Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-11-10


powderg' he con- hued. so ! asked
myself for ma.lyXbng years. And at
last / am able to answer the question.
He arose and going to small cup
board in a farther corner of the room,
select I'd Drown porcelain jar Return
ing he uncovered it, disclosing it par
tally filed with fine white sub
stance.
See" he exclaimed, show / have
conquered this sentiment imp incarnate
this opium" He took small SPOON
from the stand at his side and ate from
the jar as child might eat from
bowl of sugar. His attenuated body
swayed from side to side and the eyes
of Doctor Moulton followed it as the
eyes of a frightened child will follow
the motions of snake.
Suddenly Querulous treble rose on
the air and the mature face Of the girl
he had seen at the grave peered over
the shoulder Of the swaying figure,
with its cleaning eyes.
Il will be good she chanted.
The voices faded away and strange
sounds as of the wings of thousand
doves in flight struck on his ear.
II.
In the cold gray of morning DR..
Moulton staggered along the path
through the burying ground, going to-
ward the town. In the dim light he
saw the figure of his late host stretch
ed beside the grave where the child
had brought her treasure. A stiff
breeze was blowing and the gaunt fin
gers of the man, plncked up one by
one, the crimson leaves the child had
planted and sent them whistling down
the wind. Doctor Moulton sprang past
him and almost ran down the deserted
street to his Office. Hurriedly climb
ing the stairs he threw himself into the
chair before the window and closed
his eyes. When he opened them a
moment later the sun was shining
brightly; an indolent man in the door
OF the grocery. whistled tunlesssly;
woman hanging clothes on a line kept
up a one-sided conversation with a
parrot, and the clock in the jewelers.
window pointed to seventeen minutes
after three.
Dr. Mouiton had been asleep just two
minutes.
The next day DR.. Moulton gave up
his office in the country town and re-
turned to the city. A new desire fas-
tened itself upon him that would not
let him rest. Day and might he spent
in the laboratory, with drugs, chemi-
Gals and Instruments, making expert
ments. When he slept, which he did
very seldom now-or at least not that
restful sleep which he had once
known-the gaunt figure of his dream
stood before him saying ever, I have
discovered the secret Of this mighty
drug; find me. and you, too, shall
know it," Starting from restless slum-
bers he would find his hands clutch
ing at the empty air. And alweys now
the little white powder. There was no
work without it; no sleep, no life. The
man must be found-the man whose
other self he had seen on that after
noon-and who came back 20 him
now with every closing of the eyes.
The old man found, and the secret OBJ
tanned, he should be free again-free-
o God! Even his shrunken nerves
thrilled at the world
He hunted everywhere for that face
two faces-for the girl with her Sc
date look and childish voice was al
ways with the old man in his thought.
He described the village in his vision,
with its pretty church, the burying
ground, the cottage-over and over
again, to acquaintance and strangers
wherever he was, whomever he met,
this was the one theme OF his con-
versation.
He visited hospitals and police courts
and made long journeys into the coun-
try. If, by any means, he. heard of
place which was likely to prove the
one he sought, off he posted, riding day
and night until he came to il, only to
meet with failure. And yet he did not
despair. He read all the books of
travel he could lay hands on, studied
maps and directories. peered into faces
ON the street, searching, searching
everywhere and always.
One day an old man tainted on the
streets, and young girl. his compan-
ion, took his head in her arms and
ordered everybody away, fought the
officers when they lifted him into the
ambulance and sat by his side con-
tinually in the hospital where he was
taken, trusting no one but herself even
to moisten his lips. He lay in one OF
the narrow berths of a dimly lighted
ward, when DR.. Moulton came In.
Over the pillow ran his long grzzled
locks. His face was drawn and the
fire of the sunken eyes was in hiding
under the still lids. The girl, looking
up at Dr. Moulton's approach, seemed
to recognize him, or rather to have
been expecting him. Her small black
eyes flashed from his face TO the face
of her companion and back again.
/ There was command in the glance
Into the heart of DR.. Moulton came
a hope that set his blood on fire. At
last the man was found. Fate had
brought them together. "Ah, kind
fate, sweet fate." he cried under his
breath, and set to work as his skill
directed TO keep life in that wasted
form. He worked as ne had never
worked before. There must be no mis-
take here, no delay. The action Of
every drug upon the nerves must be
noted accurately Not a pulse fiuc-
tuation must escape him; not a change
OF temperature in this precious blood.
And so they satI there, one on either
side OF the bed, these two-a quiet girl
with a mature face, and a learned man
with his nerves strained to their
highest tension, the meagre form be-
tween them.
Hour after hour they watched, I'M