Evening star., 1927-11-20

w YHEN Zinn came home from
n prison, no one was at the
NV station to meet him. except
the constable, Tom Frejus.
who laid a hand on his
shoulder and said: Now. linn. let
this here be lesson to you. Give me
chance to treat you white. amt 60
ing to hound you. Just remember
that, because you're stronger than
other folks. you ain't got any reason
to beat them up"
Zinn looked down upon him. Every
day of the year during which he had
swung his hammer to break rocks, he
had told himself that one good pur'
pose was served; his muscles grew
harder, the iron square OF his chin
thrust out, as in his youth. and, when
he came back to town, he would use
that strength to wreck upon the con-
stable his old hate. Tom F'rejus was his
enemy. When he first came to Sioux
Crossing and fought the three men In
Joe Riley's saloon--oh, famous and
happy night.-Constable FreJus gave
him a warning. When he fought the
Gandil brothers and beat them both
senseless, Frejus arrested him. When
his old horse. Ffdgety, baked, and
linn tore a rail from the fence, in
him for cruelty to dumb beasts. This
was q crowning torment, for, as linn
told the Judge. he'd bought that old
skate and he had right to do what
he wanted with it. But the Judge. as
always, agreed with Tom Frejus.
Then Zinn drank bootleg whisky and
beat up the constable himself. The
constable, at the trial, pleaded for
clemency, on account of Zinns wife
and three children; but Zinn knew. of
course, that Frejus wanted him back
to persecute him some more. On this
day. therefore, the eX-convict was
sullen.
Keep out of my way, Frejus," he
said, land you'll keep a whole skin.
But some day I'll get you alone. and
then I'll bust you in two-like this"
He made an eloquent gesture; then
he strod& of up the street.
THE dusk was closing early on this
chilly Autumn day, but Zinn did
not feel the cold. He looked up to the
pines on Sandoval Mountains. scatter.
ing toward the top and pausing where
the sheeted masses of snow began.
Life was like that--a struggle, an eter.
nal fight, but never victory on the
When the Judge sentenced him he
said, "If you lived in the days of ar.
NOR, you might have been hero,
Zinn; but in these times you are an
enemy of society,"" He had grasped
dimly at the meaning Of this. Through.
out his lite he had aimed at something
to set him above his fellows: now, at
20, he felt in his hands an undimnish.
ed authority of might: but those hands
had not given him victory. If he routed
four men in conflict. society. instead
OF applauding. raised the club of the
law and struck him down. 1t had al
ways done 50. but his tigerish spirit
groped after and clung to this truth
to be strong IS to be glorious!
He reached the hilltop and looked
down to his home in the hollow. A
vague wonder came upon him to find
that all had been held together, in
spite OF his absence. There was even
a new coat of paint upon the wood.
shed and a hedge of young frs was
growing neatly around the front yard.
In fact. the homestead seemed to be
prospering. His strength was not
needed. He looked sullenly about him.
On the corner a little white dog
watched him. with lowered ears and
tail curved under it's belly.
Get out, cur!' snarled Zinn. He
picked up q rock and threw it with
such good aim that it missed the dog
by a mere inch or two.
The dog feaped straight at the big
man. Indeed, Zinn had barely time to
aim a kick at the little brute, which it
lodged. as a rabbit turns from the
jaws OF the hound. Then two rows of
small. sharp teeth pierced his trousers
and sank into the flesh of his leg.
He kicked the swaying, tugging crea-
ture. but still II clung. He picked
UP stone and brought it down
heavily on the dogs skull There
was a gush of blood The body of the