Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1942-05-02
NSTALLMENT I6

He did not want to poke in it, for
fear that some part of Mary was
still there. If things could go on
like this until afternoon, Mary
would be burned enough to make.
him safe. He turned and looked
at the trunk again. Oh! He must
not forget! He had to put those
Con1mn Ist Pamphlets in his room
right away. He ran back of the
furnace, up the steps to his room
and placed the pamphlets smooth
" and neatly in corner Of his
dresser drawer. Yes, they would
have to be stacked neatly. No one
must think that he had read them.
He went back to the basement
and stood uncertainty in front OF
the furnace. He felt that he had
left something undone, something
that would betray him. Maybe he
ought to shake the ashes down?
Yes. The fire must not become So
clogged with cinders that it would
not burn. At the moment he stoop-
ed to grasp the protruding handle
of the lower bin to shake it to and
fro, a vivid image of Mary's face
as he had seen it upon the bed in
the blue light of the room cleaned
at him from the Smoldering en-
berS, and he rose abruptly, giddy
and historical with guilt. He had
to get out into the air, away from
this basement whose very walls
seemed to loom closer about him
each second, making it difficult
for him to breathe
He went to the trunk, grasped
its handle and dragged it to the
door, lifted it to his back, carried
it to the Car and fastened it 10 the
running board. He looked at his
watch; it was eight-twenty. Now,
he would have to wait for Mary
to come out. He took his seat at
the steering wheel and waited for
five minutes. He would ring the
bell for her. He looked at the
steps leading up to the side door
of the house, remembering how
Mary had stumbled last night and
how he had held her up.
Then, involuntarily, he started in
fright as full glitter and sparkle
about him in q world of magic
whitenesS and intense sunshine fell
from the sky, without sound. It's
getting late! He would have to go
in and ask for Miss expecting her
to come down. He got out of the
car and walked UP the steps to the
side door. He looked through the
glass; no one was in sight He tried
to open the door and found it
locked. He pushed the bell. hear
ing the gong sound softly within.
He waited moment, then saw
Peggy hurrying down the hall. She
opened the door.
Hasn't she come out yet?"
eNo'm. And it's getting late
wait, I'll call her"
Peggy, still dressed in the
kimono, ran UP the stairs, the
same stairs up which he had half
dragged Mary and the same stairs
down which he had stumbled with
the trunk last night. Then he saw
Peggy coming back down the stairs
much slower than she had gone
up. She came to the door.
"She amt here. Maybe she's
gone. What did she tell your"
e'She said to drive her to The
station and take her trunk. man,
Well, she amt in her room and
she amt in Mrs. Dalton's room.
And Mr.. Dalton's asleep. Did she
tell you she was going this morn
sng?"
That's what she told me last
night, man,
tiShe told you to bring the
trunk down last night?"
s'Yessum.'
Peggy thought moment, look
ing past him at the snow-covered
car. well, you better take the
trunk on. Maybe she didn't stay
here last night"
HYessun1.'
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