The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1915-08-12
Rest for a week and let me put YOU


on your feet
mo use, I'm afraid" returned Els.
ton dejectedly. 81 can't bear to be
shut up. I'm afraid of the tremens,
and want to be where I can get the
drink if begin to see things"
For a long time Pearce pleaded with
the poor unfortunate. At length Els
ton said:
"Ill try it, on one condition"
And what is that?"
"You trust me-"
Il guess I will, after your bring
ing back that lost pocketbook!"
II want you to buy me quart bot
tie OF whisky. / want to keep 1t by
my side. On my honor, will not
touch drop of it unless feel the
tremens coming on. It will help me
out to know I've got 1t, If ! reach the
limit Of endurance"
"Done!" cried Pearce, land know
you'll conquer"
once more clothed again in his right
mind, he took walk with Pearce. AS
they reached quiet spot he took out
the bottle. It's contents were intact.
He gave it a fling against rock and
1t shivered into a thousand pieces.
That's the end of drink for me,
he said, quietly but determinedly.
Now a queer thing came about.
Pearce got to questioning Elston about
his past. He found that his only liv-
in town fifty miles distant. Elston
had kept away from her on account
of his drinking. Pearce suggested
that he go and see the sister.
"Tve got an uncle living in Mar.
den," he explained. ''Tll get you work
there. You will be happier and safer
near your sister,"
The first moment Pearce set his
eyes on Dorothy Elston, the pretty
milliner, with her sweet, winning
ways, he fell in love with her. He
got his old uncle in Marden to en-
ploy Elston The uncle was an eccen-
trio recluse, something of scientist
and had a vast collection of curios
and was a good deal Of a naturalist.
Two months wentcby. Pearce made
a good many visits to Marden. He
got on famously with Dorothy Elston
and her brother was keeping away
from strong drink. His employer had
sent him away from town on a mission
of Importance one evening, and Pearce
stayed with his uncle that night, leav
ing early in the morning before his
uncle was awake.
Serious news reached him In his
own town before nightfall. His uncle
had been robbed of large amount OF
jewelry. The fact of Pearce being al
the house and leaving as he did, led to
gossip, and then suspicion. Elston
could prove that he was absent when
the old man, now turned sour and
suspicious, had been robbed. The
latter did not prosecute, but he 1g
nored his nephew and former he'll
after that.
Elston returned to Marden greatly
perturbed over the charge that affected
the man who had been his best friend
All one day he prowled about the
old house, trying to figure out how
and why his employer was robbed.
At last Elstcn rested suspicion
upon stranger who had come to the
town the day before the robbery, and
had been found intoxicated on the
public streets the ensuing evening
The man was serving a thirty days
sentence for the misdemeanor.
One day another stranger met Els.
ton and scraped up an acquaintance
with him. He informed ElstCn that
the man in jail was friend of his.
81 want to get some money to him
SO he can buy little nccessarics,' ex
planned the man. You're acquainted
here and you can get into the Jail
Just give him the money, Will you
ah, yes, and this cigar"
Elston assented The mission would
enable him to get closer to the pris
oner. On the way to the jail, now
ever, he happened to notice the cigar
1t felt soft in the center. He sus
pected something and investigated. II
was to discover a note packed into
small compass, and reading:
ct can't hang around here for feaI
of exciting suspicion. Your share OF
the loot is hidden in the loft of the
old shed back of the house we rob
bed
Immediately Elston set the officers
on the trail of the man who had given
him the money and cigar. He was
captured. confessed, and Pearce was
restored to the good graces OF his
uncle.
Donald Pearce blessed the hour nc
had reclaimed from the dregs the re
formed derelict who saved his good
name, and led to his gaining the
dearest, sweetest wife in the world