The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1942-07-25


he had stopped above Marys bed
and found that she was dead the
fear OF electrocution had entered
his flesh and blood. But at home
at the breakfast table with his
mother and sister and brother,
seeing how blind they were: and
overhearing Peggy and Mrs. Dali
ton talking In the kitchen. a new
feeling had been born in him.
feeling that all but plotted out the
fear OF death. AS long as he
moved carefully and knew what he
was about. he could handle things.
he thought. AS long as he could
take his life into his own hands
and dispose OF II as he pleased, as
lonL as he could decide Just when
and where he would run 10. he
need not be afraid.
He felt that he had his destiny
in his grasp. He was more alive
than he could ever remember hav-
ing been: his mind and attention
were pointed, focused toward a.
goal. For the first time in his life
he moved consciously between Two
sharply defined poles: he was
moving away from the threatening
penalty OF death, from the death
like times that brought him that
tightness and holiness in his chest;
and he was moving toward the
sense OF fullness he had so often
but inadequately felt In magazines
and movies.
The. shame and fear and hate
which Mary and Jan and Mr.. Dali
ton and that huge 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 bottom Of the world was
something which he could take
with a newborn strength. What
his knife and gun had once meant
10 him, his knowledge of having
secretly 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
gon from him.
AS he turned into Drexel Boule-
ward and headed toward Dalton's
he thought OF how restless he had
been. how he was consumed al
ways with body hunger. Well. in
way he had settled that tonight.
as time passed he would make II
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 taan
marriage. She would be his: her
fear OF capture and death would
bind her TO him with all the
strength OF her life: even as what
he had done last night had bound
him TO this new path with all the
strength OF his own life.
He turned of the sidewalk and
walked up the Dalton driveway,
went into the basement and look
ed through the bright cracks OF the
furnace door. He saw a red heap
OF seething Goals and heard the
upward hum OF the draft. lie pull
ed the lever, hearing the rattle Of
coal against tin and seeing the
quiyering embers grow black. He
shut of the coal and stopped and
opened the bottom door OF the fur
mace. Ashes were piling up. He
would have 10 take the shovel aud
clean them out in the morning and
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 keen SEN
sation 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 10 pick
up the trunk at the station. -"
THE trunk?"
He waited for Peggy 10 answer
his surprise question. Perhaps he
should not have asked II In that
way.
They called up and said that
no one had claimed II. And MIR.
Dalton got wife from Detroit.
Mary never got there"
Yessum.'
She came all the way down the
stairs and looked round the base
ment. as though seeking some miss
ing detail. He stiffened; II she
saw something that would make
her ask him about Mary he would
take the iron shovel and let her
have It straight across her head
and then take the car and make a
quick getaway.
"Mr. Dalton's worried" Peggy
said. you know, Mary didn't pack
the new clothes she bought to take
with her on the trip. And Poor
Mrs. Daltons been pacing tho
floor and phoning Mary's friends
all day"
Don't nobody know where she
Isl" Bigger asked.
Nobody. Did Mary tell you tc
take the trunk like II was?'
"Yessum." he said. knowing Inst
this was the frst hard hurdle. 1T
was locked and standing In a ccr-
| n.r sook ~ down and nut a right