White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-12-26
by Evelyn Campbell
w EVCIyM N1u1hPON1
Copyright by Evelyn Campbelll
WNU Service
CHAPTER xIv-Continued

OOPiO dQu OCCu AlliCO. AsOOCo anu
blankets, brought from somewhere,
covered the still things with a spuri-
GUS decency. Ambulances were COM
ing; their distant clamor, dulled by
the heaviness of the air, beat upon the
shrinking silence.
poor creature, once woman, gasped
at Brian's elbow: "Three of 'em dead
three! Something ought to be done
about It. Three Of 'em-just like
that!" She snapped her fingers.
He saw that there were three wom-
en- beneath blanket on the ground.
Their feet, in high heeled slippers,
protruded from the shallow covering;
the edges of their, dresses showed and
their thin stockings, drawn over slen-
der, terrible limbs.
The black bulk of the patrol wagon
told about them. And then he saw,
close to his feet, larger mound, that
must have been man.
HE was runnin' a poor girl fn,"
slithered voice. "Served him right,
too, but he let her in for it same as
himself"
A helmet advanced upon them
'None O. that, now. or up you go.
Clear out, you-an you'll" Monotonous
with the duty of a hundred such
nights.
The woman's voice faded whining
away. .'Three o. 'em all Mt
once!" AS if that were matter of
mourning.
Then Brian heard another sound
too faint to be sigh, but breathed
against his ear, like the echo of lost
summer. He turned his face and saw
her standing where she had been all
this time, close beside him. so that he
could have touched her if he had
known.
"Linda," he said, and she put out
her hand to him like lost child, as
he had known she would do.
They took the few steps to the pave
ment side by side, as if they belonged
to one another and had come there to-
gether. The line of questioners closed
in behind them.
1t was dark street Of closed shop
windows and little businesses where
women did not belong. wide-open
poolroom was flooded with yellow
light. A fruit stand, open to the world.
offered public shelter. They walked
on little way, wordlessly.
Then all at once there was door
opened to them. A broad, white-coated
arm drew them. without contact, into
the warm fragrance of narrow place
where one must walk in single file or
be enwrapped in the steamy vapors of
huge coffee urns and frank griddles.
nThere'll be q little corner back
beyond" explained Coffee John, sig
mailing over his shoulder with mas
sive curled thumb.
They went as he told them.
Coffee John had been there so many
years that no one remembered when
he came. His shop was large enough
to turn window and door to the
world and deep enough to shelter his
philosophy. From his narrow counter
he had fed the great ones of the city
and offered the cup of charity to the
lost children of God. He had not
moved from this place, SO that he had
grown wide and heavy and his, face
was Iivid with the moisture of his sus
tenance. But he had seen the world
go by and he knew of all its faces.
even the false ones. and what was
hidden behind the papier mache. Ills
broad back, turned upon Brian and
Linda. shut them into narrow
crevice of their own and stranded
them upon shallow wooden bench,
wedged behind little table spread
with pale, slipping oilcloth and pewter
spoons.
But he was there and she was there
and that was enough.
"Why didn't you tell me, Linda,
Linda! What do you know of love II
you could throw 1t away for such
little reason?" he said.
She dropped in her corner, fragile
and bending from the outrift of the
storm. Her face was small white
triangle against the blackness of her
furs. Somehow he got hold of her
hands and held them, warming them
until the thread of life came back.
"Tell me, Linda"
And she told him; meaningless things
that were freighted with the tragedy
of the world; dark. noisome things
like paths through fever swamp
She told of her shume that was weak
ness and her pride that was without
honor. She abased herself with words
so cruel that he was abased with her.
and in the narrow cell they chung to-
gether like wind driven moths. not en-
during the blue white light But
through II all he believed in her and
warmed her hands and through her
hands to her heart.
81 could not let you be hurt through
me. Brian"
She wanted to 60. in spite of his
arms. She struggled to be free. know
ing that freedom meant the end of all
things for her.
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