The Washington times., 1925-09-05

:
what had happened, saying that
she realized it had not been Don
aid Lowrie who had given her
such a fright, but man crazed
with alcohol.
I was unable to understand
Grace's process of reasoning. but,
of course. it drew and obligated
me to her. She had told no one
what had occurred. I concluded
that she was. a good sport and
that there was a great deal more
to her than one imagined.
Three Days Agony
During the late summer Pru-
.dence again persuaded me to try
that same liquor cure. I put in
another three days Of agony
there. came out entirely sober
and. happening just to see whis-
key advertisement, made me i'll.
Prudence and I had planned to
go to the mountains for a two
weeks outing. don't know what
made, me do it, but invited
Grace. 9z
Grace gladly. accepted. When
]. Prudence she was furious. stat
ing that our climbing would be
spoiled sby having an inexperi-
enced person along. She even
threatened to cancel the trip,
We went, however, and it turned
out much as Prudence had pre-
dtcted. Grace had the will but
not the stamina. Our excursions
over. the Six Husbands trail, over
the Castel1ated Ridge and through
the Great Gulf up over Mount
jefferson proved to be aseries
} of rescue parties. Grace played
out repeatedly. It was all too
strenuous for her.
Fire Burns Girls, Clothes
On the last lap Of the trip, over
the Davis trail, it rained contin-
uously. We had no alternative
but to go on, and were all soaked
to the skin, our shoes slushing
with every step. At Camp Isola-
ton, the second night, while i
was out chopping wood for the
evening camp fire, my two com.
panions managed to get off their
wet garments. using the lean-to
ass shelter and strung them on
an improvised line over the camp
The : -s--.e ,..-. $3.50.
- heard screams 11d:ss...rI1zsi1ecff
back to camp. The garments had
dried much more rapidly than the
girls had. anticipated, had ignited
from the blaze and Were Consumed
whHe9 the girls stood watching
{ and screaming.
Why they screamed, don't
know. All I know is that when
the full significance of.ythe disas-
ter seeped intes my consciousness
I laughed and laughed. until they
both became furiously angry,
Fortunately we were only one
days march from Bemis, little
station in the mountains, and the
sun broke clear and fine the next
morning. But every time / looked
at the girls that day-although to
all appearances: they looked per.
'fectfy clad for outdoor Iffe-I had
to laugh
CHAPTER LVIf
Returning to Boston, I had two
immediate lecture dates to fill, in
Philadelphia and at Wilmington,
Del. I was in fine fettie. The
mountain trip, with the vigorous
exercise, had set me up. On the
surface there was no apparent
excuse for a reyersion to alcohol.
Even to me it is puzzle why I
returned to 1t.
But I stopped in New York while
on my way home and got drunk.
1t was a Saturday night, and the
Great White Way" was thronged
with crowds. New York, like
every other place, Is provincial on
Saturday. night.
walked up and down Broad
way until long after midnight.
stopping in at various bars for
sundry drinks. About / o'clock
drilling rain started to fall and
the streets became pretty well
deserted, but continued to walk,
indifferent to the weather. felt
restless, as II there was some
thing about to happen. My
usual practice Of buying a quart
of liquor and drinking myself
stupid in bed did not appeal to
me.
1t must have been. close to 3
o'clock in the morning when I
deserted the figure of a woman,
dressed in black, about half
block ahead of me.
TO Be Continued Monday