Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-04-11

The Edge Of Hazard
By GEORGE HORTON
Copyrighted, 1906, BY rae Bosssmerrtu Company .
BY GEORGE HORTON

exclaimed, setting the bucket down
again, and splitting from his mouth rs
much of the liquid as remained. What
vile brew is this z"
The after.taste and a glance, at the
contents of the pail were enough 20
convince him that he had brought I
away with him several quarts of shiro-
sake. or white sake, the Intoxicating !
liquor of Japan, made from rice. This
beverage was trifle sour, and FOR
the moment refreshed him, but he we'll
knew that II he were not rescued be-
fore very long, he would be burned
alive, driven mad, by consuming thirst.
He was very tired now, SO he stretch
ed himself out in the bottom of the
boat and fell asleep. When he awoke,
the sun was directly overhead He
felt refreshed and strong again, but
was rayenously hungry and very thir-
sty. He had no idea where he was,
but realized that he had been blown
steadily out to sea. from the fact that
the hills of Japan were no longer visi-
BILE. He scanned the entire horizon
but not a sail was in sight. He ate
a little, and took sip of sake. The
sun was blistering hot and there was
not particle of wind. The boat Grad
led idly on gently-swelling sea, the
boom creaking against the mast.
His thirst was now so great that he
felt seriously alarmed, and for the first
time since dropping over the side of
the Teijo Maru, began to lose faith
in his destiny With jug of water
and little food he would have mad
several days in which to wait recuse.
But with sake it was different mat
ter A man in Romanoff's case reali-
yes, IL never before, how truly alcohol
is the enemy, water the friend, OF the
human race.
Curse the besotted old beast!" he
growled, thinking Of the old woman
whose sake he had stolen. Il might
have known that all Japanese are
| drunkards., Why did not taste the
stuff before bringing it away with me?
All the saints In Heaven can't help
fool!n
1t was the nature of the man that
now, as he began to suffer, he longed
for revenge on any one on whom he
could fix the blame for his present pre-.
dicament. The more he thought of
the matter the stronger became Ills
belief that CORTLAND Hardy was spy
in the employ Of the Japanses. His
Russian training rendered 1t easy for
him 10 entertain this theory.
1.-THE Americans are notorious jap
anese sympathizers," he reflected,
"and they will do anything for money.
He stayed there with them, and | was
sent away for Imprisonment, possibly
DEATH
It occurred to him that if he should
lose his reason through thirst and be
picked up by Russian ship, it would
be well to have the plans, which he
had brought away, where they could
be found. He therefore split open tho
shoe sole with his knife.
"They are gone" he cried, 81 am
right! 1t was Hardy who insisted that
take off my shoes. Had he not
been spy, they would surely have
detained him when they found him
photographing the notifications, whea
they took from his pockets the papers
\ put there. We may meet again, Mr..
Hardy. God. how thirsty I ami"
He gazed long at the cool, salt,
bitter waters Of the sea; he trailed
his hands in them over the sides of the
boat. Then he picked up the bucket
of white sake, looked into it's lying
contents, raised it to his lips, but set
/ it down again.
4 81 must not" he said, sit only makes
the thirst greater
cIIAprEp Y