Williams news., 1919-09-12
Dead or Alive
 + By R. RAY BAKER

Grimes Stune0 the remnants Of
 sodden doughnut into his mouth and
 washed them down with the last o1
 the hot coffee. which he had brewed
 himself. and which was more hot than
 it was coffee.
 Tiptoeing to the bed, he touched his
 lips to the forehead of the wan, girlish
 face, and with glistening eyes, watched
 shaft of early sunlight dart through
 the window and blend with the pure
 gold hair curled on the pillow.
 "A ray of hope-mebbe," Grimes
 unused. He sighed slightly. and his
 firm, white upper teeth drew his low
 CT lip beneath them and crushed the
 skin with a pain he did not notice.
 Turning from the bed, he reached to-
 ward the chair he had just vacated l and struggled into a shiny brown coat
 that had been draped over its back. I From nail on the wall he took
 gray-checkered cap with rain-ruined
 frontispiece and pushed it back over
 his contrary black locks.
 | Grimes paused with his hand on the
 knob of the door and looked back at
 the bed. The golden hair and the sun-
 light were vfeing in contest of bril- liancy. Something like smile. in
 which hope merged with pride, crept across his tanned young face, but it faded instantly, and his dark eyes glis-. tened again when a hacking cough from the bed confirmed the tale told by red spot on either cheek of the occupant.
 He opened the door and stepped out on the board sidewalk just as he'll diver swooped down from the blue and snatched breakfast from placid Traverse bay. With vigorous stride he started on his 2O-minute walk to the exclusive Harbor Beach colony.
 T won't haye her this time next year unless get her out West by next fall," was the trend of Crimes thought as he passed the slumberfng castles in which the idle wealthy of the cities sought rustication. Lord knows driv- ing Archibaldss speed cruiser wouldn't bring enough coin in two years to do it."
 As he skirted the cluster of trees that sheltered the clubhouse veranda from the complexion-ruining morning sun and came in sight of the Archi- bald palace, gazing down haughtily from lofty bluff, he was so absorbed in cogitation he all but collided with a rugged. forid-visaged, pleasantly TO- tund little man attired in blue and wearing an official-looking cap on which gold lighthouse gleamed.
 "Ahoy !" called the lightkeeper. "Veer off or you'll hit this rock of Gib- raltar. Whats the matter with yer compass. me boy?
 Az they came to halt Grimes was | obliged to smile away his gloom as in | reflection of the beaming, weather cracked lines of the others counte- nance.
 An how's the wife this mornin'?" rattled on the guardian of the beacon in that genuinely hearty, sympathetic tone. "An' whyfor the big rush about beg1nnin' the daily labor? Sure ol' man Archibald ain't gettin' up at no five o'clock for pleasure spin-you can't tell me that"
 "No better" was Crimes rueful re- joinder to the first query. ''Pm going to take a run out on the bay and see if can't make the fourth cylinder hit as it ought to-" he added. "The boss was talking of showing off the Light hing to some speed demon.''
 "Now, ain't that too bad about the wife," observed the Hghtkeeper, real in his voice. 'I'll have ne own woman run over to yer shack his afternoon an see if she can chase tome O the gloom away. By the way, J course you ain't heard the startlin' lews from the Sprfngs?"
 'Thank you, captain; hate to leave Ter there alone all the time. What tartling news do you mean?" "Mebbe you wouldn't call it start In'," responded the captain. a broad rin manffesting his enjoyment of the ole of sensation monger. 'It's jest he little matter O $1O,OOO bein's stole ! rom the First National last night or arly this mornin'. The safe was lowed open in a regIar professional manner. jest happened over to the I 'prings at an unusual hour and there's S Xcitement galore. A thousand dollars f eward has already been offered for 2 he capture of the burglar, dead or f liSe" : Grimes started. But don't worry. me boy" went on q he captain. 'aThe First National has t lenty to make good all the savin's ac- r cunts. and the loss of $1O,OOO ain't z oin' to start no run on the institution b hey say it looks like one-man job. z ou better look sharp on the bay. He ' night be stickin' around somewhere 1ough it afn't likely he tarried long in F ne vicinity. Well. I've gossiped long t nough. Gotta be movin' on." t As the lightkeeper, with wave of h
 hand, vanished behind the trees, rimes hurried out on the Archibald :, ock. where the Lightning was moored. :, [e drew the boat to the landing by leans of the painter, leaped aboard, nd, stopping, entered the little cabin lat sheltered the engine and crew in