Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Michael J. Phillip* Illustrations by Homy J\y L«e Copyright Mick»*l V. Phillip* id thru PuMiahar* Auteeaiatar Sarvlo* THE LEADING CHARACTERS ixiison Forbea, 4 young resident ci Scottdale with an inheirnt craving for liquor, is held for the death of a wetnin who has been killed by a boot legging truck. Circumitatninl envi- denoe posntsi to Forbei aid rath er than tell the truth of the epsaodn, which would clear him but caat another friends into bad light, he stands trial and is senten ced to a long term in prison. The governor of the state, an old friend of Eddie's father, believes him inno cent and pardons him shortly after his arrrval at the jail. #*rk in Scott- dale he and Scoote Lab boy, a worthless charact er, who has smashed hismaachine into another ear, killing its lone occupant, * woman. For be*' companion and Lsbbey quit the scene hurridly, leaving the former alone to face a constable who reasons that Eddie, with the sre.it of whiskey about him, myn be con nected in some way with the accident. Accordingly, Fuibes it arrested. Patsy Jane, Eddie's pretty wife, a- grees that public sentiment runs too high against him. Accordingly they migrate up north to some land that has been in the family for years. Settled in their log cabin Isiah Sealman, a neighbor, pays the Forbes s visit and intimates that there are some back taxes for the young couple to pay. Sealman offers to give Eddie a job after he goes down to Long Portage, a nearby town, and learns about the taxes. The rmxt day while walking about tbeir property they diacover a mys terious mound that contains outcrop* mnular to salt. At the tax office be» i«*ms"tht«tlir*artrnrrar »> mount to over eight hundred dollars and that the certificates $re held by a Chicago capitalist who is eager to obtain the property. Eddie has five months to pay. A few days latw he helps a booze truck out of the mud and is presented with a bottle of whiskey which he hides before walk ing over to interview Sealman. CHAPTER IX An Offer SeaJman was not at home, a woman of middle age who answered his knock told Eddie. He was downtown. She looked at him with the curiosity of one who sees few strangers. He could feel her eyes boring into his txack from the small-paned windows opposite the point where the liquor retracing his stops. Now what to do? he thought dis- ■attsfliedly. There was plenty of wood cut. He didn’t want to coop up and > read. There was nothing else, ex cept an exploratory tramp. That was it: he would follow the road north, to find out wheie the booze-track came from. He stopped at the house to tell Pat and then turned into the sinuous double track along which the broad itires had left their impress. When he was opoeke the point where the liquor was was hidden, he turned to the jutting rock and thrust his. arm into the hole. He withdrew the flask and thrust it fhto his pocket without^ looking at ft. He swung northward for a mile he stopped shrapdy, matching out the bottle, re-, the cork with feverish baste < and took a long drink. The liquor was potent. He coughed and shuddered, but the effect of the stimulant was immediate. A genial glow coursed through his veinss He became otimistic. He whistled light- heartedly aa he fell into a distance eating stride that took him due north- Mile after mile wy. ppled qff r for he was determined- to And the end of the road. The soil w»* so poor that there were no settlers, no human habitation—nothing but the track, dip ping into the hollow ami surmount ing the king sandy knolls with sparse jackpme covering. He stopped ocassionally to drink again. The exercise kept the effect* of the whiskey <kiwn. At^iaet, long past mid-afternoon, Lake Huron, coi.l and gray under the asilaukt of the rain, hmke on his vision. The lake Ailed the entire horizon ahead. The rosd ended at a dock which thrust it self into the shallows. Fretful wave lets broke upon whito sand. Pines of good size fringed the shores of the* cove "They kghter it from out there a ways,” was Edie's thought. "The steamers shoot right across the lake from Che Georgian Bay country. Th'-y run the booxe-trucks day and night up here. But ** they get down where there are more towns, they must lay up days." He took out the bottle again. His potations had reduced the contents considerably. The .‘tuff was begin ning to take effect "Well, another little drink won’t do us any harm,” he said with a loud reckless laugh. "And guess it’s time to hit home- bo little old Tipperary down there by the creek. “It’s a long, long way to Tipper- aiy," he sang, unsteadiness creeping into his footsteps. D-irknees had fallen when he «lumped against the door of the cah- : n. The raincoat had impeded him. Somwhere back along the tral he had thrown it away. So that it was a drenched figure that toppled to the floox- w'hen Patoy Jane lifted the latch. She go 4 him undressed and to bed, somehow, hips compressed, eves glow ing with resentful inner fire*. He was inert as a log. He slept the nigh* through without movng. Real- V it was more of n stunor than of sleen. for the Houor hod the effect on his sen-es of a shrewdlyeswung mallet. He w"« sick next day, s : ok with a sense of failure and remor-e and worth ,,> ssness. but nhv«veally ill n« well. The exposure in the cold r» : n itself was , venomous drug. The adulterants which had been added to give bPe and volume by the various handlers bordered on deadly noisons and they clawed amd tore a* stomach ' 4 : T*te-tinal linings. It was not until the second morn ing. after he had eaten breakfast in « (h-e'sing rown. that P«t*v steeled herself against the pity whoh kent well ; ng up at the sight c# his pale face. She had tended h ; m uncom plainingly ignoring his fretful repin ing* and relfscourgmca. “New. Eddie/ ’she mid gravely, atroaa the breakfast table, “well have a little talk. I’m not going to say much—nagging won’t do a ny good. But we must have an understanding.” She hesitated before going on; “I don’t need to tell you what Liquor does for you. You know where it biought you—where you’d be if it weren’t for the governor. Eddie, I won’t aland any more. I can’t stand any more. This- ie the last time. If you get drunk again ill leave you." He searched the sad, piquant little face. The gray eyes were steady, the tender mouth frm. The finality of her words struck a chill in his heart. “But, Patsy! What would I d^. if you left me?” he burst forth, involt untarily, and then flushed at the childish selfishness of the remark. “I don’t know, Eddie. It might cure you. I can’t seem to cure you by staying.” There was no bitter ness in her words; only sadness. He leaned forward to take her hands “You won’t have to go, Pat" he as sured her, his voice trembling with eagerness. “I’m through with boose!, Oh. I know I’ve said it before, but this time I mean it. You’ll see. Never another drop as long as I live.” He* meant it. He was sure of himself. The chain* were broken. The con viction that he was hit •hone in his eyes. Sealman. “That is, it isn’t worth any more to anyone except possibly my self. I wouldn’t mind owning this quarter-section. It would round out my property nicely. 1 could run stock on it after it was fenced. JXou consider an offer?” Eddie looked at his wife. Her face did not reveal her thoughts, but he knew that beneath the surface, she di-:,appTQved. The idea of selling was repugnant. “I’ll listen,” he said, non committally. “Well, the actual value is perhaps a thou-and dollars. It might bring that if you had time to seanch for a buyer and interest the right party. Not a cent more. And it might take a $ear to find the rght man. Suppose I advace the money to satisfy the taxes, and. give you a thousand dol lars besides?” A thousand dollars. The offer was surprisingly generous. I meant that Sealman considered the place worth practically twice what the average person would pay. Well, if it was woith more than eighteen hundred dollars to Sealman, it must be worth that to them." —— — * “I don’t believe I care-STtell,” he aaid, and Patsy Jane’s graphed approval. eyes ' tele- \ faith and conviction, his hards joyfully. There was a knock at the .door. Sealman, the sleek, stood in a back- irround of tmliant sunshine when ‘Patsy Jane opened it “What’s the matter. Mr. Forbes—sick?”"he asked, his keen blue eyes roving as he to>k CHAPTER X Another Truck SealjQ*n showed his disappointment. “That’s a good price, Mr. Forbes, a big price. You won’t get another such offer." -v "Maybe not.” “You’ve admitted that there's a chance you can’t raise tfie taxes. You may lose everything." “That’s a chance I menu to take.” returned Eddie, soiling. He felt bet ter that the refusal was behind him. “Hum.” Sealman digested thw for a tune. “I’m not jusiiAed, Mr. Forbes, own man not j ug tift e< j a t all. In Ikct, I’m prob- She thrilled with ^jy fooijgh f or doing it. But I She squeezed mi|rht raise it to twelve hundred.” “No, thank you.” Sealman rose. Displeasure was struggling to show through the sleek ness of his manner. “Fifteen hun dred! That’s positively the last word, Forbes.” “No, Mr. Stfalman. I think ! can “I don’t believe I care to sell,” he said, and Patsy Jane’s eyes tele graphed a pproval. a chair. “A little under the weather,” re turned Eddie, shortly. “I was over to sse you the other day, but you lyere out.” v “Yes. You have looked up the taxes, I suppose. What did you find?” “Well, I have better than eight hundred dollars to raise in five pitiftths That job you stalked about begins to look pretty good, Mr. Sealman.” Sealman considered his hands fold ed over his rounded stomach, h*s lips pursed beneath his glossy beard. “Rather a lot of money,” he said, med itatively. “Have you ever considered selling?” “Oh, yes, we*ve talked it some,” re plied Eddie. “But I don’t suppo'e it would bping modi more than the taxes—the whole thing.” “It Isn’t worth any more,” agreed make it worth that by keeping it.” The roving blue eyes encountered Eddie’s for an instant. “Anyone else been making you an offer?” “No, I haven’t talked with another soul about t By the way, how about that job ? Does it look as though you could take me on as a farm-hand?” Sealman paused at the door and turned, his hand on the latch. “I’ve changed my plans somewhat, Forbes. I don’t see how I can use you. Good day.” “Why, the old hoptoad!” ejaculated feddie. “What’s gotten into him? I believe he's sore beciuse %e would not tell, or what?” “I don’t know, but I’m glad w4 didn’t,” returned Pat y Jane stoutly. “I don’t like him any better than you do, Eddie. I’m glad you’re not to work for him. What did he mean when, he asked if anyone eke tried to buy the place?” / “He meant that he's mighty anxious to get it. We haven’t heard the last of him, Plat, W|ell, we’ll have to jump in and pull it out of the fire. If he wants it and Brower wants it, there must be more to it than we realized. I can get a job, easy, I know.” Hp optimism was not justified. Most of the settlers in the vicinity had little good land, and that was illy-cultivated. They preferred hunt ing and fishing and getting outposts to farming, for which they had nether capital nor equipment. When he crossed the creek, how ever, there was a ray of hope. Thi Davenant ranch, plaything o{ ^weal thy Detroiter, had a resident foreman. He told Eddie that the owner had ambitious plans for the year in the way of heavy planting and much clearing. He might need several men When Mr. Davenanet^ came in ’ "a week or so. and made final decision, he had better be on hand. Eddie felt that he could not afford to wait even a week. He went to town. But Long Portage was over flowing with labor. The married men" who had been in the woods all winter were trooping back. Their summer jobs were kept for them. There was no chance for an outsider against their long-established claims. The weeks passed dully.- He dug and chopped out prne stump*, for their roots and pitchy knots made ex cellent firewood. The hard labor 1 of •awing and chopping smothered his homesickness and drowned in fatigue the craving for liquor which was ever near the surface. He fitted the woodshed to the eaves and even piled a tier around the in side of the garage, a flab shed with sloping roof. He made three trips to the Davenant ranch. But the own er had not yet arrived. Another rainy day found him clink ing the logs of the cabin with mud from the banka of t£e creek. It did not really need it But reatlessneas was devouring him, and the demand for liquor was rising like a prarie fire. The intensity of the passion frighten ed him. Back home, ht normal sur roundings and with a regular job, he had been able to kfedp' it somewhat within *• bounds. Especially as ’he little town and its uncompromising opinions imposed re~lraints upon hm. But here, the frontier still, where life was much more open and simple, the restraints were fewer. The wi!- demea, grim and unfriendly in storrh, gay and sparkling in sunshine, invited one to live his own life, uncaring. There were few to see and to comment. It was, he fancied, like the early days in the west. Some of the sett lers here were failures who had come to the jackpinej country to forget the past. They did not ask questions. Because they would resent such question^ frdm others. _ r Just after noon, while he was at the creek for sodden earth, there was a hail from the north road. He recog nized the guard of the liquor-truck whom he had assisted when it was mired. “Got a big wrench?” asked the man. “The nut's worked loose on this axle and one of our hind wheels was about ready to drop off when we noticed. Don’t know what he’s thinking of, but Jake hfcsn’t a wrench in his toolkit.” “Jus a minute,” replied Eddit^B' * brought the wrench from the and, vfith tumultous admuCture of feeling, accompanied the man up the road to the track It was but the work of a few minutes to twist the nut home on the jacked-up wheel. When it was done the guard with. a knowing smile, reached for tha box under the seat, but Eddia stopped him. »• ‘•C “Not for mine," he said. “The last bottle nearly put me away. I think it had arsenic in it!” “But this is good stuff,” assured Jake, eagelry. “This is a little pri vate stock we keep for our friends. We were all out last week.” “All right, kid, its up to you,” raid the guard, when Eddie refused again. “She’s clearin’ off. Come on and take a little ride.” Eddie responded to the invitftion- He did want to do something 'besides fight his own thoughts. He would ride a few miles toward t«m drop off, and walk hack through the bar ren*, which were beginning to ex ercise a powerful fascination for hm# Of course he wouldn't dnnk any of their beastly liquor. While the track went on, to wait for him below the ridge west of the house,' he ran in to tell Patsy Jane. “Go ahead; it’ll do you good,” she urged. And then she added: “Who are your friends?” “Oh, a couple of fellows I met a while ago,” he said evasively, as he kissed her. The booze-gunners proved tk> be entertaining companions. They took it for granted that he was a kindred spirit, pnd they spoke freely and huaaor, of their calling—it* dar i s adventures, its sordid tangle plot and crossplot. The first time they produced a bot- tie and drank from it, he refused their invitation to joiti; and the sec ond; but the third time he succumb ed to their urging to “take a sip.” W’hieh was only the start. (CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.) Advertise in The People-Sentinel il LONG TERM MONEY to LEND i; 6 per cent, interest bn large amounts , Private funds for small loans. # ~ BROWN & BUSH LAWYERS BARNWELL. SOUTH CAROLINA. :: NOV#-- Leonard Building Room No. 408 i That the Easter rush is over—ig the best time to get a permanent wave. You will enjoy it through the Spring and Summer months. Phone cr write for an appointme <1 Leonard Beauty Shoppe » MRS. A. DEAS, Prop. Phone No. 2237 J l ^ Augusta, Ga. ; ’ \ n i Tf;i«i.i 1 nr