The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-01-07

confirmed drug-user like myself.
'Stopi Don't listen to mel" he
added suddenly. You can trust me,
Miss Wentworth. I'm going to fight
this out, and win"
"You are winning" answered Joan,
bending over him. Don't forget that.
Say Il am winning whenever the pain
seems uncomfortable and your Will
seems gone. II won't last long. Doc
tor Lancaster. you are your own self
at this moment, and nothing can harm
you. Fight the good fightr'
He caught her hand and carried 1t
to his lips. Miss Wentworth, you are
my good angel !" he cried. Il secured
the services Of an angel unawares.r
he added. looking at her with that pa
thetic humor which went straight to
sake. But why are you taking so
much trouble for worthless old fell
low like mef"
Don't fatter yourself that 1t Is all
for you, Doctor Lancaster. Perhaps
| may want TO save the most distin-
guished surgeon in the South"
AT her words he started; he stared
at her. and then fell back upon the
pillow. hiding his face. Joan turned
away. Again she had touched soms
hidden spring of memory; what IT was
she could not know, but II was evil
dent that she had wounded him to the
quick.
No. . l.
the office he held and the man he had
become. Perhaps IL was the knowl-
edge Of his secret bondage which had
broken him down at last and driven
him back to the institute, and Myers.
Miss Wentworth, | want you to
lock my door and take away the key"
he said. Il may have secret sup
ply somewhere"
II don't think you have" answered
Joan You have none in this room,
have you?"
mo"
81 believe that And. anyway. I am
going TO trust you. That is part OF
your fight 1 am going to trust you
till six"
He said good night in a low tone
and turned away. Joan went up to
her room. She lay down, but did not
undress She was afraid, and she ad-
mitted that she was afraid, and moth
ing but Lancaster's desperate need of
her would have kept her an hour
longer in the institute. But she was
exhausted from the day, and soon she
was asleep.
She slept that sleep which brings
no recreation for the jaded body or
the overweight mind All the while
she was back with Lancaster in his
room below. in spirit She knew that.
as he had said. the drug bondage was
only the climax of his difficulties.
What had there been that had
wrecked the man? jenkins hint at
stolen funds? OF one thing she was
sure: Lancaster sunken as he was,
was incapable Of dishonesty. No. she
must have placed a wrong construc-
ton on Jenkins words.
And in her sleep her brain went on
puzzling over the problem. Only her
body was quiescent. and it lay YEARLY
in the bed like some chained captive.
But suddenly the urgent summons
OF the brain shcOk from il the tram
mels of sleep. Joan listened intently.
awake upon the instant. as some wild
of the woods that senses
danger. Somebody was coming along |
the corridor
ha
stealrhy that she might have thought |
she was dreaming but for the sense
IF imminent danger. the knowledge /
Of some malevolent design. The steps /
stopped and began again. the merest |
touches of sound against the silence
feet outside the door,
Then the door began TO open.
There was no moon. and the faint
outside only seemed TO rem
Ter darker the obscurity within. Yet.
through the darkness Joan knew that
, hand lay on the door jamb. and that
/ figure watched her across the room.
She leaped from her bed. who's
here?" she called. in tones that
seemed TO shock the silence.
She could see nothing now. and she
Jared not turn aside TO light her lamp.
She knew that the figure was crouch
ng somewhere. She heard the softest
'reathing. but could not locate il in
he room. She felt the atmosphere of
vii that surrounded her She started
o cross the room. cropping. with arms
utstretched- Then she found the in
ruder and flung herself upon it.
Her left hand closed about wrist. !
upple and strong. Her right hand j
cid another hand. They wrestled in
he darkness, their bodies tense bur
lotionless. only the hands and wrist
muscles al strife. Not a sound came
rom their lips.
Joan thought il was woman's
ands she held. Her fingers sought
ne menace in the closed fists. The
1T hand of the intruder was empty;
III in the right was a jagged piece
broken tumbler that tinkled to ,
ie floor