The Dolores star., 1924-04-25

His whole body was crying out FOR the
drink he wanted. But the thing that
frightened him was the realization.
brought home at last. that this was
what had been the matter with him
for months. In way, he had known
il all along. His shame over the habit
gave him away; his careful conceal
ment from his associates of the
amount OF whisky It took to see him
through the day.
lie got up and took the empty bottle
and the glass into the bathroom,
washed them out thoroughly. and then
washed his hands. The only way TO
quit was to quit.
There had been nothing in Joc's ex-
perience that was comparable with the
tortures of the ensuing week.
He was starving. for food was some
thing he could hardly bring himself
to touch; he was consumed by what
seemed Ike thirst, except that 10
drink he would take could satisfy IL {;
he was dragged down by heavy lassi-
tude; his nervous irritabillty was that
of man excoriuted: he was utterly
and terribly alone. Worst Of all was
the obsession that one drink, even n
small drink. of whisky would make
him instantly himself again. He as
serted to himself that this was a lie {;
that at the worst he was n better man
than the muzzy-witted fool he had
been for the past six months: but this
was an assertion that he had con-
stantly TO make anew.
The only thing that supported him
was the other fight he was engaged in.
the fight to keep himself and the en-
terprise which he had made part of
himself out of the waiting clutches of
John Williamson and his friends.
Jennie's letter when 1t came on Mon
day morning made II clear that they
must have been waiting and ready for
good while. There was no doubt
in Jennie's mind, nor in Joe's. that
the other crowd were completely un-
loaded.
Joe got her at once on the telephone
and told her TINT he was going to keep
on trying to market the fax in New
York. He was going after new lot
Of people. Jennie she I'd go to the
meeting and receive their terms. and
transmit them TO him. Also she was
70 avoid saying anything about his
plans or present whereabouts. He
ended the conversation by telling her
that she wasn't TO feel discouraged.
L. In
yet.
He had begun. as he told Jennie he
meant to do, with new crowd, none
or them as big as the men in the
inner ring; but on Friday. when he
had talked to dozen of them to-
Sether at prearranged lunch, this
reawakened sensitiveness of his told
him the tide had turned against him.
He tried to shout this instinct down,
but he knew he was beaten.
He went back to the hotel, and there
found Jennie's letter containing in full
the terms offered by Williamson, Cor
bett and Crawford. The mental effort
involved in reading the letter was an
agony in Itself. In the broad outline.
however, 1t was simple enough The
first move had been on Monday morn
ing, when the three of them formally
rendered their designations as direc-
tors in the Greer company, the rcGson
being offered in each case that they
were no longer stockholders In the
company. They now proposed to or
ganiZe new corporation which would
enter into five-year contract with the
Greer company TO buy the entire out
put of raw fax which the Greer com
pany was committed to buy from the
subsidiaries. at the price which the
Greer company had paid the subsid-
iaries plus brokers' commission of
one-eighth Of one per cent. The Greer
company was given thirty days in
which to accept this offer.
Joe grinned savagely over the neat-
ness of the thing. He was to be left
undisturbed in control of the Greer
company. The Greer company wa to
be saved from bankruptcy, allowed to
collect its meager royalties, IL it could,