Charlevoix county herald., 1918-08-02

NOW, DO BUSINESS, cnlQeQ Con
ME. "You're a very lucky boy. You
got me without robbing the bank. and
you've got partner who used to be
a police detective and knows how to
run the business while you're gone.
and you've got friend unlike any
friend Of whom / have ever heard.
Take a real rest and don't worry
about the affairs of 'Glace & Bryce,
Confidential Agents. myself told
Mr.. Bryce not to bother you unless
ne had to-"
1.-THE deuce you did?" l exclaimed.
"What did Bryce say?"
Connie giggled He said he didn't
think you'd be of much use for at
least six weeks, anyway, and that
he'd try to struggle along"
Under which circumstances sup
pose may as well enjoy the beauties
OF nature" remarked, and stared
full into Comics face.
Connie flushed and promptly point
ed out some cattle grazing In a noun
tain meadow, knee-deep in lush
grass.
The afternoon wore on In a peaceful
drowsiness. while the train climbed
up aud on around the shoulders of
hills, across gullies. past hills clad in
the dark greenery. of the pines. across
upland valleys where little cabins sat
amid the trees.
Others came out and occupied
chairs on the platform. Connie and
/ ceased to talk. save for perhaps an
occasional word. Rather we sat and
watched the receding landscape and
thought our own thoughts while the
wheels pounded out the lengthening
miles.
Part of the time / watched the
mountains, and part the girl beside
me. Even yet at times it seemed hard
to realize that the hope of years, when
I struggled to save enough from the
salary of reporter to make our life
together a thing of reality instead of
dreams, had at length been realized.
and that as man and wife We now
faced the future together.
And yet, thanks to the work Of
those other years, and to the help OF
my friend Semi Dual when Inspector
Bryce and l had formed our private
bureau of detention, We drew stead
lily increasing patronage through our
doors-for the credit of clearing up
more than one puzzling tangle was
mine.
Dual would never appear as the
real solver of the mysteries which
had more than once baffled the po-
lice. though l must confess that 1t
was his work which brought them to
an end. And 1t was on his advice that
I opened my offices in the first place.
Always Dual led and followed,
and / would have followed no matter
where he led. Some men man make
others feel like that-Dual more than
any other, believe.
what time is it. Gordon?" Con-
ME asked at last.
"Six." l looked at my watch.
Goodness" said she; land Mr..
Dual hasn't come out! I wonder II
1t would be all right to go back7
want to freshen up a bit for dinner"
l rose and gave, her a hand. We
went on to the second coach, which
was ours. The door Of our stateroom
stood open. Semi sat in his own Sec
ton, porting over railroad folder.
He glanced up and smiled his
pleasant smile as we passed and turn
ed to his task again. Yet in that
fleeting moment I caught something
from him which told me, who knew
him, that he had found the thing
which he had sought. l passed on at
ter Connie, mentally questioning
what 1t might be he had learned.
But it was not until the first call
for dinner had gone and we were
seated at table in the diner and our
order had ben given, that he elected
to speak.
MRS. Glaze, it has been my
pleasure to find you of sincerely
sympathetic nature as witnessed by
your attitude on several occasions
and lastly in the affair of the spider
this afternoon"
II hate to see anything suffer-"
said Connie.
II too hate to see anything suffer-"
replied Semi and lapsed into a mo-
mentary silence. Life Is life," he
went on after that pause in which he
seemed to have decided upon the
course he would follow, "and 1t makes
small difference whether it be that OF
fly or a man, though most Of US
would judge the life of woman for
instance as worth that Of several mil
lion flies, and rightly, for the woman
has evolved to superior plane and
is just so much farther along the
road of attainment. Mrs. Glace,
would you mind IL / changed the itin-
erary Of our trip?"
"Why-certainly not" said Con-
ME, while sat up and opened my
ears. 1t was coming now felt GER
tain. though had no idea what it was
to be. That 1t was important knew
IL Semi was changing his plans In or
der to meet It..
II think then" he was saying, that
instead of stopping at Salt Lake We