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8+for once Jim hait seen thesheriff ch'Lb a iittle man halfhis size. Jim did not knowjust what the little man hadClone, but it made his fistsclench to see that big sheriffpersonbeat that little felIolv.And as the sheriff beat theman, Jim clearly rememberedthat bottles had cracked in thelittle man's pocket and out ofthem had dripped onto iheside walk a liquor with a queerodor emanating from it-anodor which Jim knew as"Poison smell."And now every time Jimsaw the Sheriff he rememberedthe little man and the "Poisonsme1l."In Jim's minil, 1924 was thepie era-he ne\rer kneu' horv ithad come about, blLt a changehad sudilenly taken place in hisexistence. n'olks smiled at him,men slapped him on the shoulders,someone gave him a fivedollar biil, and others siivercoins. At the time Jim did notknow what to do with all thatmonelr, so he gave all to theman of the lunch room in exchangefor a slice of Pie. Butthe man told him he could orderpie for a long, iong time. Yes,that had been the beginning ofthe "pie era." Jim filled himselfup with pie in those daYs,and even forgot the incidentwhich had caused it.NE day as he stoocl staringat the clrrve around. whichthe engine was about to comehissing into view, he heard, theclanging of bells and the heavingof steam along with themuffied pufling of the breath ofthe train-a little boy suddenlYshot out on the trach, runningafter a red ball. Just then thesteei ruonster cleareil the cruvc:puffrng, heaving, sputtering-Jim, who knew a person hadto keep out of the waY of thesleel thing, ilashed on the trackand tumbled to the other sideof it, the child held tight in hispowerful baboon-like arms.ATLANTICA, AUGUST-SEP'IEMBER,Then -then -they hadslapped his should.er, womenhacl stoocl around. him, sniffiingand smiling, and theY hadgiven him the fir'e d ollars anilthe coins which had started thepie era.But the pie era passed andJim once more became "Jim,the Loon. " Then just as swiftl.vas the pie era hacl dal'ned,one winter night the club ofthe sheriff clesceniled uPon hisshould,ers and the worid turnedpurple. Strange how this hadcome about, too_-n I{E niglrt, just as Jim was\-' huddlilg himself into tle193 1sucking his breath in a silentwhistle. "Is that five dollars?"('More than that.""JVhat must I do?"''Listen, Jim," whisPeredthe "gentleman" drawing closeto the Loon in a confidentialmanner. t'You go down to thejunction b)' the big PumP.You'Il see a car standing onthe road-1ou go rip to ityou'11sec a man-tell himyou've come after Lhe " stuff.""What stuff?" asked theLoon, a bit suspiciously.('Never mind, you just saythe sttLff, see'x. When you gettl'r,e stulf bring it to me. "sat up, his eyes batting in thesudden glare."Sure, that's a11.""I savvy," muttered Jim,"What you all want? " he shuffiing away toward the juncaskedthickly.tion.t'Jim, you there-alone ?t' avoice asked."Yes, alone. Who's that?""Never mind who this is.\\rant to make some money?""\{oney?" Sute Jim rvantedmone)-; it bought pie. So helaughed and muttered, "You'retalking. "The voice invited. " Comehere. "Jim leaped out of the boxcarand founcl himself beforea man standing near a big autornobile.He recognized theman as one of the town t'gentlemen." Jim bowecl respectfuilyand dazedly wonderedwhat might have prompted thehonor of this cal1. The manput a hand on Jim's shoulder."Say, Jim," he whispered,"trVant 1,o make some money?""Sure, but I ain't going to\.olk,t' muttcrecl Jim."You don't have to \York,t'reassured the man, uncurlingbefore Jim's wide eyes a rollof greenbacks." Hum-hum, t t whi'spered Jim"What's the stuff like-old box car preparatory to a heavy?"r;varm night's rest, he heard "Not much, ancl I'11give yousomeone whisper his name. He lots of money when you getlified his heacl and gruntecl. back. "A flat ring of light sharpl-v "Just-just for going afteretched itself on the straw. Jim iti'"lJE l'alked pensively overr r the track, thirrking of bigluscious slices of custard pie,his bare feet stumbling on thefrozen ground. After he hadr,vaiked about one mile he foundthe car parked.by the side ofthe road, just as the gentlemantold him it would be parked.Jim asked for the "stuff" anda man silently gave him a bulginggunny sack. Jim took itand walked away.The errand seemed an easyone. But the sack was heavy.Jim sat ilown on a rock rvonderingwhat was inside of thegunny sack.His hand fumbled with thestring. His hand rummagedamong"some straw, his fingerscame in contact with bottles.He took one out, pulled thecork with his teeth, and smelledof the oontents. As he did so,there unfurled before his visionthe scene which he had witnessedwhen the Sheriff hadbeaten the little man, cracking