The labor standard., 1919-10-01
Dead or Alive
 + By R. RAY BAKER

*~>>>>>~>~~~>>>ss>> ss>>>Se>~~sS~s~<S~% paper syndicats) Grimes stuffed the remnants of a l sodden doughnut into his mouth and | washed them down with the last of
 the hot coffee, which he had brewed | himself, and which was more hot than l it was coffee.
 Tiptoeing to the bed, he touched his l lips to the forehead of the wan, girlish
 face, and with glistening eyes, watched a 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 | and struggled into shiny brown coat | that had been draped over its back. From a nail on the wall he took gray-checkered cap with rain-ruined
 frontispiece and pushed it back over l his contrary black locks. Grimes paused with his hand on the knob of the door and looked back at l the bed. The golden hair and the sum- light were vieing in contest of bril- | liancy. Something like a 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 a breakfast from placid Traverse bay. With a vigorous stride he started on his 20-minute walk to the exclusive Harbor Beach colony.
 'T won't have her this time next year unless get her out West by next fall," was the trend of Grimes thought
 as he passed the slumbering castles in l which the idle wealthy of the cities l sought rustication. Lord knows driv- ing Archibald's 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 1IOQ LA6
 sun and came in sight of the Archi- bald palace, gazing down haughtily from a lofty bluff, he was so absorbed
 in cogitation he all but collided with
 rugged, florid-visaged, pleasantly TO- tund little man attired in blue and wearing an oficial-looking cap on | which gold lighthouse gleamed.
 "Ahoy!" called the lightkeeper.
 "Veer of or you'll hit this rock of Gib- raltar. Whats the matter with yer compass, me boy?" As they came to a 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'r' | rattled on the guardian of the beacon in that genuinely hearty, sympathetic
 tone. "An' whyfor the big rush about
 beginnln' the daily labor? Sure, 0l
 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 run out on the bay and see | II ! Cdu MdhO tue lOuTln CynUu6I as it ought to-" he added. .sThe boss
 was talking of showing off the Light
 ming to some speed demon."
 "Now, ain't that too bad about the wife" observed the lightkeeper, real commiseratfon in his voice. t'T1l have me own woman run over to yer shack
 this afternoon an see if she can chase
 some O the gloom away. By the way, O course you ain't heard the startlin'
 news from the Springs?''
 '"Thank you, captain; hate to leave her there alone all the time. What startling news do you mean?"
 'sMebbe you wouldn't call it start
 lfn'," responded the captain, a broad
 grin manifesting his enjoyment of the role of a sensation monger. seIt's jest the little matter O $1O.OOO bein' stole from the First National last night or early this mornin'. The safe was b1owed open in a regIar professional
 manner. I jest happened over to the Springs at an unusual hour and there's
 excitement galore. A thousand dollars
 reward has already been offered for
 the capture of the burglar. dead or a1ivei''
 Grimes started.
 "But don't worry, me boy" went on the captain. 'The First National has
 plenty to make good all the savin's ac-
 counts, and the loss of $10,O00 ain't
 goin' to start no run on the institution.
 They say it looks like a one-man job.
 You better look sharp on the bay. He
 might be stickin' around somewhere,
 though 1t ain't likely he tarried long in the vicinity. We'll, I've gossiped long
 enough. Gotta be movin' on."
 As the lightkeeper, with wave of
 a hand, vanished behind the trees,
 Grimes hurried out on the Archibald
 dock, where the Lightning was moored.
 He drew the boat to the landing by
 means of the painter, leaped aboard.
 and, stopping. entered the little cabin
 that sheltered the engine and crew in
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