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

Il won't tell. Honest, won.
l cross my heart and swear to God
| won't You can run away -.
Il amt got no money"
"fon have got money. paid rent
out OF what YOU gave me and
bought some liquor. But the res;
Is there"
THAT amt enough. got W have
some real dough-"
She cried again. He got the knife
and stood over her.
Il can stop 1t all right now" he
said.
She started up, her mouth open
ing to scream.
+" IL you scream, I'll have to kill
you. So help me God,p
Nav: nav. Bigger. don't!
Don't!
Slowly, his arm relaxed and hung
at his side: she fell TO sobbing
again. He was afraid that he
would have TO Kill her before il
WAS all over. She would not do To
take along, and he could not leave
nef Denlnu.
"All right" he said. "Rut You
better do the right thing
He put the knife on the dresser
and got the hashlight from his
oyercoat pocket and then stood
over her with the letter and flash
light in his hand.
Come on" he said. "Get your
coat on
mot tonight. Bigger. Not to-
night ="
1T won't be tonight But got
to show you what TO do"
but it's cold. It's showing
sure. And nobodyll see us.
Come on"
She pulled no he watched her
struggle into her coat. Now and
then she paused and looked at him.
blinking back her tears. when she
was dressed. he put on his coat md
cap and led her 10 the street The
air was thick with snow. The wind
blew hard. II was blizzard. The
street lamps were faint smudges OF
yellow. They walked to the corner
and waited for a car.
I'D rather do anything but this"
she said.
stop now. We're IN e."
Bigger. honey I'd run OF with
YOU. I'd work for you. baby. We
don't have to do this. Don't you be-
lieve | love you"
Don't try that on me now"
The car came: he helped her Oh
and sat down beside her aud looked
past her face at the silent snow
flying white and wild outside the
window. lie brought his eyes far
ther round and looked at her: she
was starring with blank eyes, like
a blind woman waiting for some
word 10 tell her where she was go
ing. Once she cried and he gripped
her shoulder go tightly that she
stopped. more absorbed in the pain
ful pressure OF steel-like fingers
than In her fate. They got of a.
Thirty-sixth Place and walked ove~
TO Michigan Avenue. When they
reached the corner. Bigger stopped
and made her stop by gripping her
arm again. They were in front OF
the high. white. empty building
with black windows.
where we Eoing?v
Right here"
bigger she whimpered.
Come on. now. Don't start that"
but don't want to-"
you got to-"
He looked up and down the street.
past ghostly lamps that shed a long
series OF family shimmering cones
OF yellow against the snowy night.
He took her TO the front entrance
which gave Into vast pool OF inky
silence. He brought out the fash
light and focused the round spot on
a rickety stairway leading upward
into still blacker darkness. The
planks creaked as he led her IN
Now and then he felt his shoes sink
into soft. cushy substance. Cob
webs brushed his face. All round
him was the dank smell OF rotting
timber. He stopped abruptly "a
something with dry whispering
feet filtered across his path, emit
ting as the rush OF It's flight died a
thin. piping wall OF lonely fear.
"Ooow!"
Bigger whirled and centered the
spot OF light on Bessie's face. Her
lips we're drawn back. her mouth
was open. and her hands were lift
ed midway 10 white-rimmed eyes.
what are you trying to do" ne
asked. TELL the whole world we
are here?"
"Oh. Biggerl"
"Come on"
After a few feet he stopped and
swung the light. He saw dusty
walls. walls almost like those OF
the Dalton home. The doorways
were wider than those OF any house
In which he had ever lived. Some
rich folks lived here once. he
thought. Rich white folks. That
was the way most houses on the
South side were. ornate, old. stink
ing: homes once OF the rich
white people. now inhabltated by
Negroes or standing dark aud empty
with yawnlng black windows. lie
remembered that bombs had been
thrown BY whites into homes like
these when Negroes had first NOV
ed into the South Side. He swept
the disc OF yellow and walked gin
gerly down a hall and into q room
at the front OF the house. II was
feebly lit from the street lamps
outside: he switched on the nash
light and looked around. The room
had six large windows. BY stand
ing close 10 any Of them. the streets
IN all four directions were visible.
see. Bessie He turned 10
look At her and found that che was
not there. lie called tensely "bes-
= AA