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gutter…filth that still encrusted it。
A prodigious growth of whiskers； greyish…dirty and untrimmed for
years； sprouted from his face。 This hirsute growth should have been
white； but the season was summer and it had not been exposed to a rain…
shower for some time。 What was visible of the face looked as if at some
period it had stopped a hand…grenade。 The nose was so variously
malformed in its healed brokenness that there was no bridge； while one
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nostril； the size of a pea； opened downward； and the other； the size of a
robin's egg； tilted upward to the sky。 One eye； of normal size； dim…brown
and misty； bulged to the verge of popping out； and as if from senility wept
copiously and continuously。 The other eye； scarcely larger than a
squirrel's and as uncannily bright； twisted up obliquely into the hairy scar
of a bone…crushed eyebrow。 And he had but one arm。
Yet was he cheerful。 On his face； in mild degree； was depicted
sensuous pleasure as he lethargically scratched his ribs with his one hand。
He pawed over his food…scraps； debated； then drew a twelve…ounce
druggist bottle from his inside coat…pocket。 The bottle was full of a
colourless liquid； the contemplation of which made his little eye burn
brighter and quickened his movements。 Picking up the tomato can； he
arose； went down the short path to the river； and returned with the can
filled with not…nice river water。 In the condensed milk can he mixed one
part of water with two parts of fluid from the bottle。 This colourless fluid
was druggist's alcohol； and as such is known in tramp…land as 〃alki。〃
Slow footsteps； coming down the side of the railroad embankment；
alarmed him ere he could drink。 Placing the can carefully upon the
ground between his legs； he covered it with his hat and waited anxiously
whatever impended。
Out of the darkness emerged a man as filthy ragged as he。 The new…
comer； who might have been fifty； and might have been sixty； was
grotesquely fat。 He bulged everywhere。 He was composed of bulges。
His bulbous nose was the size and shape of a turnip。 His eyelids bulged
and his blue eyes bulged in competition with them。 In many places the
seams of his garments had parted across the bulges of body。 His calves
grew into his feet； for the broken elastic sides of his Congress gaiters were
swelled full with the fat of him。 One arm only he sported； from the
shoulder of which was suspended a small and tattered bundle with the mud
caked dry on the outer covering from the last place he had pitched his doss。
He advanced with tentative caution； made sure of the harmlessness of the
man beside the fire； and joined him。
〃Hello； grandpa；〃 the new…comer greeted； then paused to stare at the
other's flaring； sky…open nostril。 〃Say； Whiskers； how'd ye keep the night
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dew out of that nose o' yourn？〃
Whiskers growled an incoherence deep in his throat and spat into the
fire in token that he was not pleased by the question。
〃For the love of Mike；〃 the fat man chuckled； 〃if you got caught out in
a rainstorm without an umbrella you'd sure drown； wouldn't you？〃
〃Can it； Fatty； can it；〃 Whiskers muttered wearily。 〃They ain't nothin'
new in that line of chatter。 Even the bulls hand it out to me。〃
〃But you can still drink； I hope〃； Fatty at the same time mollified and
invited； with his one hand deftly pulling the slip…knots that fastened his
bundle。
From within the bundle he brought to light a twelve…ounce bottle of
alki。 Footsteps coming down the embankment alarmed him； and he hid
the bottle under his hat on the ground between his legs。
But the next comer proved to be not merely one of their own ilk； but
likewise to have only one arm。 So forbidding of aspect was he that
greetings consisted of no more than grunts。 Huge…boned； tall； gaunt to
cadaverousness； his face a dirty death's head； he was as repellent a
nightmare of old age as ever Dore imagined。 His toothless； thin…lipped
mouth was a cruel and bitter slash under a great curved nose that almost
met the chin and that was like a buzzard's beak。 His one hand； lean and
crooked； was a talon。 The beady grey eyes； unblinking and unwavering；
were bitter as death； as bleak as absolute zero and as merciless。 His
presence was a chill； and Whiskers and Fatty instinctively drew together
for protection against the unguessed threat of him。 Watching his chance；
privily； Whiskers snuggled a chunk of rock several pounds in weigh close
to his hand if need for action should arise。 Fatty duplicated the
performance。
Then both sat licking their lips； guiltily embarrassed； while the
unblinking eyes of the terrible one bored into them； now into one； now
into another； and then down at the rock…chunks of their preparedness。
〃Huh！〃 sneered the terrible one； with such dreadfulness of menace as
to cause Whiskers and Fatty involuntarily to close their hands down on
their cave…man's weapons。
〃Huh！〃 the other repeated； reaching his one talon into his side coat
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THE RED ONE
pocket with swift definiteness。 〃A hell of a chance you two cheap bums
'd have with me。〃
The talon emerged； clutching ready for action a six…pound iron quoit。
〃We ain't lookin' for trouble； Slim；〃 Fatty quavered。
〃Who in hell are you to call me 'Slim'？〃 came the snarling answer。
〃Me？ I'm just Fatty； an' seein' 's I never seen you before … 〃
〃An' I suppose that's Whiskers； there； with the gay an' festive lamp tan…
going into his eyebrow an' the God…forgive…us nose joy… riding all over his
mug？〃
〃It'll do； it'll do；〃 Whiskers muttered uncomfortably。 〃One monica's
as good as another； I find； at my time of life。 And everybody hands it out
to me anyw