The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1902-09-06
CHAPTER XI.


81 have found something In the loft"
said EN- to Waldo. who was listlessly
piling cakes OF fuel on the kraal wal
a week after. 1T Is a box OF books
that belonged to my father. We
thought that Tant' Sannie had burned
them"
The boy put down the cake he was
-gising snd looked at her
II don't think they are very nice. not
stories, she added, but you can 90
and take any you like"
So saying she took mp the plate 10
which she had brought his breakfast
and walked OF 10 the house
After that the boy worked quickly.
The pile or fuel Bonaparte had ordered
him TO pack was on the wall IN half
an hour. He then went 10 throw salt
on the skins laid ont TO dry Finding
the pot empty, he went TO the loft 20
refill Il.
Bonaparte Blenkins. whose door
opened at the foot OF the ladder, saw
the boy 90 up and stood In the door
way Whiting for his return. lie want.
ed his boots BACKED Doss. finding he
could not follow his master up the
round bars. sat patiently AT the foot OF
the ladder Presently he looked up
longingly. but no one appeared Then
Bonaparte looked up also and began 20
call but there was no answer What
could the boy be doing1 The loft was
an unknown land TO Bonaparte. He
had often wondered what was up
there lie liked 10 know what was In
all locked up places and out of the
way corners, but he was afraid to
climb the ladder. So Bonaparte look.
ed up and. In the name OF I'll that was
tantalizing. questioned what the boy
did up there. The loft was used only
as n lumber room. What could the
fellow find up there TO keep him so
long?
Could the Boer woman have beheld
Waldo at that instant any lingering
doubt which might have remained In
her mind az to the boys insanity
would instantly have vanished. for,
having oiled the salt pot he proceeded
to look for the box OF books among
the rubbish that filed the loft Under
n pile OF sacks he found TIA rough
packing case. nailed up. but with one
loose plank lie lifted that and saw
the even backs or row OF books. He
knelt down before the box and ran his
hand along it's rough edges. as II 10
assure himself OF It's existence. lie
stuck his hand In among the books and
pulled out two. He felt them thrust
his fingers In among the leaves and
crumpled them little, rs a lover feels
the hair OF his mistress. The fellow
gioated over his treasure lie had had
a dozen books in the course Of his life.
Now here was mine OF them opened
at his feet After awhile he began 90
read the titles and now and again
opened a book and read n sentence;
but he was too excited 20 catch the
meanings distinctly At last he came
20 duh brown volume He read the
name. opened IL in the center and
where he opened began 10 read. Twas
chapter on property thnt he fell upon.
Communism. Fourierism. St Simon
ism. IN work on political economy
lie read down one page and turned
over 10 the next; he read down that
without changing his posture by an
inch: he read the next and the next.
kneellng up all the while with the book
in his hand and his lips parted.
All he read he did not fully under
stand The thoughts were new to him.
But this was the fellows startled Joy
In the book-the thoughts were his.
they belonged TO him. He had never
thought them before. but they were
his
lie laughed silently aud internally,
with the still intensity OF triumphant
Joy.
SO, then. all thinking creatures did
not send up the one cry; AS thou.
dear Lord. hast created things In the
beginning. so are they now, so ought
they TO be. so will they be. world with
out end. aud II doesn't concern us what
they are. Amen" There were men
TO whom not only "kopjes" and stones
were calling out lmperatIvely. What
are we, and how came we here2 I'm
derstand us and know u.s." but to whom
even the old. old relations between
man and man and the customs OF the
ages called and could not be made still
and forgotten.
The boys heavy body quivered with
excitement So he was not alone. not
alone. He could not quite have told
any one why be was so glad and this
warmth had come TO him. His cheeks
were burning. No wonder that Bona.
parte called IN vain and Doss put his
paws on the ladder and whIned ill
three quarters OF an hour had passed
AZ last the boy put the book 10 his
breast and buttoned II tightly 10 him.
He took nm the salt not and went 70