The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-07-28

"GOing to try a new racket" ex
planned Ross in an evasive uneasy sor
of a way.
"Oh-so!" muttered Burr thought
fully. what is itY'
"Agent, brain broker, whatever yor
want to call it," said Ross. 1--WE goI
a chance to exploit a new and budding
genius"
who is he?"
"She."
"Ah-h! Name, now?"
"Melba Worthington," declared Ross
boldly.
"U-um! I"
Ross was no further communicative
and Burr did not press him for details.
They chatted casually. Ross was glad
when Burr W away, close chums as
they were. He had made a great dis
covery.
The old %pasteboard box Ross had
discovered had come under his inspec-
ton. He had CHANGED to examine the
bundle of written pages it had con-
tanned. Ned was amazed, then inter-
ested, then charmed. The box must
have belonged to a former occupant
Of the room, to whom, Ross theorized,
a girl relative had sent the fruits of
her literary efforts. They had been
neglected or forgotten, it appeared.
Ross had not read ten pages of one
of the manuscripts before he decided
that he had happened Upon a rare
treasure trove.
"Why, the girl is a genius, whoever
she isl" he declared enthusiastically.
He sat up all that night. There were
over twenty manuscripts. Each sue
ceeding one he read was superior to
the one preceding.
I'm no author, they tell me, but
they say / can tell a good thing when
1 see it. I see the selling POSSIBLE
tiles of these gems. I'll edit them,
place them and"
Claim them as his own? Oh, never!
He would make his unknown girl ia
nous. He would collect his twenty
five per cent fee for his labors, honest
hire. He would find this girl, to whom
gave a fanciful name, he would
shower her with wealth after award
ing her fame. What happy Occupa-
What a real romance!
Six months later Ross Evans was in
high clover. A big publisher had
snapped up the stories, one after an
other, until six were given to the pub
lie, who wanted more. Ross set the
price, and it was a high one. He had
l better offer from another publisher.
"I've got two thousand dollars of
own and Over eight thousand in
he bank for Miss Melba Worthing-
on he announced to the only sharer
# his secret, Burr Tilden, one day. 81
must find the young lady. I've started
he task. The landlady here says the
,arty who left that box must have
zen a client of the woman who op-
rated the apartments before she
ought her out. She is trying to 10
ate her for me-"
1t was a month later when Ross left
he city in a state of ~pleasurable ex-
itement. The old landlady had been
0und. David Vastine was the name
f the former tenant of the room. He
ad fallen i'll and had died at a city
The landlady remembered
his watch and some few other
effects, at his direction, to q
aomi Warren, Rushville, two hundred :
lilies distant. And now Ross was on :
is way to the obscure country VII
zee.
He located Miss Naomi Warren. She
working in the one department
ore of the town as a milliner's as
slant. He never forgot his first in
rview with this timid, modest wild
)wer of beauty. She listened to his :
DRY with widening eyes. She gazed
the pages Of her last printed story
it'll marvelling eyes and burst into =
ars.
Her soul seemed soaring as she later
that the world had rec F
nized her work and that this hand
me, great-hearted messenger Of fame
d brought it all about.
Six months later Burr Tilden ran -
to Ross, turning a street corner. r,
''Hello back at last?" he hailed.
''Yes," nodded happy-faced Ross
18th my wife," =
What! Married." ~
Who is she?"
WELL" was the reply, given with =
Id and proud satisfaction, "she was ~
.omi Warren. I made her Melba
and now she is Mrs. Ross
ans"
Castle Garden.