THE KIDNAPPER'S SURPRISE--ON THE WRONG TRACK--BLOODY JIM'S
CAPTURE--THE POWER OF HABIT--DISPAIR--THE ROTTEN PLANK.
It was late on the following morning when Bloody Jim awoke. He rubbed
his eyes and scratched his head with a vacant stare, for he did not at
first remember where he was. When the objects by which he was
surrounded had sufficiently refreshed his memory he began to look
about for his prisoner and, behold, she was nowhere to be seen.
He ground his teeth with rage. "Ketchum," he said, giving his still
snoring companion a tremendous shake, "wake up, that d----d gal is
gone."
"Gone!" exclaimed Ketchum, starting up and beating around among the
bushes, "she aint gone far I reckon."
"She has too," said Bloody Jim, following his exclamation with an
oath.
"How do you know, Jim?"
"That horse she's taken, Ketchum, will travel like lightning."
Now it so happened that the animal alluded to had broken loose during
the night, and, as Bloody Jim had appropriated his services without
consulting his master, who was an honest farmer living in the vicinity
of St. Paul, the sagacious beast deliberately set out to return to his
former comfortable quarters.
The natural conclusion of the villains was that Little Wolf had fled
on their missing horse, and so when they had succeeded in finding his
track they followed it. Mile after mile of their former route was
retraced. Hour after hour they plodded on, scarcely stopping to give
their beasts necessary rest until the night overtook them, and then
were only delayed for a short time. They rose with the moon, and, in a
few hours actually came in sight of the deserter. He was drinking at
the river's brink within sound of the roar of St. Anthony's Falls.
Perceiving his pursuers approaching, the noble beast threw up his
head, gave a loud snort and darted off.
Bloody Jim gave an impatient grunt, but Ketchum clapped his hands with
delight. "Golly: the gal must be near here," said he.
"No, me think she got to the tavern on yonder hill. We must find a
hiding place, Ketchum, and me have the gal yet, or the constable have
me."
Bloody Jim little thought when he made his boast that he would be in
the power of the constable before night, but so it was. The riderless
horse having been seen at St. Anthony's, suspicions were aroused, a
search was instituted, and the result was the capture of the imprudent
and high-handed outlaw.
To all questions put to him concerning Little Wolf, he had but one
answer, "me not know."
Threats and bribes elicited nothing more and it was generally supposed
that he had murdered her. But as the whole affair was shrouded in
mystery, there was some few inclined to the opinion, that she was
secreted in some place, from which the protracted absence of Bloody
Jim would give her an opportunity to escape. Among the last named was
Dr. Goodrich and Edward Sherman.
The Doctor was not at the examination of the prisoner, and Edward
hastened to inform him of the result. He was at his old haunt, and, as
usual, under the influence of stimulus when Edward entered.
"No satisfactory information could be obtained from the old
scoundrel," said he, throwing himself upon a lounge.
The events of the past few days had worn upon him, and his anxious
look did not escape Hank Glutter, who turned away to conceal his
exultation.
"Poor fellow, he too mourns for her," thought Edward, mistaking his
movement for one of grief.
After a moment's silence, Hank poured out something from the bar.
"Drink this, Sherman," said he, passing it to Edward, "I see you are
tired; it will strengthen you."
Since Edward's entrance, Dr. DeWolf had sat gazing at him fixedly. The
bleared, dull light of his eyes gave place to a keen, wild expression
as Edward accepted the proffered glass.
"Mr. Sherman," said he, in an unusually strong voice, "do you see what
is in that cup?"
"Why, yes, doctor; it is wine."
"Yes, surely it is wine," replied the other "and your inexperienced
eye sees nothing more than a harmless beverage; neither did this
bleared and bloated old man see more than that in his wine years ago.
Ah! could he have seen in his youth the vision in his cup which he now
sees in that which you now hold to your lips, he might have been
saved from a life of disgrace and ruin. The chain which once bound me
was as light as that which now binds you."
"No chain binds _me_," said Edward proudly. "I need not drink this
unless I choose."
"It seems but yesterday, Edward Sherman since I addressed similar
language to your father, and well do I remember his arguments to
induce me to abandon every beverage that could intoxicate. I recollect
how I loathed the drunkard, as you do me, and how my proud heart
rebelled at the humiliating thought that habit would ever become too
strong to be controlled by my will; but boastings were vain; the time
will shortly come when I shall sink into a drunkard's hell--and you,
poor Hank, will be there too," he continued, turning to Hank Glutter,
"you will be sent down to wait upon your customers. You must stand
behind your flaming bar and pour out the liquid fire and brimstone for
such as I; but, never mind, the traffic will enrich you with showers
of molten gold. No drop from God's pure fountain to cool your parched
tongue. One long eternal blaze shall light up your saloon. Drunken
devils reeling to and fro--Oh! I see them now"--and the doctor gave, a
fearful shriek and fell upon the floor.
He raved frightfully for hours, but in an interval of calmness was
removed to his desolate home.
The loss of his wife had entirely unfitted daddy for active service,
and Sorrel Top, on account of her youth and inexperience, was an
inefficient nurse: consequently Mrs. Hawley's services were engaged.
Edward also bestowed every attention in his power, but the delirium
tremens had fixed upon his aged friend and his horrid imaginings
continued for days.
It was impossible for Edward, who was the soul of humanity, to witness
unmoved the doctor's terrible agony, and, at such seasons, he would
invariably resolve that he would put forth an effort to reclaim him.
"I will reason with him and show him the folly of his course," said he
to himself.
When the invalid was able to bear conversation, Edward approached him
on the subject as delicately as possible.
"Dr.," said he, "I am young to advise one like you, but if you would
permit me, I think I could prescribe a remedy for your disease, and
one that would ensure you a hale, hearty old age."
"I know what you would say, Edward," replied the Dr., rising upon his
elbow, "but I cannot do it. I cannot let drink alone. I must drink if
it kills me. Times without number I have forsworn it, and I will never
add another broken vow to my perjured soul. If you would be useful in
the cause of temperance, Edward, if you would save such as I, and,
what is more important, if you would save the young, then use all your
influence to stop the liquor traffic."
"Oh, I'm not at all ultra," said Edward, somewhat embarrassed, "I have
never given the subject which you mention much thought."
"Then it is high time you should," said the Dr., warming up with a
look of lofty enthusiasm, "I am sober now, Edward, and I may never be
in my right mind again. I _must_ drink to-day, I know I can get it,
and I will have it; I suppose you would say, 'if he will go to the
devil, let him go;' but I say, if there was no drink to be had, if it
were not sold here, if it were not sold elsewhere, I could not get it,
and I should be saved. A law prohibiting the sale of intoxicating
drinks is what is most needed. I know these sentiments coming from one
like me sound strangely, but, Edward, such a law enforced in my native
state would have saved me, and I know it. Such a law now enforced in
all our states would restore many a besotted husband to a
broken-hearted wife; many a lost son to a widowed mother, many a
darling brother to a distressed and mortified sister. It would bring
light and gladness to thousands of sorrowful hearts and homes; it
would feed the hungry, clothe the naked. Less blood would cry aloud to
heaven for vengeance, and less crime of every description would be
committed. This lovely territory will soon become a state; here you
will rise to eminence in your profession. I know it will be so. You
possess your father's talents, and you also possess his high social
qualities, which, at one time, brought him to the verge of ruin. Judge
Sherman did not at first love drink, but he often drank to please his
friends. His associates tarried at the wine, and he would be one with
them. The secret, Edward, of the fall of nine-tenths of our young men
is social drinking; now, moral suasion has saved many, and no doubt
will save many more. But would you give the serpent his death wound,
then bring the arm of the law down upon him and it is done."
"The prohibitory liquor law of Maine has been said to have worked
wonders," said Edward rather faintly, "but it is thought to be
unconstitutional, by many of our best lawyers."
"Undoubtedly it has been so declared," said the Dr., "but I would be
sorry to believe the opinion correct; would not you, Edward?"
The Dr. fixed his piercing eyes upon Edward, for he began to suspect
that his young friend's views did not coincide with those which he had
expressed.
Edward moved uneasily in his chair, bit his lips, and finally
stammered out, "Well, I don't know Dr., really, it seems like
depriving a man of his liberty to legislate upon what he shall, or
shall not sell."
"Even if he sells that which he knows will craze his neighbor's brain,
and cause him to commit the most atrocious crimes? When an individual
directly, or indirectly aids and abets crime, ought he to escape
punishment?"
Edward saw that he stood upon a plank of the rotten old platform, upon
which so many have broken through, though they still hold to the
decaying posts, and he ingeniously evaded the question.
"I'm afraid, Dr., you are over-exerting yourself," said he, "I will
leave you to rest while I walk out and breathe the fresh air."