Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-01-28
he Truamt Soul


hdu taken an immense overdose. one
lncoDceivable in the ordinary morphine
haDlt0e. And ne must have taken II
curing the brief period when Myers
was with him; he must have taken IL
DIS soon as he got back to his room.
why had Myers permitted it?
AT last Lancaster opened his eyes.
his gaze fell upon Joan's face, at first
without recognition, then with wonder.
water" he gasped, after a few in
eHectual attempts to speak.
Joan drew a glassful and gave 1t
10 him, and then another. Lancaster
guiped down the liquid greedily. Pres
ently he sat up, stood on his feet. and
CROPPED his way to the chair.
I'm sorry" he said, looking at Joan
with whimsical expression. 81
should have told you"
Doctor Lancaster. l am ashamed
of YOU, said Joan.
God knows I'm ashamed Of nv
self. he burst out fretfully. "Miss
wentworth, in the third drawer of
that desk. beneath a pile Of letters,
you'll find bottle"
No" said Joan decisively.
she knew by the wholly unneces-
sary secrecy in the concealment
characteristic of the drug habitue. that
Lancaster had gone long way down
the decllvity.
Miss Wentworth, you misunder-
stand me. It's an antidote for aka
ioldal poisoning. l was experimenting
with new drug"
Joan found herself sobbing, and she
was astounded. 1t was the wreck Of
the mans moral nature that was I'M
bearable. She saw the latent fineness
IN him, and 1t was as if the needless
lie was the voice of the morphine
devil that spoke through his lips.
Lancaster looked distressed. Miss
Wentworth, you had better leave me
and go back to Avonmouth on the eve
ming train" he said 81 ought never
to have brought you here. 1t was pure
selfshness on my part. Miss Went
worth, please don't cry. Go away now,
and We'll talk it over before you start
for the station"
IF l go away" wept Joan, you'll
take another hypodermic."
Il pledge you my word of honor no.
said Lancaster. with almost ingenious
candOr. II am really not accustomed
to such thing; that is why it
| knocked me out. / have been suffer-
ing from insomnia. and l tried a new
alkaloid--not morphine, you know, but
derivative-for the benefit Of my
patients"
The words came from his lips so
glibly that Joan was almost con-
vinced-wOuld have been. had not the
first lie been different. She hesitated.
She had no intention of leaving the
room, but she turned away.
Lancaster misunderstood her action.
With incredible swiftness his hand
shot out toward the little bottle He
had uncorked it and plunged in the
syringe before the girl could snatch
| it away.
Your word of honor!" said Joan
He leaned back in his chair and
looked at her with amusement.
Miss Wentworth" he said, "you are
nurse. Surely you are aware that
l am not to he trusted, that my word
| of honor is worthless? That l am
essentially devoid of honesty and de-
cency? Don't you know that this ac-
cursed thing"-he pointed toward the
bottle-"robs men of their honor and
self-respect, and lowers them beneath
the beasts?"
He spoke as II at a clinic, and quite
impersonaIly; there was the shadow
of a whimsical smile about his lips,
which twitched, nevertheless, with
pain.
"That does not refer to you," an
swered Joan. you asked me to help
you in the biggest fight of your life.
Well, l am going to help you in that
fight"
"It is too late" said Lancaster.
| Never" replied Joan valiantly.
"You don't understand, Miss Went
worth. That's the mistake all people
make in trying to cure us. Don't you
know that a man or woman never be-
comes a victim to a drug except from
! sleeplessness. or physical pain, or un-
der stress of mental anguish? If you
could cure me the old trouble would
! still be there. l should fall victim
again. Life is worthless to me, Miss
Wentworth" he ended. quite simply.