The Meeker herald., 1920-08-28
A DISCARDED
AMBITION
By AUGUSTUS G. sHERw1N

The most unfortunate thing that
ever happened to Levi Morse was that
during u two weeks visit to the city
he Glanced to run across a friend who
had started n detective agency. The
latter discovered, or pretended to dis
cover In him rare intuitive ability In
the man hunting line. He offered
Levi half-interest in his business for
$500, made a due Impression on his
prospective victim with the aid Of
some confederates by working up a
case where Levi was allowed to ap-
parently discover some remarkable
clews and make an arrest, and sent
him home all fred up with the idea
that he was especially born to become
a famous sleuth.
His practical rurallzed wife sat
down on the proposed Investment,
hard. "They are fooling you, Levi"
she declared. "You have no more
prc,iilection for the detective business
than a babe. Besides, all the capital
Invested In our little dairy farm here
is mine, and I'll not see you waste 1t
Drop the idea"
Which Levi did, hut reluctantly. He
Ind caught the detective fever good
and strong. He never passed the
town marshal but he envIe,i his dig.
nifty and power, and when the local pa.
per, published by an old friend, men.
toned his name as probable candi.
date for marshal at the next election
Levi fondly dreamed.
"You see," said the editor to Levi
one day, "your wife may object to
your becoming city detective, but she
shouldn't hide your ability under .
bushel locally. You're bound to shine,
Levi" ana the latter believed 1t and
Rugged the pleasant deluslon.
Levi WAS hanging around the prInt.
Ing once one day when he chnnced to
glance ut fresh proof of an Item
announcing the escape of one Dan
DAILY from the state penltcnt,ary.
A liberal reward was offered for his
apprehension. Just beside It lay an
eiectrotype with A proof on ton Of
1t, Levi studied the face portrayed
with interest and impressed its main
characteristics on his memory. He
even possessed himself of a blurred in.
press Of the cut That had been
thrown aside. and thruat II into his
pocket.
.rll keen nv ewes open." he re.
solved as he left the print shop. Some
thing of a feather I'm my can and a
bie c.mpaIen argument II I happen to
RIM across this dangerous criminal Mt
laree.n
II was the very next day that, about
,,usk near hia home. he fixed his
glance upon a man coming down the
road from the electric line station. He
looked respectable enough. we'll
dressed md had an intellectual face.
but ransackine his memory and con.
smiling the blurred nroof in hIs nocket.
Levi could SCARCELY repress an exult.
ant cry.
"Jt's him y" eloated the embryo mar.
shall "Oh. what luck, Now to nah
him" and getting behind the unsus.
Meeting wayfarer. levi suddenly seized
him nv the collar and ran him through
Tho gateway Of his own ward.
.Zoundxi What IN this3 finland
me 4, snnttered the axtonixhed victim
NJ avi.s ra.b ouessworl ~ SAYS
but levi was not tn he Diverted from
HIS stern purose. He urged his can.
five over IN little brick structure
used es a milk cooling room. thrust
him into 1t. slammed the door tightly
shut upop him. locked It, and started
on a run for down town, There was
small grated window only at the
hide OF the building. and at this the
nrisoner appeared. male and expostu.
lating. hut 1t was too small for the
captiye TO get through, so Levi felt
sec,,,e as to his retention.
Levi made for the ONCE of the mar.
shall to impart to him the news of
his remarkable catch, but the latter