The Rice belt journal., 1913-08-29

form you that have been obliged to
lock up for tonight, on account of an
urgent errand at the village" Jimmy
stared vacantly for a moment at the
pale. washed-out countenance Of his
interlocutor. Il thought Id tell you,"
the youth went on in his copy-book
style, 80 es to save your taking the
long walk. / am the librarian Of the
Reading-room."
"Ah, thank you. But wasn't go
Ing to the Reading-room tonight. l
am on my way to the village"
We'll, there's a large majority OF
people do go to the Reading-room,
first and last" the youth explained
with pride. "And some of them are
not worthy of it's privileges. l am on
my way now to prevent what may be
a frighttul accident to one who has
enjoyed the benefits of our work"
Jim gazed at the youth, "a fright
full accident! Then why in Heavens
name don't you hurry?"
The youth exhibited a slightly in
jured air, but did not hasten.
Il was just about to continue on my
way" he said, when it occurred to
me that you might be interested to
know"
That's good OF you. But what is it
ali about?"
Some time ago, a very profane and
: impatient gentleman. waiting for
money to be telegraphed him from
} New York"
! "Well, man, go on! Where is he!
1 'T know nothing about the move
ments of this ungodly person, but II
3 appears that today, for the first time
in its history, the quarry up yondei
has been robbed. Circumstances leat
the manager to suspect that this same
gentleman was the perpetrator OF the
theft, and am on my way to furtnel
T. the ends of justice"
A "No need to be so particular abou
q calling MIN a gentleman. But what Ii
|. the accident likely to be?"
v It is feared that the thief may no
n he aware OF the nature Of the aTticl
. he has stolen, and 1t Is very danger
e ous"
# what on earth is it?"
= at is fairly large-sized stick o
d dynamite"
r. The youth might have been discuss
N ing a fancy dance, so suave and polt
a was he. Jim interrupted rudely.
- dynamite. is 1t? Good. If It's oil
. lChatelard, he ought to blow up, serV
le him right"
"A "I'm surprised and panied at you
IS words. my dear friend. NO soul
to utterly"
ID "Yes, it is. Which way did ne &C
10 Where is he?"
%. T don't know. The manager SCI
me to inform the sheriff"
. Tt won't do any good. But you
-, better go. all the same
Ut The Judge in chancery went on n
u, dignified way. He would not ha'
Ut hurried If he had heard Angel q
~ briefs trump. The news he nj
III brought was In the class to be cons'
cred important If true, but there W
ne nothing in 1t to alter Jimmys plar
Ell ue took the shortest cut to the shol
he found a fiat.bottomed punt that W
'Ma "a regarded by the village as genei
ca ca property, and pushed on.
op The Sea Gull was tidy craft, a
DIV o looked very gay with even the half
lis hor festival flags on view. But {
M aa,ety did not beguile Jim's dan
'nt ored spirits. He went aboard feeli
'as that he'd like to rip the idfotic thin
ao down. but the yacht, at least, offer
H. = place where he could think l
ne sunset light on the water biaSeo '
ia m,l,on-iust the color that Jim all
Dol anee discovered he hated. He LOOK
10 down the companionway, but ma
bo decided to stretch out on deck
the few minutes rest. He was "
na' tired. -,
fig Of ON the stern was d vague nj
Did. which proved to be few ysras
elf. canvas carefully tented on the nc
eep Some gimcrack belonging to the snI
fig ornamentation had been freshiy g
an ed and left to dry, protected by an
ard sai,-cloth. This, weighted down o.
ntil rnsty rms marlinspike, spread couch"
Ibly along the taffrail, and offered 70
inst the bed he lonsed for.
th,s He lay down, face to the sky'
hat gave himself up to thoughts that v v
apa and We yery dark indeed. He had 0
ona thrown down. unexpectedly and q
nah hard and that was all there was q
sht. M Agatha. lovely but inexplicable m
s sail. was not for him, She had been
waa ceptiye-yes, that was the Word'
he had been fool--that was the ?
:. truth. He might as well face u
as once He had been idiot enougr
'ese' - think he might win the girl Just
w. ~ cause they had been tossed tose,
'is in mid.ocean and she had clune
49,. him. Tns world wasn't "a ocean