean
II Of.
And suddenly, N Hsrrou cursed himself
for dwelling on q humble eelluloid collar
while the man he was here 10 save wss
being vhirled to the death cell, hi, pupil.
enlarged as q cats viii In q dark room, and
be nearly BIT in two the cigar be wss sznok-
ing. Then he sucked on Il until ifs end was
cherry red. and leaning over, raised hi,
window. As he did 90, he was conscious Of
a faint remor In the shoulders Of Louie the
Leper.
Before he was settled IN his place again
the air was applied, and the slowing of the
train caused the passengers to lean slightly
forward In their seats. They had come TO
the beginning Of the trestle, and q fringe or
little pines replaced the bare fields beside tn.
track. With a swift side glance to zee that
the men opposite did not observe him, Her
pressed the glowing tip of his cigar against
the offensive collar of Deputy Shreif Lough.
reg.
TF YOU consult fire insurance rates Won
l. will learn that a eeIluloid factory is not
considered quite 50 good a risk as a sub
marine, an sirship or a powder mill. There
is no meaner eonhsgration; ceIluloid burn,
with a passionate ssrvor, Is untroubIed By
water and can only be eItinsuished by COM
plete smotherins. And when it comes I'm
contact with human flesh It cheerfully ANAL
eamates with it, burrovinr under the cutic!s
and sputtering gaily amid dnevs. nerve,
and bones.
When Loushrey suddenly felt his fat mech
encircled With q tight, white hot rim. which
stzzied about the tender hesA Of his throat
sinsed the coarse tufts Of hair IN hf, ear,
and scared his chin, he ceased sutom.u.
caily TO b Q deputy sheriff, and bec,m. a
human being suffering from uper-medie,sI
torture.
he leaped to his feet, erumpstinr hosr,.,,-
not even noting that HIS now dId not dr,.
Louie the Leper b his feet a. well. and tore
wildly At bis simmerins collar with thiek.
hairy paws which were seorched cruelty IN
their turn. All about him other -fhen lespeS
up startled and uncomprehendinr. HERON
among them.
Intense as was his suffering, his nrs
act, before he even realized ~hst had b,,.
pened to him, was to look for the pri,oner.
But Louie the Leper was no longer in th,,r
midst. 1t is probable that he had no ide,
what had befallen his guardian: his not "a
question why! Two passengers wer. sbI.
TO report having seen q man climb like
monkey over the back Of his seat and out
OF the open window. 1t was their impre,.
sion that he had been scared out of his wit,
by the blazing collar.
Even Loughrey could see that II VIA, out