Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-16
---BYWalter DurantY

At first glance. can smell the black soul Of him
In one sniff"
Her voice had become monotonous, rising and
falling like that of a priest Teciting some IA
miliar ritual.
"Walk forward, my friend Of the people, walk
forward, and put your finger into the cage OF
my little comrade, that he may take snin at
it, Perhaps you are innocent, as you Woulo
have us believe. The little comrade WIZ Know
because he never makes a mistake. II you are
innocent he will do you no harm WIZ not
touch your finger but if your hand has oneno-
ed against the people"-again that 1nnuman
roar-"he will bite it to the bone, and after my
Judgment you shall receive your punishment
She made sign to the soldiers, who took
the cringing man by the arms ana dragged
him toward the parrots cage.
There was no sound save the prisoners feet
dragging across the floor Is the soldiers car
ried him to the last instance Of justice. He
had slumped down in their arms so that when
they reached the foot OF the golden banner his
head fell in the shadow cast by the bottom OF
the cage.
Garry out the procedure, soldiers Of the
revolution If the servant Of dogs cannot lift
his hand, lift it for him"
T>HE prisoner struggled One of the soldiers
\ deftly twisted the left arm OF the writhing
man behind his back and pushed 1t upward
until he gasped: 'In do it, The soldier re-
leased the pressure on the twisted arm and the
prisoner stood upright He lifted his right hand
with extended forefnger and thrust 1t forward
by short jerks. Twice he dropped his hand,
and twice the soldier pressed the hammer lock
until he gasped again: "I,u do 1t"
The third time his finger reached the cage
It trembled so that he was unable 70 poke 1t
through the bars. The other guard grasped it
firmly and pushed it into the cage
The parrot eyed the prisoners hand. Cock
ing its head on one side 1t cast its beady gaze
appraisingly at the forefnger that shook as
though playfully just below its beak. Its claws
against the perch made faint scratching
sound which seemed to reverberate in the
silence peasant seated on the 'front.' Dencn
crossed himself mechanically,
The parrot bent it's neck and rubbed its
beak on the perch. Sergey almost laughed
Then he half choked and gasped as he saw the
parrot lunge swiftly, take the finger with
swapping motion in its beak and bite downward
More shocking than any scream was the
silence of the prisoner. The parrot had bitten
him to the bone. Such relief, this stab OF
pain, from the slow torture Of suspense, so
welcome the knowledge OF his doom after its
uncertainty that the birds bite, though mean
ing death. was like a douche OF cold water, re-
viving his manhood.
"Belogvardeyetz!" croaked the parrot, back
on its perch.
Baba Papagai, and gabbled formally: Citizen
Nikitin, this court finds you guilty Of counter
revolution
"Take him outl" she shouted. sHTo the cellar
with the White Guard servant Of dogsl"
The prisoner was the calmest man In the
church Erect his head back he yielded to the
urging of his guards Is they dragged him
through the door.
The BAHIA Papagai put on the cloth cap. Her
upper lip clamped down In savage determine
AT I
next case on the docket" She gathered up
her papers, showed the table ASIDE and strobe
down the aisle.
sergey had intended to slip out before the
others, but he had not reckoned With this
abrupt ending Of the session Before he could
move, the Bahia Papagai was In the aisle, scru-
tinizing the faces as she passed With every
step she took, his courage waned. By the time
she reached his bench he was huddled COVER
ing in his seat. He felt numb, In the clutch
OF nightmare. Those eyes were the eyes OF a
Kelpie that monster from the stories of Scot
land his father had told him long ago, half
bull, half demon but shaped like q man. which
dwelt at the bottom of the deep lochs of the
Highlands and on nights when the full moon
shone appeared beside the skis Of unwary
boatmen and dragged them down to death.
Running back to the prison Is fast as he
could Sergey felt the movement Of his legs in
the sharp air send the blood tngling through
his veins, and by the time he reached the house
and paused to scrape the snow from his boots,
he had shaken Off his fears He felt big with
importance as he entered the hall and knew
that he had news to tell.
"Well, what happened?" cried the comman-
dant
at bit, all right" announced Sergey in a
matter of-fact tone.
Marfoosha lifted her head as Just awak-
ened Catching Sergey by the arm, she drew
him to her and whispered: Tell us about 1t.
All about it."
Sergey began They listened as though their