The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent., 1919-12-26
"A /;
Broken Reed. +;
o0 >
BY ALvAH JORDAN GARTH }
1919. by the Western Newo.
paper union.)

these years of struggle and saving
Take courage, dear Mercy Lewis
cumfortca her detected husband "Eu-
nice is only too glad and willing to
harhor us. Besides there. there is
i Rodney
1--WE may Just as we'll know the
cold. clear truth, Mercy" spoke Joshua
Lewis Rodney is IA broken reed
There was no bitterness in the
words. but Il S"irowful tinge as though
Joshua Lewis were takin. the blame
nf the conviction he expressed. Let
lis face the facts" he added. My
brother has spoiled Rodney. 1t WAS
an unfortunate hour when we con-
>entcd To have Robert practically
alopt Ra,lney as his heir. Robert was
.hen rich man and his one idea was
tr make Rodney "A ho"lworm and stu
dent ike himself. Now that Robert
has lost every cent lie had and, worst
OF al. has involved our own little for
tune in the general crash. II simply
means that Rodney has tn face life
pruhahly without one practical idea in
his mind.
Il fear he will have a difficult time
Of it earning his own living, le, alone
helping us in our poverty and home
i,>>n.>>'
Two weeks later husband and wife
bad broken up their little home and
were dome>ticaled and welcomed at
that Of the Spinster sister nf Mrs.
lewis Dorothy Walton. shortly after
wards
E"dnt. Lewis appeared upon The
scene He WAS a quiet. rather deli
cate appearing young fellow. showing
signs of the retired life he had led.
There WAS Il family council. Rodney
listened altrntively and th"uyhtfuliy
to what his father had t" say.
"ialiler-mo,her.' spoke Rodney.
there is only one thing far me to do:
so out into the world and earn the
money To re-t>tahish You in a home
of your own shall >hrk n" hard
Ship or duty thar can make the path
smoother for YOU two
Where to begin. there was the ques-
tion tllat most troubled Rodney Lewis.
He knew 50 little about anything but
books that he expected Il severe ap-
premiership before he found Il real
working level He went back to the
city and locked around for employ
ment. 1t, or the prospect of it, ma
teriaiZea within Il week. An acquaint-
ance, an old bookseller, advised Rod
ney of Mr. Alexander Hume. reSid-
ing at II town called Wadham> who
was in need Of some one able In so
over an extensive library he had pur-
chased recentlA and classify and ar
range it. Rodney wrote To The gentle
man in question fa receive reply ask
ing him To come to WadhamS
The distance WAS about Il hundred
miles and Rodney decided ,o make n
iaunt of il. On foot he started out
provided with 4 suit case lightly
filed and vastly .nioyin. the variety
and novelty "f his trip, II was four
days later when he awoke in the loft
If an old li>lnani;cd barn to evade Il
furious storm. When he awoke from
II sound sleep he heard voices below.
and pe.ring down he made out two
rough locking m.n standing near TO
an automobile moving van. They, too.
Il seemed. had sought shelter and We're
now discussing their further plans.
I'VE want +" get To the city before the
absence of the girl is discovered. one
of the duo was saying. My idea is TO
land her by some country road and
make our final dash"
''Yes, the main thing is tn get rid
of her and our plunder into safe
hands" responded the other man.
''We'li go down 10 the crossroads on
foot and get an idea of location and
route. The machine and the girl are
all safe in this lonely spot and the
speaker saw To il that a haSp and
catch securing the rear door Of the
closely shut-in van We're in place.
They left forthwith and Rodney de-
Scenled from the loft 10 make an
astounding discovery. Opening the
door Of the van and staring within
Rodney found ii TO be stored with
books. paintings and art raritieS. and
lying bound and gagged upon some
blankets was lovely young girl.
She WAS the daughter Of the man
who had engaged Rodney as his liter.
airy helper. The house had been looted
by the men owning the van, and in
order that the alarm might not be
given they carried Alma Hume. the
only one in the house at the time
away with them.
1t was fortunate thing that Rod
uey understood how to operate m
automobile. At once he released the
distressed girl and started the var
in direction opposite to that in
which the two men had gone. Alma
Hume told him enough to guide his
course to Wadhams.
The rescue of the young heiress
the recovery of some of the rarest
books in the world the efficient liter
or,, cnrv;rnS of Rninav hrOl,uhf s,1