Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1921-10-21
THE DRINK
FRANCES E. GOODRICH.

"a. 1921, by McNiNe Ne"sp@pef SS"Ni@@'
Among his friends on the force he
known as Big Arm John, and the
reason was perfectly obvious when
40 looked at the great muscles SWELL
TO beneath the sleeves of his uni
form.
when be went away to France he
.orr,ed with him the treasure Of a
Trrs love, and the sweetness Of real
s.ot,on came to him when he returned
ond made Margaret his wife.
They found q modest little fiat lei
.ho station and settled down to what
seemed a life of quiet happiness, but
olways In Margaret's heart was
The shadow Of coming evil.
Az times John noticed her abstrac-
.on and when he asked the reason
ebe would tell him Of her feeling, I'M
no would laugh and kiss her, and tell
nor she needed more Of the outdoor
world and sunshine.
"You must take a long walk each
day. dear, and while you are out just
think of all the nice things you can,
nreferably Of all the many virtues OF
q man called Big Arm john" and he
winked at her slyly and swung her up
N the ceiling as though she were a
baby.
Then ensued a scene that would
have done credit to a nursery, and
finally when John went away he left
a flushed and laughing wife.
For some weeks that part Of the
city had been the center Of operations
of a party of bootleggers, and the po-
lice had been bafied for the time.
That memorable afternoon John
hurried home to let her know that he
would be away all night.
The police had received news that a
few miles from the city there was a
rase worth Investigating, and John
was n of those designated for the
work. He and Herndon. in plain
clothes, started out in their speedy
little car, just as 1t began to grow
dusk. They had been pals in France.
II tell you, John, I'm getting sick
of this business. This crime stuff Is
getting on my nerves. Two years Of
scrapping in France and now chasing
bootleggers here. Bah, laugh If you
want to, but I'm thinking seriously
of taking the wife and Riddles and set
fling down on a little farm some
where"
John didn't laugh. Instead, he
lapped a hand on his companions
shoulder.
Don't know but you're right, old
scout. Sometimes l get fed up on
this stuff myself. but the pays good,
and l have to save something. Mar
garet wants me to give 1t up. She
rhems afraid all the time something
will happen to me. Funny they worry
~ much, isn't it?"
mime is that way, too. Imagine
I'm killed about forty times a day.
Well. it's pretty nice to know they
think so much of US, I'll say"
"Say, Herndcn," he broke out sud
denly. "Pull up on that car ahead
Looks rather suspicious somehow"
Rerndon pushed on speed and the
little car pulled up close beside the
larger one. There were two men ID
1t, a chauffeur in livery, and q man
about thirty years Of age. evidently
we'll to do.
AS the car with the officers came
abreast the stranger ros In his seat
and drawing a small black bottle
from his pocket raised 1t to his lips
Then looking towards them he MADE
a mock flourish with the flask, and
said in clear, ringing tones, W VINO
are about to die. salute you"
"Stopi" shouted the officer. and
~springing clear from his own car land
ed on the running board Of the other
Herndon, meanwhile, by a skilfui
vancouver, brought his car directly
across the road. John was now IL
the seat with the stranger, and grasp
ing the hand with the flask demanded
to know its contents, showing his
badge of authority meanwhile.
MY leaf fellow, why should yor
WISH 10 KNOW WUdl lily PASNAO ~
holds? If but this glass were cieal
YOU would see the wonderful COLDER
light of the liquid within Surely you
would not deny me the privilege Of
losing myself in its hidden wonders
Don't you remember Omar's WORDS;
"'Why. be this juice the growth OF
God. who dare
DIasphene the twisted tendrh as 9
snare?
A blessing, we should use it, shoulc
we not?
And if a curse, why, then, who set II
there?'"
II don't know who Omar is, and J
don't care, but / do want to Kno"
what is in that bottle, and If you won'
tell ME I'll find out"
ut smells like liquor. but It's
queer smell, too. Guess I'll have Il
--A ~ tnhf