Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 124, No. 2 — page 100: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

282 nearness; the instinctive shrinking from that which was not clean; the involuntary loathing of the pure for the impure. But why had he impressed her that wayr He had been as polite as any man could be —even humble in his speech and attitude. His clothes were clean, his body was clean; and surely she could not know that they had ever been otherwise. Then why had she shrunk from him as if his touch were leprous ? He recalled Turner’s warning to him: ‘‘ Remember that even though I fixed you ‘up to look half-respectable, you're still just rotten scum!” Then that was it. The scrubbing of the body did mot cleanse the soul. Fine feathers did mot make fine birds, nor even hide an inner filthiness from the sight of man. As he thought upon it, the malignant devil in him that had always impelled him to hate all the world, even himself, strug- gled to gain possession of him again. What hope had he, it whispered to him, of ever being anything except just rotten scum? How dared he to think, even for a moment, that he might alter the course of his detest- able destiny? Life had been unfair to him. It had been unfair to him when it fashioned him into the thing that he was, and it had béen unfair to him ever since. He had been born of a mother who had not wanted hum, into a world that had not wanted him. From the time of his earliest memory he | had been kicked and cuffed and buffeted by the world until, like a cornered rat, he had Jeamed to fight back; to harbor a great hatred for all created things, even as they hated him. Then why should he strive to change a destiny that was fixed by a fate that seemed to share the bitterness of all things for him? What was the use in it? If he held to his resolve to lead a life of honesty and respectability, who, in all the world, would extend to him a helping hand, a word of encouragement, a friendly smile? Would these people of Selma do it? That question had already been answered. They couldn’t even bring themselves to speak to him nor to look upon him without Joathing! ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, And what of Turner? What would he do with his hirelng whea his usefulness was passed? whence he had taken him—that’s what he would do! Strip him of his finery, and put him where his knowing lips would be tight- ly sealed! Ruth had joined a man and a woman ahead, and now the three of them were walking down the street. Paprika, acting upon a sudden decision, followed them, putting on his hat and, prompted by an eld habit, turning down the brim to shade his hard, glittering eyes. His embittered premises had.led him to the natural conclusion. He wes scum— just rotten scum. Well, if that was what his hated God had fashioned him to be, he wouldn't accept him as Mr. John Blake, of Waco, Texas; so he would revert to his true self—Paprika, of everywheret Ruth walked home with the Danverses, who lived a few doors from the Warren home. They left ber at her door, and she let herself in ty means of ber latch-key. Before she closed the door behind her, she released the lock so that the door might be opened from without; for she was not cer- tam that her father had his key with him, and, since he and Sara might not return until very late, she did not want to have to come down-stairs to let them in. , In her bedroom, she turned on the light, drawing the green shades that blinded the windows to the street. She disrobed slow- ly, humming softly some recurring melody that singled itself out from the many she had heard that evening, and enveloped her- self in a biue silk kimono; for she was not yet ready for sleep. There was hosiery of Sara’s and of her father’s to darn, and Sara's poplin dress to be mended, so that it would be ready for Madge Brill’s five-bun- dred party on the morrow. As she plied her needle, her thoughts turned to Bert and to her meeting with him two days before. It was humiliating to her that she should allow that impudent young man to take possession of her thoughts, but he would always intrude hinzwelf whenever she gave herself to reflection. Clap him back into jail, ecomnniclacclks (CO Ul - = yy Fan