Evening star., 1934-01-28

ankled across the white street Smoky saw
him enter . brick front on the other SIDE
II gotta pull out pronto" said Smoky. with
out looking at Maize. did you see Gable
gaping at US? He's drifted over to the town
hall He'll set the marshal on my trail"
The jailbird felt Mazies hand come lightly
to rest on his mackinawed arm For some rea-
son the gentle touch lit q blaze Of savage wrath
In him.
"Iu leave town." he growled. But IN
cave Cables pio.ls jaw in for him before do"
"The fists are out. boy" said Maize quietly.
Smoky you look here at me. Now-but We
gotta get out of this dump. 50 we can talk"
THE indignant below Of Mr.. Protokopons
! had interrupted her.
"Whatsa matter you don't bring tina deesh?"
thlndered from the kitchen door. by gee,
dom you know that day shift come for eat
soon? You want to broke me, honh? BY gee,
Maize, you get biz"
Maize Hyatt>did not object to the Protokopoais
below. But she did have q life to live, and it
didn't seem much worthwhile without Smoky
Dyer. Just g it hadn't seemed much worth
while when she was playing around with Frank
men.
Maize had never known just what she wanted
until she met Smoky She had learned . few
things that she did not want. Playing around
with boys who owned big oars was one OF the
things. Dismal drudgery in the Elite Eats House
left her liking herself better.
But now Ma1es life was Smoky. smoky was
down. She hung up her apron and took down
. dab OF hat and . shabby brown coat. The
voice OF Ar>Protokopolis lifted in . frenAed
shrek.
What you do? Where you Co. honh? BY
gee, you don can walk out for me like thees,
and the day shift he's goin' comm for the
sup! You come back to work, Made!"
ITS . free country" said Maize. Maybe
I'll be back in an hour maybe won't. Come
on. Smoky"
Nightfan ON the snow they left fierce
slash Of frost in the wind that whipped down
from the glaciers Of the Cascades The surg
ing thunder Of the gales song In the pines
carried even to the town.
Mazie looked up as they stepped into tho
fresh snow of the street, and Smoky glanced
along The clouds Of the storm were fading
gray wraiths in the Winter night sky. The riffs
were patches Of glittering stars.
"A INT it pretty now?" said Maize softly.
" "Waitn you see the sunrise, though.
Thingsu look different to us then"
mo sunrise ever looks good to jailbird,"
Smoky growled. They rounded q corner. He
stopped before . shadowy doorway. Listen,
kid" he said Its no use. I'm licked. II
I don't haul out pronto the town clown will
run me in, and you'll be the goat. You stick
to your job Maize. You'll bump into the right
guy sometime. Why did you ever give
me a tumble In the first place?'
"Ive told you all I could Smoky. It don't
make words, somehow. We both seemed to be
coruered My folks were tough and shiftless.
People expected me to be. I wasn't 80 bad,
though, Smoky. Playing around never gave
me much of q kick. wanted something else.
right guy. You're the one or nobody. Don't
you feel it?"
Sure feel it, Maize. But you're cheating
yourself. I'm no good"
THAT makes US even boy. Neither am l."
you're good kid, Maize. No matter what,
you're not bad know the bad ones. You'll
meet q right guy I'm leaving you for him"
you'll not, Smoky I'll sink If you do.
was sinking before we met up. I-wont stay
here alone I'll follow you
IE MUTTERED profaney in the collar OF
] ! his mackinaw. The wind whipped snow
about them. Stars glittered down. The dis
tant thunder Of the pines surged in blowing
shadows. Smoky Dyer felt something like that
In himself.
Smoky" n was Makes voice in the wind.
calling him.
He was 1t the corner. looking up the main