The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1912-02-16

Wells, The Wheels OF Chance.
What's 1t all about?" Daylight
asked.
"Oh. It's Just q novel. love-story."
She stopped. but he still stood wait
ing, and she felt It incumbent to 90 on.
It's about little Cockney Diapers
assistant, who takes q vacation on
his bicycle. and falls in with young
girl very much above him. Her moth
er is a popular writer and all that.
And the situation is very curious. and
sad. too, and tragic. Would you care
to read it,"
Does he get herr" Daylight de-
manded.
mo: that's the point of 1t. He
wasn't"
And he doesn't get her. and you've
read all them pages. hundreds of them,
to find that out?" Daylight muttered In
amazement.
Miss Mason was nettled as we'll as
amused.
But you read the mining and finan-
cial news by the hour" she re-
torted.
But I sure get something out of
that. It's business. and it's differ
emit get money out Of it. What do
you get out Of books?"
Points of view. new ideas. life"
Not worth a cent cash"
But life's worth more than cash"
she argued.
"Oh. WE'LL" he said. with easy mas
culine tolerance. so long as you en-
Joy IT, That's what counts. I suppose:
and there's no accounting for taste"
Despite his own superior point Of
view. he had an idea that she knew
lot. and he experienced a fleeting
feeling like that of a barbarian face
to face with the evidence of some ire
mendous culture. To Daylight cul-
ture was a worthless thing. and yet.
somehow, he was vaguely troubled by
a sense that there was more In culture
than he imagined.
Again. on her desk. in passing. he
noticed book with which he was IA
miliar. This time he did not stop, for
he had recognized the cover. II was
magazine correspondents book on
the klondike, and he knew that he
and his photograph figured In 1t, and
he knew, also, Of q certain sensational
chaptcr concerned with a woman's
suicide. and with one ITO Much Day
light" After that he did not talk with
her again about books. He imagined
what erroneous conclusions she had
drawn from that particular chapter
and 1t stung him the more in that they
were undeserved. He pumped Morri
son, the clerk. who had first to vent
his personal grievance against Miss
Mason before he could tell What little
he knew OF her.
She comes from Siskiyou County
She's very nice to work with In the
Z office. of course. but she's rather stuck
on herself-exclusive. you know"
How do you make that out?" Day
light queried.
We'll. she thinks too much Of
herself to associate with those she
works with. In the office here, for in
stance. She won't have anything t.
do with a fellow. you see. I've ask
ed her out repeatedly. to the theatel
and the chutes and such things. Blu
nothing doing. Says she likes plent,
of sleep. and can't stay up late. and
has to 60 all the way to Berkeley
that's where she lives. But that's al
hot air. She's running with the Uni
versity boys. that's what she's doing
She needs lots of sleep. and can't g,
to the theater with me, but she cal
dance all hours with them. I've hear,
1t pretty straight that she goes to al
their hops and such things. Rattle
stylish and heightened for q stenos
rapher. I'd say. And she keeps
horse. too. She rides astride all owe
those hills out there. saw her on,
Sunday myself. Oh. she's a high
flyer. and i wonder how she does II
Sixty-fve a month don't 60 far. Thel
she has a sick brother. too"
Live with her people?" Dayligh
: asked.
No: hasn't got any. They wer
well to do. I've heard. They must hav
. been. or that brother or hers couldn'
have gone to the University of Cal
. fornia. Her father had a big cattle
. ranch. but he got to fooling with mine
or something. and went broke befor
he died. Her mother died long befor
that Her brother must cost q lot Q
= money. He was husky once. playe
football. was great on hunting and b.
ing out In the mountains and sue
things. He got his accident breal
ing horses. and then rheumatism Q
something got into him. One leg |
shorter than the other. and withere
+ up some. He has to walk on crutche,
d | saw her out with him once-cros,
q ing the ferry. The doctors have bee
4 experimenting on him for years. an
I he's In the French Hospital now.
d think"
All Of which side-lignts on Miss NJ,
4 son went to increase Daylight's intel