Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-04-05
THE BREAKING POINT
BY MARY ROBERTS RINEHART

moment he was looking about for the snow OF
that earlier escape, and the next he would re-
member, and the sense of panic would leave
him. After ALL he meant to surrender even
tualIy; it did not matter if they caught him.
But, like the sense of flight, there was
something else in his mind something ne
fought down and would not face. When 1t
came up he thrust it back fercely. That
something was the figure of Beverly Carlysle
STOPPING over her husbands body. He would
have died to save her pain, and yet last night
no it wasn't last night. 1t was years and
years ago. and all this time she had hated
him. ~
1t was unbearable that she had gone on
hating him all this time. .-5.
He was very thirsty, and water did not sat-
isfy him. He wanted real drink. He want
ed alcohol. Suddenly he wanted all the
liquor in the world. The craving came on at
dawn, and after that he kicked his sick horse
on recklessly, so that it rocked and stumbled
down the trail. He had only one thought
after the frenzy seized him, and that was to
get to civilization and whisky. 1t was as
though he saw in drunkenness his only es-
cape from the unbearable. In all probability
he would have killed both his horse and him.
self in the grip of that sudden madness. But
the deliverance came in the shape of casual
rider, stranger who for moment took up
the shuttle, wove his bit of the pattern and
passed on, to use his blowpipe, his spirit lamp
and his chemicals in some prospectors para
disc among the mountains.
When Dick heard somewhere ahead the
creaking of saddle leather and the rattle or
harness he drew aside on the trail and waited:
He had lost all caution in the grip of his crav-
ing, and all fear. line of loaded burroS
rounded point ahead and came toward him,
picking their way delicately with small del1b-
crate feet and walking on the outer edge OF
the trail, after the way of pack animals the
world over. Behind them was horseman,
rife in the scabbard his saddle, and spurs
jingling. Dick watched him with thirsty
feverish eyes as he drew near. He could
hardly wait to put his question
Happen to have drink about you, part
ner?" he called
The man stopped his horse and grinned.
pretty early in the morning for drink.
isn't it?" he inquired Then he saw Dicks
eyes; and reached reluctantly into his saddle
bag. 1--WE got quart here" he said. I've
travelled forty miles and spent nine dollars
to get it, but guess you need some. Fri.
You wouldn't care to sell it, suppose?"
"The bottle? Not on your life"
He united tin cup from his saddle, and
carefully poured fair amount into 1t. steady.
ing his horse the while,
Here he said, and passed 1t over. But
you'd better cut it out after this. It's bad
medicine. You've got two good drinks there.
Be careful.
Dick took the cup and looked at the liquor.
The odor assaulted him, and for queer mo-
ment he felt a sudden distaste fort He had
a revulsion that almost shook him. But ne
drank 1t down and passed the cup DaCk '41
you've travelled a long way for 1T, he
said land I needed it, I guess. If you'Hdet
me pay for it"
Forget it, said the man ,amiably, and
kicked his horse. "But better cut it out, first
chance you get. It's bad medicine. @'
He rode on after his vanishing pack, and
Dick took UP the trail again. But before long
he began to feel sick and dizzy; the after
taste of the liquor in his mouth nauseated
him The craving had been mental habit, not
physical need and his body fought the poison
rebellousIy. After time the sickness passed,
and he slept in the saddle. He reused once,
enough to know that the horse had left the
trail, and was grazing in a green meadow.
Still overcome with his first real Sleep, he
tumbled out of the saddle and stretched him
self out on the ground. He slept all day.
lying out in the burning sun, his face upturn-
ed to the sky. e.I..
-
Continued Saturday. Renew your subscrip-
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