Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1920-10-21
The Last Ditch
By MuRIEL LEE

4 By MURIEL LEE 4
Aeeeoceoeoeceooeooooeoeo&
&c. 1920. Western Newspaper Union.)
1.-THE last ditch!" soliloquized Mark
Burton with bitter smile as he thrust
a folded slip of paper into one pock-
ct and small roll Of bills into an
other.
The first-named article was pawn
brokers' ticket, the money represent
ed what he had just borrowed on his
watch, which he had managed to cling
to through the vicissitudes of two
years Of misspent life.
Beyond the glittering store lights
the streets were wrapped in compare
tive gloom, and with grim, set lips
and resolute eyes this man, whose
heart history was full of tragic
wretchedness, paced on until he
threaded byways where only an oc-
casional habitation showed. Then he
struck out over highway leading into
the country.
| Mark Burton had indeed reached
! the last ditch!" Like fugitive from
city of destruction, he was leaving
behind him scenes that had held him
captive to the curse of strong drink,
wreckfng manhood, ambition and re-
spectability. Only a week previous,
recovering at public hospital from
utter prostration at the end of a reck-
less bout, in flashing moment in the
twinkling of an eye retrospection had
pictured to him his utter worthless
ness, and wavering hope had stolen
upon him. warning him that then was
the parting of the ways.
There was a nurse in the hospital
who sensed the soul submerged by dis
sipation. 1t was her kindly, friendly
words that had made him think of
face still more beautiful and voice
Just as full Of music-his wife, Marcia.
She had been the guiding star of his
existence, but some perverse Unborn
craving had drawn him among reck-
less roysterers. She had never chided
him, but when his excuses had gone
beyond all bounds, her father, stern,
implacable, had taken her away from
him.
"You have brought my only child to
poverty and suffering" John Thearle
had said. "Henceforth she will be my
care. and you shall never cross my
threshold again until you are able to
give her the home she deserves, and
have banished the temptations that
have brought you to ruin"
Burton had gone far away, to still
more deeply drain the dregs of the
fatal cup. There had come the period
when restrictions Of the law had made
intoxicating drinks difficult of attain
ment. Like many others partaking Of
poisoned counterfeits and noxious SUBJ
stitutes, he had welcomed the liquid
fire bringing mania to his already dis
torted mind. The day he left the
hospital he had made his great resolve
Ito conquer the thirst that had en-
meshed him, or die in the attempt.
K He had learned that some 20 miles
from the city railway construction
camp had advertised for workmen. He
had now sufficient to secure sus-
tenance and shelter for week ahead,
and, new strength and hope infused
him as the pure, bracing air from for
est and field blew strong and invigor-
ating into his face. It was we'll on to-
wards ten o'clock whsn he sat down
on bench beside the open window Of
roadhouse and rested. He was kept
alert by voice within the room be-
yond. He made out a man speaking
earnestly to three others.
I Between here and Paxton the Mer-
rift crowd parted with their truck
! load of stolen plumber" he said. 1T
represented over $4,000. They must
have taken the alarm and disposed
of their freight somewhere along the
route, for the truck went through Pax
ton empty. Start your search with
daylight. To the man who succeeds I
promise $1,000 inspectorship."
Enough further was spoken to
make Burton aware Of the fact that
these were government agents on the
track Of the plumber Of some so-called
liquor pirates who had burglarized a
warehouse and made OF with for
1 tune in intoxicants. The circum.
stances faded from his mind as he
continued his course. He came to
where excavations cut the road and
detoured. Twice in the darkness he
stumbled into pits and finally crossing
what seemed to be some loose hay
covering the ground, that substance
gave way and he was precipitated sew
eral feet down.
His arm struck box and its thin
cover crashed in. There was jangle
Of splintering glass. His elbow, slight
ly cut, was deluged with a pungent
liquor reviving all his past fateful ex-
perience. He trembled. Was this
plenitude of the curse that had
wrecked him some tormenting tempta-
ton of fate? Oh. never! All his man.
hood arose. He reached beneath him
for bottle from the box. He brought
1t down to ruin with q vehement
anathema against the subtle poison
that had been his bane.
Mark Burton reflected quickly. Then
he sped back to the roadhouse. The
leader of the officers was just retiring.
Burton addressed him. He told his
story. He asked that he be rewarded
with tho pooftiop offorod 20 ~ - ~ .