The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-03-06

but I've had the worst time keepin IL
dark. Tonight | was sure he was aus
gespieled, 80 l gives the thing up, and
| goes for ye. Seer
Suddenly the man In the bed rose up
with u screech, his eyes rejecting hor-
ror. Instantly Spud pounced on him
and clapped n hand OH his mouth that
the sound might not penetrate UNI
friendly ears. He and the Kid held
the maniac down until the paroxysm
passed. Then May took a syringe from
his pocket, filled 1t and barred his pa
TENTS arm.
Murphy" he said after awhile when
the injection was taking effect, why
have you said nothing Of thisf"
Sure, sir" Murphy continued, 'he
was once like q little brother to me
when he was II kid In our ward.
'Twould be eternal disgrace to his old
man, that's goin to be Ii senator,
and to all the boys and to my father
and to me If he was bobtailed-that Is,
got the c.. b., him bein officer and
gentleman. See? We think the world
Of the Owenses. Seer"
The doctor looked at him curiously.
! He had in his library a volume OH dip
somanla, others on heredity. some
idea Of the fight before the lieutenant
dawned upon him, II even he SILVER
ed a little Mt the thought Of what Owen
nau already passed through, niuIug III.
habit, yet every moment fearing d,tec-
ton IL shame and open disgrace.
"And do you expect to ure him of
tT' he thoughtfully asked Of the
trusty dog robber.
Spud's face gloomed.
"T'm ono Of a good time on pay day,
doctor. with the boys, but since this
here miserable racket I've sworn Off.
What tell? My righteous example
ain't no good. He breaks out in spells,
and there amt no KNOWN when Sam
my's goin to break out. That's the
worst. Some day he'll do 1t at the
wrong time. when | amt around. and
then i,n break the old mans heart"
He lookrd n, the now sleeping officer
In despair.
"WiSh he'd get shot before It be-
comes known" he muttered tlercely.
doctor, the boys will do anything
We ask Doctor. Ibis is for me. Don't
give ii away. Cure him. He's u good
sort"
The Kid hummcl gently:
THAT may die and not disgrace
Its ancient chivalry."
did the senator drink hard, Murphy,
wB@n he was trading in politics in that
sweet land you're so fond of-the
wardT"
why. sure, sir, they all did" said
Spud. but he took it like a man."
And his father, | suppose" said the
Kid grimly, took it like Il man, and
his and this poor devil is the result.
Murphy. my lad, when you say your
prayers or tell your beads or whatever
you do, pray hat drinking may again
become faShiOnablc-in the interests
of Lieutenant Owen. And in the mean
time, before he wakes and gets the
blues. you had better corral his car.
tridges."
II don that" said Spud, though it
might be better that way too"
mo, Murphy" said the Kid. That
would be a bad expose. Soldiers must
fill other people with bullets. but
should scrupulously respect their own
persons"
The Kid respected Private Spud's
anxiety to save the unhappy lieutenant
from dismissal. He watched over
Owens attack Of malaria personally,
30 that even that critical outbreak OF
the maniac passed unnoticod by the
adjutant or men. In n week Owen was
back with the troop, graycr and thin
ner. Quieter and graver than ever, but
with the same nervous courteousness
which made his troopers as also his
comrades regard him with n pitving
liking.
The little doctor II Owen had a
long private talk, and it is g he SUD,
posed the Kid dabblo2 IN nostra out
III the regular pharmacy OF the facul-
ty, for he and Owen took together four
weeks leave Of absence, and the doc
tor brought the lieutenant back to
Spud looking letter than ever he had
since the craving had burst upon him.
him, Murphy" said the Kid
confidently. and you can let him have
the run of the pistol cartridges"
THE blessin OF the ward IS on ye."
said Spud. with great joy, and there.
after permitted himself to mlngle as
freely as In former days witt, the
troop, to take his regular break Mt the
post traders and to discuss the glories
OF the ward and of the Owen family as
magniloquently as before. Again the
old saloon keeper recelved q letter from
his son, which he showed to the sena-
tor, and again was The old lawmak-
er's heart borne up within him, rs he
dreamed Of glory-real glory, not of
the political order, whose hollowness
he knew-for his boy.
For war was in the air, the Maine
went down, and then war came.
That was six months after the Kid
had brought Owen back to duty. Dur
Ing the last three of these the soul of
Murphy had been possessed with
doubt. Something was wrong with his
charge. lust what he could not saw.
1t was not the old trouble-not once
had the unholy thirst consumed the of.
hcer-that seemed indeed to have left
him through the little doctors radical
cure, whatever 1t may have been. A
something Of alteration was I'm the
eye and step Of the lieutenant. Now
ne was l~istless; he tool no part In so.
ella gatherings; he avoided any more
duty than was absolutely necessary.
Before. when not incapacitatcd by his
vice, he had been n burning student.
indefatigable In helping his troop to
star rank in the regiment. Books no
longer interested him nor drills. He
cared not whether his men were
markSmcn or sharDshooters Snna