Evening star., 1939-12-17
EVER RYTHING
IN FOCUS
Continued from poos nine

(onfInveo from po0e nine
'Yuh! All right" Soapy exclaimed.
Half an hour later Soapy dragged
feet over the threshold of his home.
rs. Waters adjusted her glasses and
died his dropping frame. "How was
fire?" she inquired. "You and
ly Blake get a lot of pictures?"
Il dunno how it was; didn't seeit."
"A shame, son. What happened?"
"Oh - nothing" said Soapy des-
ndently. Il got rush order to fill"
went on to the second floor, then
mbed to his attic darkroom.
In all the months that Soapy had
en- developing and printing. this was
first time he had experienced no
spense. As he took the long strip OF
It film out of an alcohol bath and
Id it before fan. he pictured
bther darkroom. in the home OF
!. Garfield, and two people doing
t what he was doing. He could
aRine the expression on their faces
en- the prints began coming out
! ID he could hear Sal shouting,
ook, look! l took that one, that one
re where the roof is falling in On,
in! thought Soapy. Gee whiz!
When the film was dry he cut it and
de his prints. Then he put his chin
his hand and leaned disconsolately
inst table to watch the pictures
ke form in the big developer tray.
ey we're coming out even better
hn he'd hoped; only one in the
ole batch was spoiled. Some guy
d stopped to light cigarette right
front of the camera - the fathead.
It even in that one you could see
bnkey's head from the mouth up
d about third of his girls.
Soapy stood up and stretched, then
Anced at the tray to see if they were
ne. Almost. Another few seconds.
obably not even He suddenly
bpped figuring time and peered
|wn at the sharp clear profile of the
an lighting the cigarette. Where
d he seen that face before? That
my lump high up on the nose. and
at short upper lip. Just take away
ose sideburns. Where the dickens?
Downstairs Mrs. Waters had
hished her darning. She leaned back
her rocker, sighed contentedly. and
as Just about to close her eyes when
ere was tremendous racket over
lad. An instant later Soapy appeared
the head of the stairs. And an in
ant after he appeared at the bottom.
Gracious. son. slow down before
Du break your neck"
Il got one, Ma! got one"
"What'v We you got, bee"
Felix the Fop." yelled her son,
Eaving a big Man Wdnted picture
hder her nose. "A thousand bucks on
head. See you later. MAJ!
Calvin Augustus" screamed his
pther. You come back here"
But Calvin Augustus was already
t front, going like greyhound on
home stretch, a Man Wanted in
e hand, a wet print in the other.
The next morning, for the first time
its career, the Blade got out Sum
" extra. In the Fletchertown Ice
ream Emporium a little man in a
hite Jacket leaned on the counter
tn his chin in his hands and gazed
Everently at picture of two thirds
his own head and one third of his
rl's in the middle of page one. If only
he Blade hadn't put in that big black
rrow pointing to MIR. Canhelds
bauffeur . The door of the shop
bpened and Sally came in and sat
down at one of the tables. "Hlo,
Monkey. Give me banana split
"Okie doke," said Monkey. Say,
Soapy's quite hero, isn't he? A thou
sand bucks reward" He whistled
softlv know what? IfMr. Canfeld's S
chauffeur hadn't climbed on with the