The minority
took to religious meetings and interpretations.
Darrow's exit, and that of his companions, was greeted uproariously.
"'Please go 'way an' let me sleep!'" sang one, at the blinking men.
"Here's another!" shrilled a gamin. "Get up! The porter wants to make up
your berth!"
Several of the crowd, pending the usual arrival of the police to clear the
corridor, had ventured through the wide portals, and were experimenting
with this strange palpable quality of darkness. One or two popped inside
the curtain, but emerged quickly, looking a little scared.
A bright youth made the discovery that if one lighted a match and stepped
within the blackness, the match was immediately extinguished, but that
upon emerging into daylight the flame came up again. Some one happened
along with a plumber's gasoline torch. Immediately this was lighted and
the experiment repeated. The bearer of the torch, astonished at the
instant extinguishment of the flame, felt with his hand to see what could
be the matter. Instantly he uttered a yelp of pain, and leaped outside,
displaying a badly burned palm.
"There wasn't no flame; I swear it!" he explained excitedly, "but she
burned, just the same!" He rushed about from one to another, displaying
his injured palm to whoever would look.
Darrow paid little attention to this gathering crowd. First of all, he
scanned a paper he held in his hand; then plunged back again into the
blackness.
Pages:
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74