Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1913-05-24

Reading-room.
"Ah, good evening"
III you are on your way to the
Sailors Reading-room. l wish to in
form you that l 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. 81 thought I'd tell you"
the youth went on in his copy-book
style. so as to save your taking the
long walk. / am the librarian OF the
Reading-room."
"Ah, thank you. But I wasn't go
ing 20 the Reading-room tonight. /
am on my way to the village"
We'll, there's a large majority OF
people DO 60 to the Reading-room,
first and last" the youth explained
with pride. "And some of them are
not worthy Of its privileges. I am on
my way now to prevent what may be
fr,ghttui accident to one who has
enjoyed the benefits of our work"
Jim gazed at the youth. "a fright
'ful accident! Then why in Heavens
name don't you hurry"
The youth exhibited slightly in
;ured air. but did not hasten.
Il was Just about to continue on my
way" he said, when 1t occurred to
me that you might be interested to
know"
That's good OF you. But what Is it
all about?"
Some time ago, a very profane and
impatient gentleman, waiting for
money to be telegraphed him from
New York"
We'll, man, go on! Where is he?"
81 know nothing about the move
ments of this ungodly person. but it
appears that today. for the first time
in its history, the quarry up yonder
mas been robbed. Circumstances lead
the manager to suspect that this same
gentleman was the perpetrator of the
theft. and | am on my way to further
the ends of Justice"
mo need to be so particular about
calling MIN a gentleman. But what is
the accident likely to be-"
1T is feared that the thief may not
be aware Of the nature OF the article
he has stolen. and it Is very danger
GUS"
What on earth is it,"
at is n fairly large-sized stick OF
dynamite"
The youth might have been discuss
ing a fancy dance. so suave and polite
was he. Jim interrupted rudely.
Dynamite, is it? Good II it's old
Chatelard. he ought to blow up. Serve
him right"
I'm surprised and panied at your
words, my dear friend. No soul is
utterly"
"Yes, it is. Which way did he go?
Where is he?"
Il don't know The manager sent
me to inform the sheriff"
ut won't do any good. But you d
better go, all the same"
The judge in chancery went on his
dignified way. He would not have
hurried If he had heard Angel Ca
briefs trump. The news he had
brought was in the class TO be consid-
cred important il true, but there was
nothing in it to alter Jimmy's plans,
He took the shortest cut to the shore,
found fat-bottomed punt that was
regarded by the village as general
property, and pushed of.
The Sea Gull was a tidy craft. and
looked very gay with even the half of
her festival flags on view. But the
gaiety did not beguile Jim's damp
cned spirits. He went aboard feeling
that he'd like to rip the idiotic things
down; but the yacht, at least, offered
a place where he could think The
sunset light on the water blazed YER.
millon-just the color that Jim all at
once discovered he hated He looked
down the companionway, but finally
he decided TO stretch out on deck for
a few minutes rest. He was very
tired.
OF on the stern was a vague mass
which proved to be few yards OF
canvas carefully tented on the floor
Some gimcrack belonging to the ships
ornamentation had been freshly gid
ed and left to dry, protected by an old
sail-cloth. This, weighted down by a
rusty marlinspike, spread couchwise
along the taffrail. and offered to jim
Just the bed he longed for.
He lay down, face to the sky, and
gave himself up TO thoughts that were
very dark indeed. He had been
thrown down. Unexpectedly and quite
hard, and that was all there was to it,
Agatha. lovely but inexplicable maid
was not for him. She had been re
ceptive-yes, that was the word; and
he had been fool-that was the plain
truth He might as well face 1t al
once. He bad been idiot enough 10
think he might win the girl, just be
cause they hsS been tossed together
in mid-ocean aud she had chung 10
him. The world wasn't an ocean; Il