The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-07-02
AnaniaS Shines
Airship
Story Of q Troubled
Conscience.
By CLARlSSA MAckIE


The very day l arrived at Ounce
HarbOr ! met the Widow Rowell. She
was emerging from EN- Bevis' depart
mcnt store, and on her comely face
was a bafiied look.
1T has something to do with Ananias
Slime" val my first thought, for these
two interesting widows, EN- Bevis and
Hetty Rowell, were boldly contesting
for the heart and hand Of Ananias
Slime, n time mate Of the good ship
Indus and now porter In the Ounce
HarbOr bank.
GOOD morning, Miss Telham," she
gave greeting. "HOw's Maria's rheu-
matism2"
Much better than It was. And how
are your
The little widow cast a baleful back
ward glance at the department store.
where l distinctly saw En- Bevis'
sIeekIy pompadoured head against the
window. I'm fine! Splendid!" 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 II you won't tell" she
added proudly.
you may confide in me, Mrs. Row
ell" l ~reprOached her. II shall be as
silent as the grave"
She drew nearer and whispered:
I'm going up in the airship with
Ananias!'
And while listened, aghast, she pat
ted my arm and darted away down the
village street.
Suddenly l remembered that l had
an Grand at En- Bevis' store, and as
! mounted the steps the door few 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
shipY' she asked suddenly.
Yes. He makes a trial flight to-
day" l repeated quickly. for l was
mindful of Hetty Rowelrs secret lock
ed in my breast.
She glanced toward her two clerks,
young girls, bright eyed and rosy
checked, who were exchanging wit
tlcisms with the stage driver, who had
just delivered an express package.
Hes going to take a passenger"
whispered the Widow Bevis.
who? Ned RobertsY' l glanced at
the lanky stage driver.
No; Ananias Sline!"
"Oh, a passenger in the airship?" So
Hetty's secret was no secret after all.
She nodded.
ITS a secret. Perhaps you can
guess" She smiled archly.
Your l weakly asked.
Eyes. Don't tell a SOUL" she caution
ed, although ! am sure she hoped ]
would confide the news to Hetty Row
ell.
\ 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 a glance at the wind siaoal.
mot a puff" he calculated. ''rhere
isn't a mortal reason why Ananias
can't make that fight tonight"
Bright moonlight, too added Ma
ria. Hurry up and come to supper
SOS we can 90 right ove to Terry's
field. want a good look at the critter
before it's smashed to bits"
Twill the machine really fyY" I ask
I'd q we ate a hurried meal.
30 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 a great. sill.
yer disk above the pine woods. The
field was flooded with white light. re.
vealing 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 q leather
aviation suit and helmet. He looked
like a brown gnOme.
He greeted us with his accustomed
dignity, but even while he explained
the mysteries Of the Hawk, as he hat
named it, his cold blue eyes were
searching the arriving crowds.
He Is looking for Hetty, or is il
EN- Bevis7" l thought, wondering how
this latest scheme Of Mr.. Shines would
work out. Would he have one passen
ger or two?
A hand plucked at my sleeve. Il
was Hetty Rowell, almost unrecc:
nizable in heavy skirt, wooden sweater
under her winter coat and a green vel
wound around her head and face 81
that only her sharp gray eyes wer'
visible.
"Hetty, aren't you afraidY l Wits
pered. ..
She smiled proudly.
mot with him. Ananias knows an
nndoru<o pdS bio ou,p no.hipoo