Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1942-02-21
Midway, MANI" Through the

re,r mirror above him he saw
her hesitate before answering.
eyes: that's the one" He pulled
the car into the street and mead
ed so,lTh, driving about thirty-flVe
miles an hour. He handled the car
exuertly. picking zip speed at the
BEGINNING of each block and slow
inc slightly as he approached each
street intersection. you DRIVE
wen" she said. "yessum," he sale
proudly.
He watched her through the
rear mirror as he drove; she was
kind of pretty, but very little. she
looked like a doll in a show as
window: black eyes, white face,
red lips. And she had acted when
he first saw her. IN fact, she had
remote look in her eyes. He stop
ned the car at 47th Street for red
light: he did not have to stop
again until he reached Fifty-flrst
street where a long line of cars
formed in front of him and a long
line in back. He held the steering
wheel lightly, waiting for the line
To move forward. He had a keen
sense of power when driving; the
feel of a car added something to
him. He loved to press his foo'
against a pedal and sail along,
watching others stand still, seeing
the asphalt road l.rwind him. The
lights flashed from red to green
ami he nosed the car forward,
"Bigger!" eYessum." Turn at this
corner and pull up on g side
street" "Here, mam?" Eyes: here.
Now, what OF earth did this
mean. He pulled the car off
Cottage Grove Avenue and
drew to a curb. He turned to
look at her and was startled
to see that she was sitting oil
the sheer edge of the back
seat, her face some six inches
from his.
4 scare you?" she asked softly
smiling. ooh. no'm,'' he mumbled
| bewildered. He watched her
through the mirror. Her tiny
white hands dangled over the back
of the front seat and her eyes
looked out vacantly. 81 don't know
how to say what I'm going to say"
she said. He said nothing. There
was a long silence. What in all he'll
did this girl want? A street cal
rumbled by. Behind him, reflect:
ed In the rear mirror, he saw the
| traffic lights flash from green to
Ired, and back again. Well, what
ever she was going to say, he wish
ed she would say it and get 1t
over. This girl was strange. She
did the unexpected every minute
He waited for her to speak. She
took her hands from the back OF
the front seat and fu1nhled in her
purse. Gotta match7" ''Yessum.'
He dug a match from his vest
pocket. Strike it, she said. He
blirked. He struck the match and
held the flame for her. She
smoked awhile in silence.
you're not a tattle-tale, are
your" she asked a smile.
He opened his mouth to reply.
but no words came. What she had
asked and the tone of voice in
which she had asked it made him
feel that he ought to have answer.
ed in some way; but what? I'm
not going to the University" she
said at last But you can forget
that. want you to drive me to the
Loop. But if anyone should ask
| you, then I went to the University,
see, Bigger ''Yessl,tn. it's all right
with me-" he mu1nbled. 81 think
T can trust you" t'Yessun." after
al, I'm on your side
Now, what did THAT mean;
She was or HIS side. What
side was he on? Did she mean
that she liked cclored people,
Wei, he had heard that about
her whole family. Was she
really crazy7 How much did
her folks know Of how she
acted? But if she were really
crazy, why did Mr.. Dalton let
him drive her out?
I'm going to meet q friend of
mine who's also friend of yours
Friend of nine!" he could not
help exclainling.
"Oh, you don't know him yet.
she said. laughing. ooh"
Go to the Outer Drive and to
Is Lake Street" "Yesstlf11.''
Maybe she was talking about the
Reds? That was It'll But none of
his friends were Reds. What was
all this2 IF Mr. Dalton should ask
him if he had taken her to the
University, he would have to. say
yes and depend upon her to back
him up. But suppose Mr.. Dalton
had someone watching, somaone
who would tell where he had really
taken her? He had heard that
many rich people had detectives
working for them. If only he knew
what this was all about he would
feel much better. And she had
said that she was going to meet
someone who was friend of his.
He didn't want to meet any Com
munlsts. They didn't have any
money. He felt that 1t was ali
right for man to go to Jail for
robbery, but to go to Jail for fool
Ing around with Reds was bunk
Well, he would drive her: that
was what he had been hired for.
But he was going to watch his step
in this business. The only thing he
hoped was that she would not
make him lose his Job. He pulled