The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-12-17
CHAPTER x.
THE MYSTERY OF jim BUM.


q the most reasonable supposition
III Is that he had been hired by Kel-
vim to Investigate" Donald. Yet
there were objections to this theory.
The man had come upon his errand
too openly. If he had represented Kel-
vim in such a matter. he> would prob
ably have made some othSr excuse for
his visit, thus attempting to take Don.
aid off his guard. So far as could
see, the emissary had gained nothing
whatever, and it was difficult to
imagine that he could have hoped to
gain anything by such a method. AL
together the affair was very perplex-
ing until a new point Of view was
shown to me by Donald.
A few days after the impostor's de-
parture I left the office in the latter
part Of the noon hour. The men were
returning from dinner. There was al
ready a crowd in the narrow strip of
shade beside the factory, and in the
blazing sun some Of the younger fel-
lows were throwing ball. With them
was Donald in his college uniform, and
he seemed to be giving instruction.
There was much pride that summer
in our baseball nine, which had won
against all opponents. AS approach
ed the players Donald was illustrating
some method Of holding the ball in
ones fingers in order to put q jump
into it." as I heard him say. Beside
him stood poor little Tim Healy, lean
ing upon his crutch. He was looking
up at Donald with eyes Of alteration
and drinking in wisdom which his Grip
pied body would never permit him to
use.
Like this" ne exclaimed, taking the
ball from Donald's hand and clasping
it in his long, thin fingers, while he
made feint Of throwing it
Chats right, Tim," said Donald;
you've got the knack Of it."
The cripple flushed with pride as he
gave the ball to the big fellow who
was the real pupil.
Little Tim beholds in Donald the re-
alization of all which he himself would
ask Of the fairies if they should come
to him as servants Of his dearest wish.
He would have but one-to be like
Donald. I had watched this hero wor-
ship for some years, and its warm SIN
cerity, matched with the great kind
ness and delicacy Of my boys response
to it, has sometimes brought the tears
to my eyes.
Healy's condition IS due to an in
jury which he received when he was
eight years old. 1t disabled his left
leg and shoulder, stunted his growth
and in addition made him totally deaf
for several years. I have always re-
gretted that his misfortune was not
brought promptly to my attention. One
overlooks so many Of these things.
When I learned the facts, at the time
Of his fathers death, had good doc
tor take charge Of the boys case, with
the result that his hearing was re-
stored, though there was at first no
hope Of it His deformities were be-
yond cure. When he had had his school
ing, I took him into my employ. He
was some years older than Donald, but,
having lost q part Of his youth, he wait
ed as long as possible to gather up all
that remained.
learned from Donald that the ball
nine chad all northern New Jersey in
q panic" and from Timothy Healy,
treasurer, that the finances Of the Or
ganiZation did not require the small as
sistance which should have been will
ing to offer. Then the o'clock whistle
blew, and Donald and I were left to
ourselves.
'I've been thinking about the fellow
who wasn't Professor Severn" said I.
"What do you suppose Mr.. Kelvin ez-
pected to get out of you?
"Out of meS" he responded
"Out of whom, then?" said I.
"Uncle John," he replied, 'this is
subject upon which I don't seem to get
much light. I can only make few
wild guesses.'
"For instance"
Donald made some small, mysterious
passes in the air with the ball bat
which be carried il bis right hand as
we walked along.
''That man was q detective" said he.
'He was paid to find out something, to
do secret work. Isn't it q mistake,
then, to consider the work which he
did openly? l think that his interest
in me may have been only blind"
"But be didn't do anything else," I
objected.
"He had some long talks with my fa-
ther," said Donald, land with you. He
had planned to go driving with you
when he was suddenly called away"
I Irepied that could not guess what
the man had hoped to do with me un-
less to kidnap me and hold me for ran
som. Neglecting this jest, Donald ask
ed me if there were any way in which
my business could be attacked He
had read something in a newspaper
about an attempt to force me into
trust.
'Such attempts have been made" I
admitted. 81 have been approached
several times during the past year and
half, but If any Of those men dream
that they can coerce me they ought to
wake up at the earliest possible mo-
ment. We have the best machinery in
the world in that factory, Donald. We
hold our patents hard and fast. At
tempts have been made to undersell US
at loss and to hurt US with our Gus
toners in various parts Of the country,
but we are too strong for them. If we
were in debt or if there were any way
to interfere with our shipping arrange
ments the situation would be very diff
ferent, but we control this branch rail-
road absolutely, and through it We hold
ninety-nine year contracts with the
main line, so that there Is no possibil-