Arkansas State press., 1942-04-10

them that he had driven Mary
/ home and had LETT her at the side
door.
In the darkness his fear made
live in him an element which he
, reekoned with as them He had
, to construct a ease for them"
But, Jan! Oh Jan would give
him away. When it was found
that she was dead Jan would say
that he had left them together in
the a at Forty-sixth Street and
Cottage Grove Avenue. But he
would tell them that that was not
true. And after all, was not Jan
a Red? Was not his word as good
as JAMS? He would say that Jan
had come home with them. No one
must know that he was the las
! person who had been with her.
F|ingcrprintsl He had read about
them in magazines. His finger
! prints would give him away, sure
lyl They could prove that he had
been inside of her room! But sup
pose he told them that he had
come to get the trunk? That was
it! The trunk His fingerprints
had n right to be there. He look
ed round and saw her trunk on
the other side of the bed, open
tie top standing up. He could
take the trunk to the basement
ard Put the car into the garage
and then go home. No! There
was a better way. He would not
put the car into the garage. He
would say that Jan had come to
the house and he had left Jan
outside in the ear. But there was
sill a better way! Make them
think that Jan did it. Reds'd do
anything. Didn't the paper say
so? He would tell them that he
had got the trunk and had taken
it to the basement and when he
had gone he had left Mary and
Jan :. who had come back down :.
sitting in the car, kissing That
Is it,
lie heard a clock ticking and
searched for it with his eyes; it
was at the head of Mary's bed,
its white dial glowing in the blue
darkness. II was five minutes
past three. Jan had left them at
Forty-sixth Street and Cottage
Grove. Jan didn't leave at Forty
sixth Street; he rode with us . .
He went to the trunk and eased
the top down and dragged it over
the rug to the middle Of the floor.
He lifted the Top and felt inside;
it was half empty.
Then he was still, barely breath
ing. filled with another idea. Had
not Mr.. Dalton said that they
did not get UP early on Sunday
mornings? Hadn't Mary said that
she was going to Detroit? If
Mary were missing when they got
up, would they not think that
she had already gone to Detroit?
He J.. Yes! He could, he could
put her in the trunk! She was
small. Yes. put her in the trunk.
She bad said that she would be
gone for three days. For three
days, then, maybe no one would
know. He would have three days
of time. She was a crazy girl
anyhow. She was alays running
around with Reds, wasn't she? Any
thing could happen to her. People
would think that she was up to
some Of her crazy ways when
they missed her. Yes, Reds'd do
anything. Didni the papers say
so?
He went To the bed; he would
have to lift her into the trunk.
He did not want to touch her, but
he knew he had to. He bent over
His hands were outstretched,
trembling in mid-air. He had to
touch her and lift her and put her
in the trunk. He tried to move
his hands and could not. 1t was
as though he expected her to
scream when he touched her. God
damn, 1t all seemed foolish! He
wanted to laugh. 1t vas unreal.
Like a nightmare. He had to
lift a dead woman and was afraid.
He felt that he had been dream
ing of something like this for a
long time, and then, suddenly, 1t
was true. He heard the clock
ticking Time was passing. 1t
would soon be morning. He had to
act. He could not stand here all
night like this; he might go to
the electric chair. He shuddered
and something cold crawled over
his skin. Goddam!
He pushed his hand gently un-
der her body and lif.ed it. He
stood with her in his arms; she
was limp. He took her to the
OIo Harrin UtOn