Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-06-10

Of them in there together" and 70
get a vision OF slim white hands
trying ~ hold the filth away
The two cars careered together,
almost truChir--tre tax. driver
swearing loud and pia.ntively i'm
possible 20 nut OH the brakes with
me street q skating rink. Tie
clark NJ slipping cAsinE. the cease
less vibration ~ his wheel con-
fused Linn AMI the ugly Black Maria
cluag there ike q beetle! No
night for racing. The taxi driver
glanced almost pleadin-ly at the
rusher trying to crowd him into the
curb and then he tried 10 I'll for
IL. Two CHASTITY cargoes bound for
the same port; never TO reach
there.
Sirens, No time ~ turn. No
where 10 20. Hurting through
emptiness, The long red shining
truck COtted with clinging figures
Of men was upon them. One mo-
ment the terrible truck wheels We're
against the opposite curb and then
the front ones piowed their way
through a splinter We wood and
glass and bodies that tumb!ed like
rag dolls here and there upon the
bitter pavement.
Two wrecked cars and q hook,
and-ladder equipment slowly right
Ing itself under the i~mpatIenyf
guidance ef men anxious 10 be on
their way IN the work 81 saving a
few floors and walls from a threat
ened blaze.
A policeman taking charge nod
ded the permission To ~ on. No
bOdy's fault. Of course. Historical
women were crying: some 0f them
cursing bitterly between their sObs.
4 curious crowd. retrieved from
pool halls and third-class restau-
rants. pressed eagerly forward.
The accident was bad enough to
draw them from their wr-m shell
tiers.
The patrol wagon rested grntes-
qucly Oh two wheels and "A bent
axle. but the taxi was a complete
disaster. Somebody was wining
blood from the drivers head and
declaring over and over again that
he wasn't dead. a. IL h. was The
only " that mattered.
whats this, The policeman
hent down I'D look mt two figures
that lay side BY side. The mans
coat. fallen omen. displayed a
badge shining ON his breast. The
discOverer was impelled 70 Il more
vital interest. - man from Cen
trail Office he cried. aEhast.
Detective Jimmy O'Hara opened
his eyes slowly. His mind was
perfectly clear. because his head
had not been injured at al. The
rest Of him was dead. quite dead.
and he had seen enough Of death
TO know this for himself.
lie knew what had happened. too.
The crash re impact still fingered
in his mentality. His brain was
clear and as resonant as n bell
which has just been rung. but hts
numb body was conscious Of a
heavy weight pulling against one
shoulder. He managed To turn his
eyes downward and saw n face
there-l dead face with dead vel
low hair and spots OF red paint on
the cheek bones. A horrible thing
TO BE- dragging a man down.
WHO was with you. oficerT' de-
manded the policeman, with his
notebook under his nose. did YOU
have q prisoner
Jimmy OtHara remembered. He
remembered perfume, white hands
and soft slenderness. fine as silk.
lying against his shoulder for a
second "a the crash came. re re-
membered duty. He lifted his
heavy eyes again and saw her like
n dream standing over him. uity-
Ing. like a person too Mortified 10
move. And he remembered duty
again. But what ~ n mans duty7
Is Il the thing he has promised
other men ~ dN. or the prompt 0f
that Intimate stranger who sits u
judgment when tho body sleeps
Jimmy OfHara. who NH his lffa
had done the right thing as right
Is accepted. heheld now N sort ma
white light, n highway opening he-
side his narrow path. Nearly
everything was dead-aS the world
calls dead-about him. but tlis
was the clearest vision he had ever
known.
Here she is." NJ said w.th wv
weak motion toward the heaV-
thing upon his arm. and Shut
eyes for good and VII.