The Red Cloud chief., 1902-11-14
CHAPTER XIX.
Conclusion.


The reunion of the sea captain and
the faithful sailor was mild compared
to a reunion that quickly followed.
Another party vas coming across the
ice. The long, Arctic night was spent
and the opening door Of dawn was
filling all the eastern Heavens with
glory, when Paul, Kate, old Ben and
their faithful canine friend sprang
from the ice and hurried up the hill to
the narrow valley, where the camp
was.
Paul led the party. with Kate close
behind. The first object he %recogniz.
ed vas his faithful old friend. who
had long mohHed him as %dead-Glum
Ralston. The meeting can be better
imagined than ~desSyibed. He was
told that Laura was Nm, de with Clar-
ence and the long.lost cap.ain. who
was making desperate efforts 20 ex-
plain something which had ~befuddled
everybody, and Paul tumbled head
first into the tent, the worst b~efuddled
of any one, and embraced Laura and
Clarence, and for several moments
the only rational being In the party
was the faithful unknown dog, who
sat on his launches and painted.
1t was fully an hour before every
body inside and everybody outside
were at all themselves. Paul after
ward had a dim recollection of hearing
a voice very much like Glum Ralston's
roar:
Amt you Kate Willis, my Kate?"
and then he heard a voice which
sounded very much like Kate crying:
Amt you Jack Ralston, my sailor
boy?"
Then there was a collision, explo.
sion, and the hub.bub increased.
At last, when all had time to re-
cover, Kate and Jack, as she still call
ed him, entered the tent, she declaring
she would never permit him to leave
her again. Jack explaining that he
was staying in Alaska in compliance
with an order from his captain to the
effect hat he was to never leave
until he returned.
And he has returned" said Jack.
He has come back and is here now;
and Kate, | am ready to CO."
The nan whom VIC have known as
the hermit captain said:
MY friends, this is the happiest day
] ever knew. But one person more Is
necessary to make the reunion COM
plete, and my cup Of happiness run
over. l want to ask some questions,
and then make some explanations.
First, Is YOU nam Paul Miller?"
Eyes, sir" Paul answered.
Who was your father, and where
Is he?"
my father was Captain Joseph Nil.
Ter, who was lost before ! can remem.
Der in Alaska or some Of the islands
Of the Berlng Sea"
DO you know the name OF the ship
he last sailed In. and from what
port?"
Mother told me he sailed from San
Francisco in a sealing schooner call.
ed the Eleanor"
"Jack-Jack! Have you been with
him all these months and not know
this?"
Glum Ralston leaped to his feet with
a startled yell and cried:
"Crack-lash! A Miller-son OF my
captain! Why, by the name of Nep-
tune, didn't ye tell me ye had some
other name'n Crack-lash?"
Paul was dumbfounded. He had
heard n hint that the hermit was his
father, but the old man had so stub
Dornly denied il that he had conclud.
ed ii must be false.
why did you deny ! was your son
when those men threatened TO hang
me?" Paul asked.
MY boy. | knew IL then az well as
now, but to acknowledge you TO be
son was to be your own doom.
They'd a hung We then for sure, or
tortured us both"
What was they goin' to hang
for? asked Jack Ralston.
Because ! wouldn't tell where I'd
a fortune In gold | got from
the Alaskan mines. SO long as they
didn't know he was my son they could
force the secret from me that
"Wtll, cap'n, you played your part
very fine, an row that we have out
'em, an all goin' home soon,
you find the place where the gold
Is ~cached?"
III ! had a certain walrus hide |
could. II Is the one my son took from
the cave"
Il gave it to you, Glum."
"And I've got II safe at camp"
In the midst of their rejoicing
Paul did not forget the poor wretch
who was lying IN the cavern mangled
and torn by the dog. Clarence and