The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1942-08-22


see up and down Michigan and
Thirty-six You can see II any
body's watching. All be IN the
white folke house all day tomor-
row. II they put anybody out to
watch. I'll let you know not 70
come"
Bigger
Come on. now"
Take me home"
you going TO do IT."
She did not answer.
"You already in it, he said.
you got part OF the money
II reckon II don't make no diff
ference" she sighed.
It'll be easy
1T won't. I'll get caught. Blu,
II don't make no difference. I'm
lost anyhow. was lost when took
up with you. I'm lost and II don't
matter
Come on"
He led her back 10 the carstop.
He said nothing as they waited In
the whlrling snow. When he heard
the car coming. he took her purse
from her. opened II and put the
fashlight inside. The car stopped
he helped her In, put seven cents
In her trembling hand and stood
In the snow watching her black
face through the window white with
Ice as the car moved on slowly
through the night.
He walked to Dalton's through
the snow. His right hand was in
his coat pocket, his fingers about
the kidnap note. When he reached
the driveway. he looked about the
street carefully. There wac no one.
lie looked around the house: Il was
white. huge. silent. He walked up
the steps in front OF the door. He
waited moment TO see what would
happen. So deeply conscious was
he OF violating dangerous tabor,
that he felt that the very air o.
sky would suddenly speak. com
manding him to stop. He was sail
ing fast into the face OF a cold wind
that all but sucked his breath from
him. but he liked 1t. Around him
were silence and night and snow
falling. falling as though 1t had
fallen from the beginning OF time
and would always fall till the end
OF the world. He took the letter out
OF his pocket and slipped IL under
the door. Turning. he ran down
the steps and around the house.
done IL, | done IT, They'll see =.
tonight or in the morning He
went TO the basement door. opened
IL and looked inside: no one was
there. Like an enraged beast. the
furnace throbbed with heat: suf-
fnsing red glare over everything
He stood In front OF the cracks and
watched the restless embers. Had
Mary burned completely? He want
ed tn poke around in the Goals tn
see hut dared not: he fiinched from
u even In thought. lie pulled tho
lever for more coal. then went o.
his room.
When he stretched out on his
bed in the dark he found that his
whole body was trembling. He was
cold and hungry. while lying
there shaking. hot bath OF fear.
hotter than his blood. engulfed him.
bringing him TO his feet. He stood
in the middle OF the floor seeing
vivid images OF his gloves. his pen
Gil. and paper. How on earth had
he forgotten them? He had TO burn
them. He would do II right now.
He pulled on the light and went 10
his overcoat and got the gloves and
pencil and paper and stuffed them
into his shirt. lie went TO the
door. listened moment. then
went into the hall and down the
stairs 10 the furnace. He stood a
moment before the cleaning
cracks. Hurrledly. he opened the
door and dumped the gloves and
pencil and paper In; he watched
them smoke. blaze: he closed the
door snd heard them burn In a
furious whirlwlnd OF draft
A strange sensation enyeloped
him. Something tingled in his stom-
ach and on his scalp. His knees
wobbled. giving way. lie stumbled
to the wall and leaned against II
weakly. A wave OF numbness
spread fanwise from his stomach
over his entire body. including his
head and eyes, making his mouth
gap. Strength sbbed from him. He
sank TO his knees and pressed his
fingers 10 the floor 10 keep from
tumblinK over. An organic senee
OF dread seized him. His teeth
chartered and he felt sweat sliding
down his srmplts and back. He
groaned. holding as still as pos
sible. His vision was blurred: but
gradually Il cleared. Again he saw
the furnace. Then he realized that
he had been on the verge OF col
lapse. Soon the glare and drone OF
IN. IRE came 10 his eyes and ears.
He closed his mouth and grltted
his teeth: the peculiar paralyxing
numbness was leaving
Then he was strong enough -
stand without support. he rose n