The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-08-27


boat scraped that of his Iodger."
against old Croflit's front door. A
man past thirty years of age, well
dressed, and evidently a nervous
person, entered the lighthouse. Old
Croft stared at him in surprise. 1t
was his first visitor in many years.
"Well?" said Crofft, at last.
MY names Elkins," said the
stranger. I've come out to call on
you" And he smiled in a peculiar
manner.
"Well?" said old Crofit, once
more.
"You see, It's like this" said the
stranger, or Elkins, as he should
now be called. Il want to stay with
you for awhile. Oh, I'll pay you
WE'LL" he added hastily as he saw
the frown gathering on Croffit's face.
II think two or three weeks in the
~'!ddle of the bay would do me good.
Il run down in health-too much
,rfinement and work"
Cant do It," said Crofit.
Gainst the rules. Nobody but a
Dol 'ud want to stay here anyhow"
That's all right" said Elkins,
I'll pay you well for your trouble
and no one will be the wiser You
see I get funny notions sometimes.
! saw this light as l was riding on
a ferryboat and the idea Of living In
the middle Of the bay has taken such
a hold on me that ! can't shake II
off. I've just got to live here"
Old Croffit shook his head.
"See here" persisted Elkins. II
What would you say, now, to $50
for two weeks board in your
hOuse?"
Old Crofit still shook his head.
but the light OF greed was beginning
to show in his eyes. He was as
much a miser as any recluse becomes
while living alone.
"Ill make 1t double the amount"
said Elkins you see I am deter
mined. This may seem peculiar to
you, but then l am a peculiar man."
II WELL" said old Crofit at last, ~
you want to be real fool I guess
might as we'll take advantage Of
your craziness. It's risk, but
I'll chance It,"
Elkins brought in his suit case
and made himself at home. For
three days he did nothing but smoke
and walk nervously from window to
window in the lighthouse.
He made Crofit nervous, but the
old man was willing to put up with
the inconvenience for the money. Ell
kins rarely slept. He just walked
back and forth in the room and
smoked necessarily.
At the end of week he did not
look we'll. He became feverish. The
old man fixed him up in bunk and
gave him some simple remedies, but
Elkins continued to grow worse. In
another day he became delirious.
"He ought to have a doctor" 30
liloquized Crofft. but that means
that I'll be found out and get fired
for having a boarder. / guess quin-
ines what he needs, the dampness
was too much for him"
So old Cromt made MS patlent
comfortable, barred the windows.
and after locking the door from the
ouSide, rowed to shore.
While waiting his turn In q drug
store, Crofit picked up newspaper
and casually glanced over 1t. A pho
tograph on the front page caught his
attention. He looked at It closely,
then hastily read the article accom-
panying 1t. It told Of the robbery
of New York trust company. The
teller walked out with $4,000 In {
suit case.
Old man Crofit's heart began t0
beat fast. The photograph was that
of his lodger-the sick man In the
lighthouse. And there was ten
thousand dollars reward for his cap
ture.
Crofit was fairly dassd. After
awhile his excitement cooled. He
took his quinine and going to bis
boat sat down In the stern and
thought over the whole matter.