The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-27

| was so sincere that he never took another
woman to fill her place. The daughter
was still more beautiful than the mother,
and now in her nineteenth year, would
| have made sensation as brunette
| beauty In any drawingroom in the world.
Brought up on the shores of the great lake.
she could paddle canoe with as much
skill as any of the Indians who lived
| there, she was an unerring shot, and her
spear cast by torchlight at the lurking
trout never missed its mark. She was the
chatelaine of the big log fort, wrote her
fathers reports to the Office in Victoria,
sent orders for what goods they required,
and made out the invoices of the fHrs they
shipped. She was in every respect the
sole daughter of Benton's home and heart.
~ wonder what can be keeping that
stage" muttered Benton to himself. "It's
about time l heard from Jack Ferguson to
say when he's coming up for his regular
weeks outing. This is getting to be a
mighty lonely life, lonely for myself and
lonely for the girl. I've had most enough
OF it. | think I'll clean up and get back to
civilization for her sake as well as my own.
| wonder, though, if she could live in those
big sitting cities after the free air of the
mountains. But this is no life."
His musings were interrupted by the
vision of cloud of dust from which the
big numbering mud wagon, by courtesy
called a stage, and drawn by six half
broken horses, came dashing along.
"Helloa, captain! shouted Tom, the
stase-driver,as he skillfully halted his team
by Benton's side. "I've got some stuff for
you and likewise passenger"
Good said Benton, with glad smile
OF hospitable anticipation. "I'm glad Fer
guson has come"
otis not Ferguson" replied the driver;
=" tbs different sort of man altogether"
And then leaning from his seat he cried to
the inside:
"Here we are, sir. This is the fort and
here is Captain Benton himself"
The figure that stepped from the stage
was that of tall, slim, delicate-looking
Ferguson whom Benton had expected to
see. And to increase the traders astonish-
ment he was followed bv servant, who
assisted the driver in getting some heavy
Luggage from the stage. while the stranger
advanced to greet Benton.
My name is Norton he said, politely,
Frank Morton; and l have brought you
some letters of introduction from your
people in Victoria. / have been in rather
delicate health for the last year, and my
friends suggested that l should pass
month here if you would kindly receive
me as your guest.
"Only too glad to see you, Mr.. Norton"
exclaimed the trader cordially, extending
his hand. "But you'll have to rough it,
you know. Ha! I see you are sports
man." he added, as the man set down by
the baggage a gun and rifle case and
package of fishing rods. you've come to
the right country for sport, Mr. Morton;
you can have everything in these woods
from q chipmunk to an elk, and we can
give you such stream and lake fishing as
I'll warrant you few quarters of the globe
''I'm afraid. in my present condition of
health" said Morton, smiling, ''the elk
may roam unmolested. Pm in much bet
ter form now for small trout and chip
munk than larger game"
well tone you up, rejoined the trader
cheerily, with friendly pat on the back,
for he had already taken a fancy at first
sight to his'unexpected guest.
''Great heavens! what beautiful girl;
perfect forest lily'' was Morton's inward
ejaculation when his host presented him
to Jessie.
Accustomed from her childhood to the
society of men of all classes, Jessie felt no
embarrassment in meeting this handsome,
interesting looking young stranger. The
men that had focked to the mines at
Cariboo and worked along the bed
of the Frazer River were, for the
most part, men of education and refine
ment-ex-army officers, bagristeys. doctors.