The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-02-13
By Henry.


glow of liquid fire, were drunk. She lost count
of time. The vague feeling that she was doing
what was not altogether right left her.
1t had been long since she danced last, but
under Browning's guidance all her old grace
and lightness revived. She seemed to SWAY
through the mazes of the two-step like a
feather blown. Her companion was holding
her closer and closer with each succeeding
dance but it didn't seem to matter When in
the languorous glide of a moonlight waltz his
lips brushed her cheeks, she only laughed; and
when his hot mouth suddenly sought and found
her own, crushing her lips almost to the point
of hurt with the ardor of his kiss, she felt her
self responding to the caress with primitive
abandonment.
The end of the waltz found them by their
table. Instead of releasing her, Browning sat
down and drew her on his lap. For moment
some subconscious inhibition made her strug-
gle, resist then his lips had again claimed her
own; one of his hands had found the round
irmness of her breasts; sensuously she yielded
to his embrace. All around them the dim lights
lickered, music sobbed. Mirth madness
love. Through the lashes that yelled her
heavy, languorous eyes, she could feel the fire
of his glances. Beneath his palm her heart
beat faster and faster Her body thrilled
Iyearned to his. His straining clasp, his throb-
bling pulse, his uneven breathing, became ris-
ing harmony with which her whole being blend
ed, merged His will became her will; his de-
sire, her desire. Suddenly he had stood up
was carrying her-where? It did not matter
Through an open door into a dim, scented
room. They were sinking, sinking. She
chung to him, strained to him. He held her
closer, closer.
DOWN in number three hold Joe sweated and
cursed. Casey had made him foreman
over as inefficient bunch of scab stevedores
as it was possible to conceive Of He found it
necessary to pitch in and demonstrate how
cargo should be broken out.
God, they were rats! The scourings of the
city, for the most part. His soul sckened
every time he thought of how the boys on the
picket line had looked at him when he passed
into the dock with Casey. They had not even
booed. Probably they had been too stunned to
realize at once what his presence meant. At
any rate they knew by now. Knew that he,
Joe Smith, was scab, a rat, traitor
Damn your he screamed at an unsavory
looking member of his gang, chow many times
have you to be told to fix that sling right?"
He sprang forward, but was too late to stop
the hosting of the load as the signal had al
ready been given the winchman on deck. Up,
up went the load, fitting crafty
'Hey, your he cried to the hatch-tender,
eaping out to where he could be seen, and
waving violently. Lower that load again
DOWN.
But the tender was green man, easily con-
fused and couldn't understand what was
meant.
Down! damn you! down" screamed Joe.
And at his second command, the load came
down.
ROSA stirred and sat up. She pushed the
tousled hair from her eyes and looked
about confusedly. Her head ached and there
was bitter taste in her mouth. She did not
at once realize where she was. The large well,
furnished bedroom was utterly strange to her (
Then she became conscious of the tumbed BED
in which she sat and of her own naked body,
and of the fact that someone else. some
one who. Mortified, she turned her head
until she was looking down into Mel Brown
ings face. He was sleeping with his mouth
open and did not make pleasant picture. In
stantly memory came back. Memory of the