The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1942-09-19


showed Mary in. He was trying IA
make MS tired brain work fast.
What could he do 10 avoid both
ering with the ashee? He STONED
aud opened the lower door. the
ashes, white aud grey, were piled
almost level with the lower grate.
NO air could get through. Maybe
ne could SIT The ashes down more
ana make hat do until the men
.eitg he would Try 1t. He caught
hoid OF the handle aud worked il
10 ana fro, seeing white ashes and
req embers falling into the bottom
OK the furnace. Behind him he could
hear the mems talk and the tinkle
OF their spoons against the cups.
Well. there. He had gotten some
OF the ashes down out Uf the stove.
but Ihey choked the lower bin and
sill no air could get through. He
Wolid put some coal in. He shut
the doors OF the furnace and pull
I'd the lever for coal. there vas
the same loud rattle Of coal against
the TN sides OF the chute. The in
terror OF the fu4 mace grew black
with coal. But the draft did not
roar and the coal did not blaze.
Goddann. lie stood up and look
ed helplessly into the furnace.
ought he Try 10 slip out OF here
anu leave this whole foolish thing
rlght now? Nav, There was no
use Of being scared. he had a
chance TO get that money. Put
more coal in: it would bun after
awhile. He pulled the lever for still
more coal Inside the furnace he
saw the coal beginning 10 smoke:
there were faint wisps Of white
smoke al first. then the smoke drew
dark, bullying out. Bigger's eyes
h h-help y-you.. man coughed.
/ he smoke was rolling from the
furnace now in heavy billowing
grey clouds, filing the basement.
Bigger backed away. catching
iungiul OF smoke. lie bent over,
coughing. He heard the men cough
Ing. HE had TO do something about
thOse ashes, ana quickly. Miin his
hanus stre,ched before him. he
CROPPED in the corner for the sho, ell,
found II. and opened the lower door
II the furnace. he smoke surged
out. thick and Acild. Godaamn.
YOU'D better do something about
those ashes boy one oil the men
called.
That tire can't get any air. Big
GER II vas Brittens voice.
"iessuh,' Bigger mumbled.
He could scarcely see. He stood
still, his eyer closed and singing.
his lungs heaylng. trying 10 expei
the smoke. lie held onto the shov-
el, wanting TO move. To do some
lnine. but he did rot know what.
say, you' Get some OF those
ashes out OF there
"MhatIc you trying to do. smoth-
er US;
I'm getting 'em OUT Bigger
inunlOie0, mol moving from where
he stood
He heard a cup smash on the
concrete floor anu a man cursed.
Il can see. The smokes got in
my eyes
Biggcr heard someone near him
then someone was Juggling at the
shovel in hir hands. he held onto
IL desperately, not wanting TO lei
IL 90, feeling that il he did SO he
was surrenderng his secret. HE
lie.
Here, Give me that shovel, III
h-h-held y-you. a man couehed
"Ndwsun. Ill can a-do it, Big
ger said.
"C-come on. L-let COZ
His fingers loosened about the
shovel
"Yessuh." he said. not knowing
wha, else To say.
Through the clouds Of smoke he
heard the man changing the shovel
round inside Of the ash bin. He
coughed and stepped back. his eyes
blazing as though fire had leaped
into them. Behind him the other
men were coughing. He opened his
eyes and strained 10 see what was
happening. He felt that there was
suspended just above his head a
huge weight that would soon fall
and crush him. His body. despite
the smoke and his burning ewes
and heaying chest was fixed taut.
He wanted TO lunge az the man and
take the shovel from him, lam him
across the head with J, and bolt
from the basement. But he stood
still. hearing the babble OF voices
and the changing Of the shovel
against iron lie knew that the
man was digging frantically az the
ashes in the bin, trying 10 clean
as much ont as possible so that
air could pass up through the
eraicr. pipes. chimney and out into
the night. lie heard the man yell:
"Open that door, I'm chokingi"
There was n scuffle OF feet Big
ger felt the icy wind OF the night
sweep over him and he discovered
that he was wet with sweat. Some
how something had happened and
now things were out OF his hands.
lie was nervously poised. waiting
for what the new flow 81 events
would bring The smoke drifted past
him toward the open door The
room was clearing the smoke thin
ned TO a grey pail. He heard the
man gruniing and saw him bent
over. digging az the ashes In the
hin. He wanted 10 60 10 him ana
ask for the shovel; he wanted 70
saw that he could take care OF u
now. But he did not move. He felt
that he had let things slip throuen
his hands 10 such an extent tnat
no could not get AZ them aEain
Then he heard the draft. this time
. long sucking ~ air that grew
-..A,ellv IN A drone, then a roar.