The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1912-01-05

the business with and after he had
seen them and reported to the home
Office he must wait for further ill.,
structions. The result was that he
was seldom occupied more than half
an hour day and usually not that.
for literary or artistic persons than
for those devoted to business. There is
a public library there, and to Tread
well, passing the place, it appeared
DO inviting that he concluded to go in
and look for something to read. 1t
was a quiet place, the light subdued,
and as he entered the librarian, Il
young woman, arose from desk where
she was writing on some cards and
stood ut the counter. over which the
books are passed. Treadwell asked
for something to read, saying that he
was a stranger and would be obliged
If she would recommend book:
The girl handed him novel. There
were alcoves in the building, and she
told him he would be welcome to sit
down in one of them and read.
For one subject to the influence of
books there can be nothing pleasanter
than to lean back in big leather
chair in one of these quiet alcoves,
where he may occasionally glance at,
foliage and f1eckcd sunlight on the
grass without. Treadwell stretched
his legs and rested his head Oh the
cushion and opened the book. On the
fyleaf was name written in ink,
"Eleanor Trimble." Whether she had
given the book to the library or it
had been purchased secondhand
Treadwell did not know. But under
the quieting influence Of the place he
fell to wondering about her before
beginning to read. The date on the
title page was an old one, but some
how he could not but look upon Ele-
amor Trimble as Il young person.
There was something about the sto-
ry-Treadwell could not tell what
that attracted him. And what put a
finishing touch upon his interest was
that some one had marked in light
pencil certain passages that especially
appealed to him. Treadwell's fitting
fancy had lighted on Eleanor Trim
bic, and it would not be satisfied with
any other marker of these thoughts,
About some of the passages-indecd,
most of them-there were two of these
marks, and to a number there were
three.
0rrt1n1s f0nnv-oVrit0nf
Why had, Miss Trimble, Who by this
time Treadwell had begun TO picture
as very pretty girl of an intellectua!
type, chosen to make sometimes one,
sometimes two, sometimes three marks
about these ideas that had pleased
her? Treadwell had come to the libra
ry to kill time by reading, and he was
not only killing it by building up an
imaginary girl, but he experienced Il
singular pleasure in doing so. He
drifted into the feeling that this Flea
nor Trimble had written the story or
was at least in some way identified
with it.
At any rate, she was to him the
heroine. 1t is questionable if the her,
oine would have been a heroine at
all If she had not been Eleanor Trim,
BILE. She, the heroine, Miss Trimble
was walking about through the story
doing all sorts Of attractive things
exciting Treadwell's admiration and
like the leading lady Of play, SUI
rounded by the other characters in the
story as her satellites. She was Mar
cha Colfax, but to Treadwcll this was
a fictitious name for Eleanor Trimble
AS Treadwell read OH he noticed
that certain thoughts or acts of the
heroine were differently marked
Some of them had one, some two
some three marks, as though thu
marker approved, much approved o.
immensely approved the sentiment O
the deed. Besides this, at times where
there was one or perhaps two marks
a third would be drawn DIAGONAL.
across. Treadwell was much bothered
at the diagonal mark. not being abb
to account for it.
While he was alternately, occupies
with the story, with Eleanor Tlimbi
and the fleckcd sunlight without II
could see the librarian sitting at he
desk writing something on cards an
stacking them up before her. Il
wished she would stop work and com
over and sit with him that he NIGH
ask her questions about Eleanor Trim
BILE. Probably she could tell him VIII
Miss Trimble was, whether she la
done the marking. what the douh'
and triple marks meant and above al
the diagonal But the librarian kcI
on at her work. at intervals rising
give or receive book, though all WI
done SO quickly that at times whe
Treadwell was much interested in n
] story he would not be conscious eve
of this slight disturbance.
1t was about 10 O'Clock in the mor'
ing when Tradwell sat down to re2'
and at i he went out to dinner. "A
! asked the librarian If he might lcaN
the book with her since he would IL
5 to come back in the afternoon TO co