The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1915-07-02
AnaniaS Shines
Airship
Story OF a Troubled
Conscience.
BY CLARISSA MACKIE

HarbOr 1 met the WIDOW ROwell. she
was emerging from En- Bevis' depart
ment store, and on her comely face
was a baffled look.
1T has something to do with Ananias
Slime" was my first thought, for these
two interesting widows, EN- Bevis and
Hetty Rowell, were boldly contesting
for the heart and hand of Ananias
Slime, one time mate Of the good ship
Indus and now porter In the Ounce
Harbor bank.
"Good morning. Miss Telham," she
gave greeting. Flows Maria's rheu-
matism?"
much better than 1t was. And how
are your"
The little widow cast baleful back
ward glance at the department store,
where distinctly saw EN- Bevis'
sleekly pompadoured head against the
window. "Pm fine! Splendidw re-
spOnded the Widow Rowell vivacious-
ly. "Have you heard about Mr.. Shines
aeroplane? Captain Barnabas said
Ananias had been building one. He
makes his trial fight tonight. I'll tell
you something IL you won't tell" she
added proudly.
you may confide In me, Mrs. Row
ELL" 1 reproached her. II shall be as
silent as the grave"
She drew nearer and whispered:
I'm going up In the airship with
Ananiasr'
And while 1 listened, aghast, she pat
ted my arm and darted away down the
village street.
Suddenly l remembered that / had
an errand at En- Bevis' store, and as
1 mounted the steps the door flew open
and Mrs. Bevis' ample form was bow
ing me inside, and her heavy features
relaxed in a generous smile of well
come.
"You heard about Mr.. Shines air
ship?" she asked suddenly.
"Yes. He makes trial fight to-
day." 1 repeated quickly, for l was
mindful Of Hetty Rowell's secret lock-
ed In my breast
She glanced toward her two clerks,
young girls, bright eyed and rosy
checked, who were exchanging wit
ticisms with the stage driver, who had
just delivered an express package.
Hes going to take passenger,
whispered the Widow Bevis.
"Who? Ned Roberts" l glanced at
the lanky stage driver.
'No; Ananias Sline!'
"Oh, a passenger in the airshipT So
Hetty's secret was no secret after all.
She nodded.
"It's secret. Perhaps you can
guess" She smiled archly.
"You?" l weakly asked.
Eyes. Don't tell SOUL" she caution
ed, although l am sure she hoped I
would confide the news to Hetty Row
ell.
I spent the afternoon on the bay
with Captain Barnabas and his wife,
Maria. AS we tied up at the little
landing below the Fish cottage the cap
tain cast glance at the wind signal.
"Not a puffw he calculated. "There
isn't a mortal reason why Ananias
can't make that flight tonight"
Bright moonlight, too," added Ma
ria. Hurry up and come to supper
SOS we can go right over to Terry's
field. want good look ut the critter
before It's smashed to bits"
"Will the machine really fiy?" 1 ask
ed as we ate hurried meal.
$50 Ananias says" returned the cap
tain dryly. Ananias had been his first
mate on many voyages, and Captain
Fish was confident that the truth was
not in Ananias.
When we reached Terry's ten acre
field the moon was lifting great sill
YER disk above the pine woods. The
field was flooded with white light, re-
vealng the gathering crowd of villag-
ers.
In the middle of the moonlit space
was a great white winged object sur
rounded by curious men and boys.
This was Ananias Shines airship.
We approached the awkward looking
object and found Ananias himself,
looking absurdly small in a leather
aviation suit and helmet. He looked
like brown gnome.
He greeted us with his accustomed
dignity, but even while he explained
the mysteries of the Hawk, as he had
named it, his cold blue eyes were
searching the arriving crowds.
"He is looking for Hetty, or is 1t
En- Bevis?' 1 thought, wondering how
this latest scheme of 4r. Shines would
work out. Would he have one passen-
ger or two?
A hand plucked at my sleeve. 1t
was Hetty Rowell. almost unrecog-
nizable I'm heavy skirt, wooden sweater
under her winter coat and a green veil
wound around her head and face so
that only her sharp gray eyes were
visible.
"Hetty, aren't you afraid?" whis
percd.
she smiled proudly.
"Not with him. Ananias knows and
understands his own machine"
She slipped past me and stood talk
ing to Auanias, who continued to peer
nervously around while he talked.
There was the sound Of heavy
breathing close beside me. En- Bevis.
us strangely attired as her rival, stood
there, her eyes cleaning with resolu-
n