The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1900-04-21
A DETECTIVE
II WHO u.
DETECTED
I.-oNTINUEp.
By Philip 6. Hubert. j
J&GS Copyright. sos SJSNN
" ~ By r. Lippincott Co. ~ w

Nine o'clock struck, the big doors Of
the library swung open, and our little
group, now numbering at least score
Of persons, filed in and scattered. j
took up my pile Of cards where l had
left of, and went at it pending the ar
rival of the librarian. That gentleman
smiled at my suggestion 10 examine
the copy of the Londoner for 1s4S, but
good-naturedly led the way TO an alcove
in the second story. In the semi-dark-
ness / almost ran over young fellow
carrying an armful of books, one of the
attendants of the library. The partic-
ular copy of the Londoner was found,
and no second glance was needed TO
show that il had been taken down more
recently than any of its fellows upon
the same shelf. Plainly ii was worth
while TO keep on with my search among
the cards.
When noon came stopped, tired and
hungry, having gone back full month
without finding what sought. AS
crossed the main hall of the library to
leave for luncheon, the young girl /
had noticed at the door was carrying
one of her big books back TO the desk.
She staggered under the weight.
"Will you allow me 10 help your" i
whispered, for loud talk is forbidden in
side the library. And, taking her smile
as an answer, / took the book and car
ried 1t to the desk.
THANK you," she whispered, and
was gone.
/ met her again on my way back from
luncheon. ] was so tired with my
mornings work that ventured upon
little stroll towards one of my favor
lite haunts in the Bowery, book-stall
where / had sometimes found treas
ures. Hope deferred, says the poet or
somebody else, maketh the heart sick;
and my hopes had been aroused and
deferred several thousand times that
morning. Upon every card / took up
l had hoped to see "Londoner Maya
zine, 1s4s," and i had seen nothing of
the kind. The sleuth-hound within me
was tired out. Another day of il, and /
should ask to have some one else de-
tailed to find Mr.. James G.. Danders. 1t
was in this respondent frame of mind
that began 10 turn over the pile OF old
books exposed upon q sidewalk stall,
and it was only when i happened TO in
terfere with the delvings OF neighbor
in the same box that with n start of
pleasure / recognized the girl whom
had helped in the library an hour be-
fore. She made no pretense OF ignoring
me; on the contrary, she smiled in the
pleasantest manner, and in five minutes
we were talking books with all the
friendliness Of old acquaintances. She
was rs clever and interesting MS she was
pretty. And she was almost 40 fond Of
old books as l was.
81 suppose you wonder why work so
hard there" she said, as we strolled
back towards the library.
mot at ALL" said i, wondering all
the more, and waiting with some curl
osity for the explanation that would
now be forthcoming.
"My father is an invalid" she went
on, with n sigh and the first shadow
had seen on her face. "IIe is almost
blind, owing TO an accident, and can
not see we'll enough TO go about the
streets. Nevertheless he writes n great
deal. So that when he needs 90 consult
a book at the library, which is about
every day, 1 have TO be his representa-
tive, copying what / think will be of
value TO him. Often / find that have
wasted my day, as l am not scholar
enough TO know exactly what my IA
ther wants and what he doesn't want.
First copy the table OF contents OF the
book and take ii TO him. lie goes over
II aud marks the chapters he wants.
The library rule is not to allow book
TO 20 outside of the building; II the
directors knew how many hundreds and
thousands OF useless pages l have
copied from their dusty old books in
the last two years, and how many head
aches their rule Is responsible for,
really think they would make an excep-
ton I'm my favor"
"What particular field are you inter
ested In ?" asked. This was deep upon
my pnrt for with that information
sould find out frora the cards the name