West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1907-11-28

return OF lic into DIS victim. lie
made no move. even to drag him from
the pool In which he lay.
Strive groaned and shuddered, twist
ed 10 his side, and Mt last sat up weak
ly. In his eyes there was now a great
terror. while in place sof his drunken
ness was only fear and faintness-ab-
tect fear of the great bulk that sat and
smoked and stared at him so fishlly
He felt uncertainty Of his throat and
groaned again.
why did you do thatf" he whis-
pered, 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 lie was alone, no looked curl
ously up Mt the ceiling over his head
THE rats are thick In this shack" he
unused. Seems to me heard whole
swarm OF them"
"A few moments later a figure crept
through the hole I'm tho roof OF the
house next door and thence down into
the street. A block ahead was the
slow moving form OF Attorney Strive.
HAD n stranger met them both he
would not have known which OF the
TWO had felt at his throat the clutch of
stranger, for each was drawn and
haggard and swayed as he went.
Glenister uncousciously 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 no, 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 n long
march where for hours he had waged a
bitter war with cold and hunger, his
limbs clumsy with fatigue, his gar.
ments wet and stir, his mind slack and
sullen. At such extreme seasons he
had felt n consuming thirst, thirst
which burned and scorched until his
very bones cried out feverishly-not
| 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 strangle. thirst for whisky, for
brandy! Remembering these occasion
nj ferocious desires, he had become
charitable to such unfortunates as were
too weak to withstand similar tempta-
lions.
Now with 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 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
at the Northern those next him made
room at the bar, for they recognized
the hunger that peers thus from mems
faces. Their manner recalled Glenis-
ter to his senses, and he wrenched
himself away. This was not some soil
tary, 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 1t. The man on his right
raised glass, and the young man
strangled n madness to tear IL from his
hands. Instead, he hurried back to
the theater and DIP TO box, where he
drew the curtains.
Whisky he said thickly to the
waiter Bring 1T to me fast. Don't
you hear? Whiskyw
Across the theater Cherry Malotte
had seen him enter and jerk the cur
tains together. She arose and went to
him, entering without ceremony.
What's the matter. boyT she ques-
toned.
"Ah. 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
upT
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 mean1" he said rough
ly.
ITS whisky, boy" she cried, and
you don't drink"
"Of course it's whisky Bring me an
other"' he shouted at the attendant.
whats the matterT Cherry insist
ed. IL never saw you act so. You
know you don't drink. won't let you.
It's booze-booze, I tell you. fit for fools
ana Drawers. Don't drink II. Roy.
Are you IN trouble?"
II say I'm thlrsty-and will have III
How do you know what II Is 10 smolder
inside and feel your veins burn dryf"
IT'S something about that girl" the
woman said, with quiet conviction.
Shes double crossed you"
well, so she has. but what OF III
I'm thirsty. She's going TO marry Nc
Namara. I've been fool" lie ground
his teeth and reached for the drink
with which the boy had returned.
Mcnamara IS a crook, but he's a
man, and he never drank a drop in his
life The girl said it casually, evenly.
but the other stopped the glass half
way 10 his lips
well, what OF Il? Go on. You're
good at W. &. T. L. talk Virtue be-
comes you"
She flushed, but continued: at simply
occurred 20 me that II you aren't strong