The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-08-13

Midas" They pushed through the tan
gle Of tents, past piles Of lumber and
emerged upon the main thoroughfare,
which ran parallel TO the shore.
Nome consisted OF one narrow street,
twisted between solid rows of canvas
and half erected frame buildings, its
every other door that of a saloon.
There were fair looking blocks which
aspired to the dizzy height of three
stories, some sheathed in corrugated
iron, others cleaning and galvanized.
Lawyers signs, doctors, surveyors,
were IN the upper windows The street
was thronged with men from every
land. Helen Chester heard more dia-
lects than she could count. Laplanders
in quaint three cornered padded caps
idled past Men with the tan of the
tropics rubbed elbows with yellow
haired Norsemen, and near her a care
fully groomed Frenchman with riding
breeches and monocle was in panto-
mime with a skin clad Eskimo. To
her left was the sparkling sea, alive
with ships of every class To her right
lowered timberless mountains. unpeo-
pied, unexplored, forbidding and DESC
late, their hollows inlaid with snow.
On one hand were the life and the
world she knew, on the other silence,
mystery, possible adventure.
The roadway where she stood was a
crush Of sundry vehicles from bicycles
to dog hauled water carts, and on all
sides men were laboring busily, the
echo of hammers mingling with the
cries Of teamsters and the tinkle of
music within the saloons
"And this is midnightr' exclaimed
Helen breathlessly. ''Do they ever
rest?"
There isn't time. This is a gold
stampede. You haven't caught the
spirit of it yet"
They climbed the stairs in a huge
iron sheeted building to the office of
Durham & Strive, and in answer to
their knock a red faced, white haired,
tousled man in shirt sleeves and stock
ing feet opened the door
what dye wan'T' he bawled, his
legs wayering uncertainty. His eyes
were heavy and bloodshot, his lips
loose, and his whole person exhaled al
coholic fumes like a gust from a still
house. Hanging to the knob, he strove
vainly to solve the mystery Of his sus-
penders, hiccoughing intermittently.
''Humph! Been drunk ever since l
leftY questioned Glenister.
Somebody mus have toI you" the
lawyer replied. There was neither Gu
riosity, recognition nor resentment in
his voice. In fact, his head dropped
so that he paid no attention to the
girl, who had shrunk back at sight Of
him. He was a young man, with
marks of brilliancy showing through
the dissipation betrayed by his silvery
hair and coarsened Gestures.
"Oh, / don't know what to do" la
mented the girl.
ANYBODY else here besides youT'
asked her escort of the lawyer
mo. I'm runnin' the law business
unassisted. Don't need any help.
Dunham's in Wash'n'ton, D. c., the
lam of the home, the free OF the brave.
What can l do for your
He made to cross the threshold hos
Q1tably, but tripped, plunged forward
and would have rolled down the stairs
had not Glenister gathered him up and
borne him back into the Office, where
he tossed him upon a bed in a rear
room
Now what, Miss Chester?" asked
the young man, returning.
isn't that dreadful?" she shuddered
'Oh, and 1 must see him tonightr'
She stamped impatiently. 'I must see
him alone"
mo, you mustn't" said Glenister
with equal decision. I'm the first
place, he wouldn't know what you
were talking about, and, in the second
place, l know Strive. He's too drunl
to talk business and too sober to-
well, to see you alone
But l must see him." she insisted
ITS what brought me here. You
don't understand"
Il understand more than he could
He's in no condition to act on any
important matter You come around
tomorrow when he's sober"
1T means SO much" breathed the
girl. 1.-The beastr
Glenister noted that she had no
wrung her hands nor even limited a
tears, though plainly her disappoint
ment and anxiety were consuming her
''Well, l suppose I'll have to wait
but l don't know where to go-somt
| hotel. l suppose"
There aren't any. They're building
two. but tonight you couldn't hire +:
room in Nome for money. was abou
/ to say love or money Have you NJ
/ other friends here-no women? The1
you must let me find place for you
l have a friend whose wife will take
! you in"
| She rebelled at this. Was she neve
! to have done with this mans favors
She thought of returning to the ship
but dismissed that She undertook Il
/ decline his aid, but he was halfway