The Coolidge examiner., 1931-09-25
Observation-Disclosures + II .iF-i-t.
Had His Laugh, but
Not the Last One
By JACK WOODFORD

left. The street was a nesting place
for shadows.
The smoOth-faced man, luxuriat-
ing in the shadow cast by a build
ing corner, as another might have
luXuriated in sunlight, watched her
interestedly. When she drew oppo-
site the shadOwy nook he had Sc
lected, he suddenly stepped out upon
the walk before her.
oh" she gasped, standing
paralyzed with fright. He was not
however, a figure to frighten one
ordinarily. One might even have
said that his twinkling eyes indi-
Gated kindly disposition. True,
there was a latent. almost ominous
hint of muscular power in his heavy
shoulders and stocky frame; but he
was neatly dressed, and. to all out
ward respects, gentleman.
Did | startle you?" he asked
smoothly. I'm so sorry !" The
hollow street of nesting shadows
echoed back his words. She was
breathing hard. Scrutinizing her
with eyes which had become accus-
toned to the dark, he saw that she
was about thirty or thirty-five once
and not long ago, she must have
been pretty. Clothes of good mate
rials; but not flashy.
you frightened me So" she got
out at last, apparently reassured by
the humble and contrite way he
stood there, hat in hand. "You see."
she went on. breathing more easily
now. 81 read in the paper today
that Smiles Pete had escaped from
jail; and this is his neighborhood
you know. They say he's killed, in
this district alone, not less than"
Half q dozen men," smiled the
man; "but never any women. There
is no case on record of his having
molested women, is there?"
well, no" she admitted !:
but"
IF you like, Ma'am," he said, with
a calm, reassuring smile, "Ill walk
with you to the street car, or wher-
ever it is that you're going. It's
rather late, and rather dark and
lonely hereabouts."
''Oh thank your she returned, OBJ.
viously relieved. "I'm going to the
L. Came down here from where
live out on the North side, to visit
my sister. Her baby's sick and her
husband doesn't get in till late. He
wanted to walk to the Il with me.
but | wouldn't let him. My sister
is much younger than |. and she
gets frightened over a little thing
like chicken pox. I made him
stay right there with her,
81 suppose" he said. making con-
versation agreeably. that you've
been married some time, and no
longer fear such trivalities of fam
lily life as chicken pox?"
"Oh, now she said. with a little
nervous, almost apologetic laugh.
I'm not married. Never been mar
ried. After all, it is bad, suppose !:
chicken pox! But do you know, ]
lead such an uneventful life that
such things sort of interest me.
They're at least exciting. There's
never anything happens in my life.
Just uneventful day after uneventful
day, at the apartment hotel where
live.
"a great many other unmarried
ladies live there-and we just talk
and talk, and go to the movies :;
most of the others have exciting
things happen to them now and
then; things they can tell about for
months afterward. But Newell, |
never have anything to tell. Nothing
ever happens in my experience" He
listened attentively, visualized her
bare, uninteresting life. Chuckled
a little to himself. mostly in SYM
pathy. He was a bachelor; but
plenty of interesting things filed his
life
well, here we are" he remarked,
as they reached the IL" steps.
1T was ever so kind of you," she
told him. 81 don't know how to
thank you. Usually I'm not afraid
But that Smiles Pete person. The
way the newspapers talk about him
If | ever saw him I'd drop dead of
fright"
He smiled and tipped his hat.
"Oh, no, you wouldn't, Ma'am,"
he contradicted Pm Smiles Pete.
and you haven't dropped dead at
sight of me-" He turned and walked
rapidly off into the shadows, as
though he were man who loved
shadows. And as he walked away
from her. Detective Harry WatrOus.
of the gangster squad, chuckled too
himself. At first he had been sus-
piciOus of her, and had stopped her
for that reason. But she was far
from the type he had expected that
she might be. He pictured her ar
irving at the old maids retreat with
the biggest story ever heard there
to tell. She'd be happy for months
over what she would suppose was
the adventure of her lifetime. For