Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1942-06-20

sharply defined poles: he was NOV
ing away from the threatening pen
atty of death, from the deathlike
times that brought him that tight
ness and holiness in his chest; and
he was moving toward that sense
Of fullness he had so often but in
adequately felt in magazines and
movies.
The shame and fear and hate
which Mary and Jan and Mr.. Dali
ton and that hige rich house had
made rise so hard and hot in him
had now cooled and softened. Had
he not done what they thought he
never could? His being black and
at the btotom of the world was
something which he could take
with a newborn strength. What
his knife and gun had once meant
to him, his knowledge of having Sc
cretly murdered Mary now meant.
No matter how they laughed at him
for his being black and clownlike,
he could look them in the eyes and
not feel angry The feeling of be-
ing always enclosed in the Sitting
embrace of an invisible force had
gone from him.
AS he turned into Drexel Boule-
ward and headed for the Dalton'S
he thought of how restless he had
been, how he was consumed always
with a body hunger. Well, in a way
he had settled that tonight; as
time passed he would make it more
definite. His body felt free and
easy now that he had lain with
Bessie. THAT She would do what
he wanted was what he had sealed
IN asking her to work with him in
this thing. She would be bound to
him by ties deeper than marriage
She would be his; her fear of cap
ture and death would bind her to
hlm with all the strength of he1
lie. even as what he had done last
night had bound him to his new
path with all the strength of his
own life.
He turned off the Sidewalk and
walked up the Dalton driveway
went into the basement and looked
through the bright cracks of tbs
furnace door. He saw red hear
OF Seething Goals and heard the
upward hum of the draft. He pull
ed the lever, hearing the rattle oil
coal against tin and seeing the
qrlvering embers grow black. He
shut off the coal and stopped ano
opened the bottom door of the fur
mace. Ashes were piling up. He
would have to take the shovel ano
clean them out in the morning ano
make sure that no unburnt bones
were left. He had closed the door
and started to the rear of the fur
mace, going to his room, when he
heard Peggy's voice.
"Bigger~ He stopped and be-
fore answering he felt a keen SEN
Satlon of excitement flush over all
his skin. She was standing at the
head of the stairs, in the door lead
ing to the kitchen.
"YeSSum"
He went to the bottom of the
steps and looked upward.
Mrs. Dalton wants you to pick
UP the trunk at the station
The Truck?' He waited for Peg
gy to answer his surprised ques
ton. Perhaps he should not have
asked it in that way.
They called up and said that NJ
one had claimed it, And Mr.. Dali
ton got a wire from Detroit. MARY
never got there"
'Yessum."
She came all the way down TIL,
stairs and looked round the base
ment, as though seeking some mis-.
sing detail He stiffened. if sht
saw something that would make
her ask him about Mary he would
take the iron shovel and let he
have it straight across her hea.
and then take the car and max
a quick getaway.
Mr. Daltons worried" Pegg
said. you know, Mary didn't pac
the new clothes she bought to tax
with her on the trip. And poo
Mrs Dalton's been pacing tn
| floor and phoning Mary's friend
all day.
Don't nobody know where sh
is7" Bigger asked.
Nobody. Did Mary tell you t
take the trunk like 1t was?"
"Yessum," he said, knowing tina
this was the first hard hurdle. q
was locked and standing in a COZ
ner. took it down and put it righ
where you saw it this morning"
"Oh, Peggy!" Mrs. Dalton's voic
called.
/ "Yes!" Peggy answered.
| Bigger looked up and saw Mr.
Dalson at the head of the stair
standing in white as usual an
with her face tilted trustingly up
ward.
+. the no, back veto.
He's down here now, Mrs, Dial.