San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-04-13
The 1ai1y Eight.
Office No. 4 East Commerce Street.
NIL DESPERANDUM.
BY EDWARD STAPLETON.


CONTINUED from yesterdays issue.l
He read the contents o. the document,
then turning, stood erect. and stared
Lawson boldly in the face, which sur
prised the latter, who was used to see
Ing him quake whenever he caught his
eye:
ut is not WE'LL" Pearson replied,
crushing the notes and paper In his
hands, "and 1 will not stain these hands
again, for you or any other man"
"You won't do what tell you?" Law
son rose and walked up to Pearson who
was somewhat shaken In his resolution
by Lawson's threatening look, and did
not nnswer.
"You won't won't you" With these
words he sent him to the floor with q
blow.
"Perhaps now you will remember am
master of you and your future. fyOu
do not sail tomorrow | will hand you
over to the police. ought to have done
1t before"
Pearson shrank at the mention of the
emissaries Of the law. You have read
this paper, so you have no further
use for it," said Lawson, at
the same time lighting 1t at the candle,
land II you fail, remember I will hunt
you down as l would dog. l am going
away on business now, and shall not, In
all probability, see you again until you
come back. hope you will enjoy your
trip" Lawson walked towards the
door.
"Stay," said Pearson imploringly. 81
would do anything for you but this; let
me 20 free, think what l have already
suffered these long years, do not want
money, can beg, If fail to find en-
me 20, have mercy on me, l may not
live long, I feel l shall not; do not, on
my knees 1 beg, do not ask me to do it,
and-I-w ill-bless-you.
"Bsh ~ laughed Lawson; "do you
think / am q woman, to be moved by
tears. There is the money on the table,
and dare you to disobey me-"
With this Pearson was left alone. He
listened till Lawson's step had died
away, then rose to his feet, walked to
the table, took the half empty bottle of
brandy and held it up to the candle.
After thinking moment, he said to
himself: -
"Thou art curse; through thee am,
what am, loved by none, despised by
all: with thee man can take even the life
Of q friend; through thee man forgets his
God, his mother, ana himself; thou hast
accompanied me In all my wrong do
ings, thou hast led me on by thy smiles,
but never again wilt thou touch my lips.
have resisted thee for the first time
now, and Danish thee forever"
He walked to the window and flung 1t
to the hagstones below; he smiled when
he heard the sound of Its destruction.
THANK God, from this moment l am
George Pearson again
He put the money, Lawson left on the
table, into his pocket, turned on reach
ing the door, and took q final look at the
room, wherein he had spent ten miser-
able years, never to return.
CHAPTER X.
Away the good ship flies
And leaves old England on the lea."
1t was dreary morning. bleak wind
from the east, laden with mist which
soon penetrated the clothing, and sent
an 10y chill through to the bones; terri
BILE weather for one already miserable at
leaving dear friends to 60 long jour.
ney, perhaps never to return. A ship
was at anchor in the middle OF the
Thames, 1t looked like black monster
of the deep, with it's many lights like
fiery eyes, reflected on hundred little
waves reaching to the pier. 1t was an
East Indiaman, waiting only for few
passengers West and a few others
stood shivering on the pier, all eyes
rested on the single light of the tug COM
ing towards them, which would bear
them to the ship. West was the last but
one, who stepped on board the little
boat, the other was q miserable looking
man. with a shaggy beard and a thread
bare frook coat, which. being wet,
shOne like an oil silk under the
glare Of the lantern, held by man
standing on the tatfrail. Little did
West know the circumstances which
made this man his fellow passenger, rs
he put out a hand to help PearsOn-for
il was he-to the deck.
"Thank you," he said gently to West,
"this is a terrible morning. is it nOt?"
Vests answer was drowned by the
laundering voice OF the captain on the
bridge who cried, "Let CO." Almost in
stantly the thud Of q coil of rope struck
the deck and the little craft began to
beat the water, leaving q streak of foam
behind her, as she bore for the ship
ahead. All was hustle on board the
Poonah; sailors were hurrying hither
and thither, hauling ropes and singing
their curious sea dirge, keeping time
with the click, click, Of the windlass as
they hauled up the anchor.
Soon, West, who was straining his
eyes to distinguish the shore, saw the
lights Of the pier begin to drop behind;
then he knew his voyage had COM
menced. and that he was leaving the
land OF his birth which held at least two
who were very dear to him.