The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1942-09-26
"who do you suppose did IT,"

al time, hoping that the roar OF
the furnace and the mems voices
and the scraping OF the shovel
would drown out the creaking
sounds his feet made. He reached
the top OF the steps and breathed
deeply, his lungs aching from
holding themselves full OF air so
long. He stole to the door OF his
room and opened it and went in
and pulled on the light. He turn
ed to the window and put his
hands under the upper ledge and
hfted; ne felt cold rush OF air
laden with snow. lie heard muf-
fled shouts downstairs and the
inside OF his stomach glowed
white-hot. He ran TO the door
and locked It and then turned out
the light. He grope, to the win
dow and climbed into it, feeling
again the chilling blast OF snowy
wind. With his feet upon the bot
tom ledge. his legs bent under
him. his sweaty body shaken by
the wind. he looked into the snow
and tried to see the ground be-
low; but he could not. Then he
leaped, headlong. sensing his body
twisting In the icy air as he
hurtled. His eyes were shut and
his hands were clenched as his
body turned. sailing through the
enow. He was In the air moment:
then he hit. II seemed at first
that he hit softly. but the shock
of II went through him up his
hack to his head and he lay bur-
led in cold pile OF snow. dazed.
Snow was in HIS mouth. eyes.
ears; snow was seeping down his
back. His hands were wet and
cold. Then he felt all OF the mus
cles OF his body contract violent
ly. caught In a spasm OF reflex
action. and at the same time he
felt HIS groin laved with warm
water. II was his urine. He had
not been able 10 control the mus
Giles Of his hot body against the
chilled assault Of the wet snow
over all his skin. He lifted his
head. blinking his eyes. and look
Cd above him. He sneezed. He was
himself now: he struggled against
the snow. pushing II away from
him. He got n his feet. one at n
time. and pulled himself ont. He
walked then tried 10 run: but he
felt too weak. He went down
Drexel boulevard. not knowing
iust where he was heading. hut
knowing that he had n get ont
of this white neirhborhood. He
avoided the car line turned down
dark streets. walFine more rapidly
now. his eyes before him. hut
turning now and then to look be-
hind.
Yes. he would have to tell Bes-
sic not TO 60 to that house. II
was all over. He had TO save him
self But II was familiar. this
running away. All OF his life he
had heen knowing sooner or later
something like this would come 10
him. And now. here n was. He
had ALWAYS felt outside OF this
white world. and now II was true.
II made things simple. He felt
in his shirt. Yes: the gun was
still there. He might have 10 use
II. He would shoot before he
would let them take him: u
meant death either way. and he
would die shooting every slug he
had.
He came 10 Cottage Grove Ave-
nue. and walked southwark. Fe
could not MIKE any plans until
he got IN BessIe's and got the
money. He tried IN shut out Of
his mind the fear Of heins caught
He lowered his head against tho
driving snow and tramped through
the lev streets with cienched hsts
Although his hands were almost
frozen. he did not want 10 MT
them IN his nockeis. for that
would have made him feel fha'
pc would not have been ready n
defend himself were the rollce n
accost him suddenly. He wen'
IN mast street Iamps covered With
thick coatinrs ~ snow. Vlearinr
i'te hr~e Frosted moons ahovf
hls heed. His race sched from
the srh-zero cold and the wind
cnt into his v-et hodv like z
Innp sharn krisa eo'ng TO the
hea~t ~ him WITH us'n.
He was IN sloht NJ Fortv-seventh
street now. We saw. fhrouch .
rr--ei'ke curtain ~ snow. hov
standing rnder an swrin~ seliine
naners. He mules his can visor
lower and riinped into = doorway
N waif for n car. Bact ~ fh'
nswsbov was q stack ~ pape-'
niied hieh upon = newsstand. W.
wanted ~ see the tell hlsck hean'
line. huf the drivIne snow would
not ies him. THE rsper~ oueht "
ne fuii Of him nov. n did no
seem strange that thew should ne
FOR All his life ne had felt this
shInrs had been happening -
him that should have rome Inv,
thsm prt oniv rfter pc fsd acte,
anon feelings Witch he had ha'
srr wears would the rsue-s c.sr' I
NE storv. ,-ls story Tie felf ma,
,hev hsd not wsnted 70 print /,
a. long .. 4 bad remained s sss,s'