The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1907-11-24

haired Norsemen. and near her q care
fully groomed Frenchman with riding
breeches and monocle was in panto-
mime with skin clad Eskimo To
her left was the sparkling sea, alive
with ships of every class. To her right
lowered timberless mountains. unpeo-
pied, unexpiored. 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
crush of sundry vehicles from bicycles
to dog hauled water carts. and on all
sides men We're laboring busily, the
echo of hammers mingling with the
cries of teamsters and the tinkle Of
music within the saloons.
And this is midnight.' exclaimed
Helen breathIessly. 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'g' he bawled, his
legs wayering uncertainty. His eyes
were heavy and blootishot his lips
loose, and his whole person exhafed al
coholic fumes like gust from still
house. Hanging TO the knob. he strove
vainiy to solve the mystery of his sus-
paEders, hiccoughing internationally.
''iIumph, Been drunk ever since I
Ieft:' questioned GIenister.
Somebody mus have tol' 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 features.
"Oh. l don't know what to do la
mented the girl.
anybody else here besides you?'
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
Ian of the home, the free of the brave
What can I do for your
He made to cross the threshold hos
pitably 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 bed in a rear
room.
Now what, Miss Chester?" asked
the young man, returning.
isn't that dreadful?'' she shuddered
''Oh, and l must see him tonightr'
She stamped impatiently. Il must see
him alone
NO, you mustn't said GleniStcr
with equal decision ..In the first
place, he wouldn't know what YOU
were talking about, and, in the second
place. l know Strive. He's too drunk
TO talk business and too sober to-
WELL TO see you alone"
But | 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. THE beast!'
Glenister noted that she had not
wruEg her hands nor even limited at
tears. though plainly her disappoint-
ment and anxiety We're consuming her.
We'll I suppose I'll have to wait,
but / don't know where to go-some
hotel, / suppose"
There aren't any. They're building
two, but tonight you couldn't hire a
room in Nome for money I was about
to say love or money Have you no
other friends here-no women? Then
you must let me find a place for you.
l have friend whose wife will take
you inv
She rebelled at this. Was she never
to have done with this mans favors
She thought of returning to the ship
but dismissed that. She undertook to
decline his aid, but he was halfway
down the stairs and paid no attention
to her be2inning-so she followed him.
1t was then that Helen Chester wit
messed her first tragedy of the frontier
and through it came to know better
the man whom she disliked and with
whom she had been thrown SO fateful-
". Already she had thrilled at the
spell of this country, but she had not
learned that strength and license carry
blood and violence as cerollaries.
Emerging from the doorway at the
foot of the stairs. they drifted slowly
along the walk. watching the crowd
Besides the universal tension, there
were laughter and hope and exhilara-
ton in the faces The enthusiasm of
this boyish multitude warmed one.
The girl wished To get into this spirit
to be one Of them Then suddenly
from the babble at their elbows came
discordant note, not long nor loud,
only a few words. penetrating and
harsh with the metallic quality lent by
passion.
Helen glanced over her shoulder to
find that the smiles of the throng We're
gone and that its eyes were bent on
some scene in the street with an eager
interest she had never seen mifrofed
before. simultaneously Glenister spoke:
Come away from here
With the squickened eye of experience
he foresaw trouble and tried to ORA 6
her on. but she shook off his grasp i'm