The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1908-06-02

rising again In futile wrath. DESTROYED
before my eyes, without even letting
me see It! Isn't 1t monstrous?"
1T seems very extraordinary"
Drummond said. "but your wife must
surely have had some reason" look
ing at him keenly. TT was done quite
openly
A couple OF weeks later. when Drum
mond was returning to Winnipeg. he
passed close to the farm and curious
to learn what had happened in the
interval-whether the letter had any
result-he stopped and looked in. 1t
was getting dusk and Grant was sit
ting alone, his arms on the table. his
Drummond stood hesitating at the
door
"You!" he cried. jumping up with
a forbidding look. What do you
want? Haven't you done enough mis-.
chief?"
Drummond noticed that the big,
powerful man swayed as he stood. as
though from weakness, and that his
face was haggard with weary, cavern
Gus eyes.
What do you mean?" he exclaimed
indignantly. IF you think you can
bully me as you did your unfortunate
master, you are very much mistaken"
so that is what you Think" said
Grant. We'll. I'm not surprised;
saw where your sympathies had gone
last time you were here He took
you in as he did others. He's as Gun,
ming as a fox. When the mischief
was done he told us in glee the we
owed it to you
II don't understand" Drummond
said coldly. but with a qualm of mis-
giving. The mans voice carried con-
viction.
Il can explain in a few words. Mr..
Crawford is addicted to the morphia
habit, and it was to try to effect n
cure that his wife brought him here.
The doctor said it was his last chance.
a healthy, outdoor life, away from
temptation = out of reach. as he
thought. of his enemy-might restore
his powers of mind and body. He was
drifting rather rapidly down the road
to insanity"
may from his listener.
But these drug people are the most
difficult of all to deal with; they're
worse than drinkers. He has to be
constantly watched or he'd manage to
get the stuff somehow We haven't
a neighbor within half a dozen miles
and It's more than double that dis.
lance to the nearest post town, but,
though he was safe enough that way,
he'd loiter about the trail half the
day on tine chance OF seeing somebody
go past who'd do his errand for him.
In spite of all our precautions he's
managed to get the drug two or three
times since we've been here and then
well then" grimly. we've had a
hell of a time.
He was just recovering from an
attack when you came, and was feel.
ing particularly low and miserable,
craving. of course, for the stimulant.
He had managed to get an order
through to some fool OF a chemist,
but fortunately his name was on the
label and Mrs. Crawford recognized
it and destroyed the stuff, as you saw.
Then you,' with a twist of the lip,
came along and played the good
Samaritan"
How could / tell? I'm awfully
sorry; I'll never interfere again with
out knowing all the facts. but on the
surface 1t really seemed as though
he were being badly treated. IL hope
/ didn't do very much harm?"
1T was pretty bad, he kept us go
ing day and night. but he's better
now. You see the attack came be.
fore he had properly recovered from
the other, and when he's had q big
dose he's like n man possessed with
devils. He's as strong again. he'll
laugh and sing and go on in the mad
dest way Then tie reaction comes
and that with a shudder. lis the
worst OF all Talk OF a soul in tor
ment! have seen what that means.
Coed Lord! when / think of 1t, won
der why such things should be-" Grant
went on, as he moved restlessly about
the room. 81 knew her Uefore she was
married. managed her fathers farm.
II you had seen her then you would
hardly recognize her She was as CAV
as a lark; as strong and fresh and
pretty as the heather at home
And look at her now!" His voice
broke. And she loves The man still.
would do anything in the world for
him: II she's hard on him, it's only for
his own good"
Drummond got up when the door
opened leading upstairs, and Mrs.
Crawford came in
Her face was white and tired, but
all the hardness had gone from Il.
The lips smiled tremulously, the eyes
were deep and tender
He's sleeping quietly at last" she
said THANK God he'll get better
now"
As Drummond went away he re.
membered having read somewhere
that 1.-THE tragedy Of love is when
there IS none for whom II can sacri.
fee itself" And he thought he under.
stood. Derek Vaue in London Black
and White
British War Relics.