Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-09-24

till they stared out Of his
visnge, straight up toward the ceiling.
toward the hole through which Glen
lister peered. His struggles lessened,
his chin sagged, and his tongue pro-
truded, then he sat loose and still. The
politician flung him out into the room
SO that he fell Imply upon his face.
then stood watching him. Finally, Nc
Namara passed out Of the watchers
vision, returning with q water bucket.
With his foot he rolled the unconscious
wretch upon his back. then drenched
him. Replacing the pail, he seated
himself, lit a cigar and watched the
return of life into his victim. He
made no move, even to drag him from
the pool IN which he lay.
Strive groaned and s%huddcred, twist
ed to his side. and at last sat up weak
ly. In his eyes there was nov a great
terror, while In place OF his drunken
ness was only fear and ~faintness-ab-
ject fear Of the great bulk that sat and
smoked and stared at him so fshily.
He felt uncertainty Of his throat and
gronned again.
why did you do that?" he whis-
per,d, but the other made no sign. He
tried to rise, but his knees relaxed.
He staggered and fell. At last he
gained his feet and made for the door.
Then, when his hand was ON the knob.
Mcnamara spoke through his teeth.
without removing his cigar.
Don't ever talk about her again.
She, is going to marry me-"
When he was alone. he looked curl
ously up at the ceiling owe his head.
The rats are thick in this shack" he
unused. Seems to me l heard a whole
swarm OF them"
A few moments later a figure crept
through the hole in the roof of the
house next door and thence down into
the street. A block ahead was the
slow moving form Of Attorney Strive.
Had Il stranger met them both he
would not have known which Of the
two had felt at his throat the clutch Of
q stranger, for each was drawn and
haggard and swayed as he went.
'Ilenister unconsciously turned to-
ward his cabin, but at leaving the
lighted streets the thought Of its dark
ness and silence made him shudder.
Not now! He could not bear that still
ness and the company Of his thoughts.
He dared not be alone. Dextry would
be. downtown undoubtedly, and he, too,
must get into the light and turmoil.
He licked his lips and found that they
were cracked and dry.
At rare intervals during the past
years he had staggered In from a long
march where for hours he had waged q
limbs clumsy with fatigue, his gar
n.ents wet and stiff, his mind slack and
sullen. AT such extreme seasons he
had felt a consuming thirst, a thirst
which burned and scorched until his
very bones cried out feverishly-not
a thirst for water or a thirst which
eaten snow could quench, but a saw
age yearning Of his whole exhausted
system for some stimulant, for some
coursing fiery fluid that would burn
and strange. a thirst for whisky, for
brandy! Remembering these occasion
al ferocious desires. he had become
charitable to such unfortunates as were
too weak to withstand similar tempta-
lions.
Now with a shock he caught himself
In the grip of a thirst as insistent as
though the cold bore down and the
WEAKNESS of endless heavy miles wrap
ped him about. 1t was no foolish wish
to drown his thoughts or to Danish
the grief that preyed upon him, but
only thirst, thirst-a crying, trembling.
physical lust to quench the fires that
burned inside. He remembered that
1t had been more than a year since
he had tasted whisky. Now the fever
of the past few hours had parched his
every tissue.
As he elbowed in through the crowd
mt the Northern those next him made
room at the bar, for they recognized
the hunger that peers thus from mems
faces. Their manner recalled Clients
ter to his senses, and he wrenched
himself away. This was not some soli-
rtary, snow banked %roadhouse. He
would not stand and soak himself
shoulder to shoulder with stevedores
and longshoremen. This was some
thing to be done in secret. He had
no pride in it. The man On his right
raised a glass. and the young man
strangled a madness to tear 1t from his
hands. Instead, he hurried back to
the theater and up to a box, where he
drew the curtains.
"Whisky!" he said thickly to the
waiter. Bring it to me fast. Don't
you hear? Whisky!'
Across the theater Cherry Malotte
had seen him enter and jerk the cur
tains together. She arose and went to
him, entering without ceremony.
whats the matter, boy?" she ques-
toned.
"Ah3 I'm glad you came. Talk to
me-"
THANK you for your few well chosen
remarks" she laughed. "Why don't
you ask me to spring some good, origi-
nal Jokes? You look like the finish to
a six day go-as-you-please. What's
up%
She talked to him for a moment until
the waiter entered. Then, when she
saw what he bore, she snatched the
glass from the tray and poured the
| whisky on the floor. Glenister was on
his feet and had her by the wrist.
"What do you mean?" he said rough