The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1916-03-16
HIS GOAL
BY KEITH KENYON.

~ N6uu VIM
1t was a rule of the company that
any property found by employees must
be turned in at the main office. At
the end of a month, il there was no
claimant, the finder received it as q
sort of guerdon for his honesty.
Reardon had almost forgotten the
parcel until it al handed out to him
Saturday night with his pay envelope.
Here's where you get the wallet of
cash." grinned Malloy. sitting out or
the bench ut the side of the car barns.
but Reardon didn't mind. He stood
looking the parcel over, it was nat,
about fourteen inches long ana nine
wide and perhaps an inch thick.
Open it, you gink," advised Malloy,
but Jack shook his head good ma.
turedly.
It'll keep awhile longer" he said.
and swung up on an outbound car for
home. He was a big chap, curly
haired, b%lue-eyed, with square shoul.
ders and a straight carriage from
his two years III the Philippines.
When he had eaten dinner he went
upstairs to his room OH the third floor.
It wasn't a hall room. He was get
ting his $2.85 a day; not so much,
but enough 50 he could pay u five
dollars for the third floor front and
have an open crate fire when the fur
mace lost courage.
He opened the package with a little
close smile of amusement. 1t certain.
ly didn't look like a gold mine. Some
Of the fellows had been lucky in find.
ing articles Of real value. Then he
stopped short and stared with lowered
head and intent gaze at his treasure
trove. 1t was only the picture of a
girl In a double leather frame, but the
face enthralled him with its beauty.
The next morning, Jack went to
work with a growing feeling that some.
thing was missing in the general
scheme of happiness. All day the
feeling stayed with him. He sat by
himself across the street from the car
barns at his of hour. and went with.
out his lunch. Finally. that afternoon,
Wallace swung up on his car az 1:
passed Thirty-fourth street. ana
Jack looked at the detective With sud.
den interest.
Say, Tom, l%isten," he SAID. Sup
pose you only had q photograph of a
girl to go by, never had seen her in
your life. How would you find her?"
go to the man who took the pic.
ture and get her name and address,"
Wallace replied. You're a bright
spark Of hope. amt you, now?"
1t was noon the next day before he
could do it. The place vas wei on
Fifth avenue 1t took all his courage
to go into its ornate doors, tread its
red velvet carpets and face the blonde
young Woman at the mahogany desk
under the green and gold electrolier.
He laid the picture before her and
asked the name and the answer came
back at once, with the slightest up
lift Of eyebrows:
II suppose you're an artist. Why
didn't you hunt for her up at the
Models club. Fifty.eighth street. l
think it is. She isn't Il regular patron,
you know. she is merely one Of our
art models. This picture was made
for al art firm to be used as the head
on one Of their perfume ads. Her
name Is Betty Bellairs."
Give me the address Of the club,
will you, p~lease?"
Jack tried to speak In the proper
off-hand professional manner, and
wrote down the number almost non.
%chalantly.
At the Art Models club they gave
her address. 1t was in the West Six
ties. five flights up, in a brownstone
apartment building in the rear apart.
ment. Jack asked for her when the
door opened, and the little ~ten-year.old
girl who responded turned her head
and called back through the hall,
Somebody to e you, Betty"
Come right in," called a voice that
made Jacks pulse tingle. She was in
the living room, busting it, her long
brown hair in a braid down her back,
and an acknowledging apron on. But
to Jack she vas altogether adorable,
and he stood mute for a minute, look.
Ing at her, glorying in her reality.
Then he held out the package.
II found this and wanted to return
it." he said.
She opened 1t wonderingly, and
laughed at sight Of the contents.
"Oh, it's my Ronteau picture. They
gave me one all for myself, and I lost
it on a Broadway car. 1t was ever so
good Of you to return it. How did you
find me?"
And somehow in order to tell of the
u%nraveling it was necessary that he
sit down, and then followed the intro.
duction to Mrs. Bellairs and Estelle,
the little sister, and Jack found him.
self telling Of the campaign in the
islands and the home nest up in Maine
and all sorts of things.
With a goal ahead. it somehow