Adventure, November 1915 — page 160: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

158 He must have done so—nobody else upon the ship uses the stuff. Why should any one steal it?” : ‘When did you take your last dose from the box?’’ he added, turning to Podd. — “Vesterday morning,” replied Podd. “I put a couple of sniffs in my pocket, and didn’t have occasion to go near the box until last night. All night I have hada yen. It grows. My God! I’llgocrazy! It has been stolen, I tell you! You can not think I would put myself in this hell!”’ “You don’t know what you may have done while under the influence of that drug,”’ - retorted Farley. “I am a doctor, and I know. You are not responsible. I have noticed you several times during the past few days—you have been overdosing your- self.”’ Podd dropped into a chair and buried his face in his hands. ‘What surprises me,”’ continued Farley to Dacy, “‘is the fact that not a particle of morphia or cocain is to be found in the medicine-chest. One would suppose that a war-ship would carry a plentiful supply of those drugs for anesthetical purposes.” “He will have to get along without the stuff,” said Dacy. “Brace up, man,” he or- dered Podd contemptuously. ‘“‘Good heav- ~ ens! Use your will power. Another twenty- > four hours and you will be able to poison | yourself as much as you please.” “He has no will power,” said Farley. “The drug has stolen it from him. Here, Podd, I’ll give you some more of that laudanum. It will not soothe your yen, but it may quiet your nerves a bit:” He stepped to the medicine-chest, opened it and produced a bottle. He procured a spoon from the table and poured out a spar- ing dose of the reddish fluid. Podd gulped it eagerly. “More!” he pleaded. “No, your heart is rotten,” said Farley, relocking the chest. “Another dose would finish you. Go to your bunk and try to sleep.’ . Poor Podd bowed his haggard face in despondent resignation and lurched from the room. During the conversation I had advanced to the table, seemingly intent upon a meal, though my keen interest was for the situa- tion. When, Podd departed, I seated myself and prepared to breakfast upon the cold” food on the table. Farley turned to Dacy ' about. Adventure and remarked, evidently vious conversation— “Then I suppose I may tell the boys you will allow them a little refreshment, Cap- tain?” “T don’t like the idea very well, doctor.’ Dacy frowned. “It is subversive of discipline to give them liquor.” “They deserve a little leniency,” urged Farley. ‘‘Just a nip around—not enough to affect them.” “All right, have your way,” assented Dacy. ‘This is a British Navy ship, so there is plenty of the stuff on hand. Turk may take a bucket of grog forward—not more than a pannikin apiece. “Remember, Turk, not more than a pan- nikin apiece!’”’ he addressed the negro. “Yes, suh, Ah undahstand suh,” said Turk. Turk nudged Dooin, and the two of them disappeared within the pantry regions. Farley departed to the deck, and Dacy, after a turn or two up and down the room and a remark to me upon the continued fineness of the weather, followed after him. apropos of a pre- Cl I SPENT the greater part of the peies morning and the early part of the afternoon wandering aimlessly about the decks and lounging in the ward-room. Twice during the day we raised distant sails, and each time Dacy slightly altered our course and we sped away from the stranger. I noticed from the position of the sun that the Wasp was bearing in slightly for the coast. : _ Twice I met Podd wandering restlessly He was a pitiful spectacle. The poor devil was rapidly going to pieces. I recalled his own words to me, “A million maggots feasting upon your brain,” and I could almost see the million-fanged monster of his vice, feeding upon his terrible cra- ving. Keenly interested though I was in Podd’s condition, it was not to observe him that I stayed from my bunk and denied myself needed rest. I longed to see the girl again; it was in the hope of encountering her that I spent ambulant hours. But she seemed determined to keep to the seclusion of her room, and I finally despaired of a meeting. - Then, when she did come, I was unprepared. ‘I was sitting in the empty ward-room, when I heard a soft, ‘Oh!’’ from behind me. COPMICLOOKS (C (Cc) im