Daily camera., 1901-04-06


that the next step must come from
Helen; he would make no more over
lures.
This time he thought deeply on the
matter, coming to the conclusion that,
being tired of her engagement, Helen
had seized upon this preteYt to break
it.
Dick Turner, junior partner in the
law firm of Carter & Turner, was late
the next morning, and evidently in
an i'll humor. He threw himself into
his chair and ran through the is-ers
on his desk
Here's another letter from Broad
man & Yardley about that Klondike
business" he said. "Heigh-ho, a
woman is a terrible clog on man.
Tom looked surprised. Dick had
been married less than year, and
was a model of conjugal devotion.
Dick proceeded to explain.
"Broadman & Yardley have bought
some claims in the Klondike. You
know Broadman married my mothers
cousin. l had a dispatch yesterday
asking me to go out and see to this
matter. Letter to follow This is
the letter; you see they offer great
inducements. 1t may be the chance
Of lifetime. And, dash it, May
won't hear Of my going; cried half
the night at the idea. I had to swear
1 wouldn't, to quiet her. I suppose
she isn't responsible, just now, and
I can't 60" He paused for an in
slant, then gave his desk resound-
ing blow. 81 say, old man, can't you
go in my stead? You know more
about mines and mining law than
do. and you haven't a wife, yet, to
keep you at home"
"All right" was the unexpected an
swer. When can ! start?"
The sooner the better. You must
go east to interview Broadman d
Yardley, and then on to San Fran
CISCO"
So few hours later Starinville
heard, to its surprise, that Tom Car
ter was off for the Klondike; why,
no man knew save Dick Turner.
Helen Starin had bad quarter
hour with her father when he
learned the news. His questions soon
elected the truth. and his comments
were severe.
"You know l did not approve of
your extravagant ideas, although l
told you you might do as you chose,
if Carter were willing. l expected
that you would listen TO reason from
him, and l knew he is no fool |
regret to find that l made mistake
when l trusted to your honesty"
Having thus driven the nail to the
quick, he left his daughter to her re-
Elections. These were not pleasant.
BY this time she was bitterly repent
ant. Her lover had gone, without a
word OF farewell, and only herself to
blame. Surely he will write she
told herself, but no letter came. 1t
is far cry to the klondike, and the
mails go and come slowly. Tom Car
ter's kinsfolk dwelt in distant state,
and he wrote TO no one in Starinyille
except his partner. His letters to
him were few, but Helen, who knew
Mrs. Turner, cultivated the acquaint-
ancc, for the sake of the crumbs of
news concerning her lover. After
many months there came telegram
to Mr.. Turner, saying that the task
was accomplished, and that Carter
would leave for home on the next
steamer-the Nugget. A week later
Helen Starin, looking over the news
paper at the breakfast table, fell over
in dead faint. The Nugget had
gone down, with all on board
Meanwhile, Tom Carter, at Cape
Nome, never dreaming that his
friends mourned him as dead, was
fuming over the i'll luck which had
brought him to the wharf, only to see
the last wreaths of smoke in the
wake of the boat he had missed. So
he reached San Francisco month
late, and learned of his escape. He
telegraphed to Turner, but the dis
patch went astray, and was returned
to the hotel, undelivered. after the
sender had left.
Some days later Helen was spend
ing the night with Mrs. Turner-Dick
was out of town. The maidof-all-
work had gone out on an errnnd, and
the baby was crying, when the door
bell rang.
"Helen, dear, please CO." begged
Mrs. Turner, as the second peal
sounded. II hate to ask you"-she
found herself talking to empty air.
Helen was already downstairs.
She opened the door and there
stood Tom Carter. Helen held out
both hands, with a sob. "Tom, dar-
ling Tom, is it really you? Are you
alive, and have you come back?" She
would have fallen, but he caught her
| in his arms and carried her into the
drawing-room. There was no one in
the room but themselves, and what
happened is nobody's business.
They were married few weeks
afterwards without any great to-do,
and Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas Carter are
at home at No. 10 Ivy street, Starin-
vile.