The Red Cloud chief., 1907-10-25

lects than she could cohnt. Laplanders
in quaint three corncred padded caps
idlcd past. Men with the tan Of the
tropics rubbed elbows with yellow
haired Norsemen. and near her a care
fully groDmcd Frenchman with riding
brecches and monocle was in panto-
mime with n skin clad Eskimo. To
her left was the sparkling sea. alive
with ships of every class. To her right
lowered timbcrlcss mountains, unpeo-
pied, uneXplorcd, 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 n
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 Transfers and the tinkle Of
music within the saloons.
and this Is midnight!' exclaimed
Helen breathlessly. do they ever
rest?'
'Therc isn't time. This is n gold
stampede. You haven't caught the
spirit of il yet"
!. They climbed the stairs I'm a huge
iron shccted building to the Office of
Durham & strive, and in answer to
their knock Il red faced, white haired.
touslcd man in shirt sleeves and stock
Ing feet opened the door.
"What dye wan'?" he bawled. his
legs wavcring uncertainty. His eyes
were heavy and bloodshot. his lips
loose, and his whole person exhaled al
coholic fumes like n gust from n still
house. Hanging to the knob, he strove
vainly TO solve the mystery of his sus-
penders, hiccoughing Internationally.
"IIumph! Been drunk ever since !
left?' questioned Glcnistcr.
somebody mus have tol' you" the
lawyer replied. There was neither Gu
rioSity, recognition nor resentment In
his voice. In fact, his head drooped
so that he paid no attention to the
girl, who had shrunk back at sight of
him. He was II young man. with
marks of brilliancy showing through
the dissipation betrayed 10y his Silvery
bdI anu tbiiIStllttl IcllUFpS.
"Oh, | don't know what TO do Ia
mcntcd the girl.
anybody else here besides you?'
asked her escort of the lawyer.
"No. I'm runnin' the law business
unassiSted. Don't need any hclp.
Dunham'S in Wash'n'ton, u. C.. the
Ian OF the home, the free of the brave.
What can | do for you?'
He made to cross the threshold hos
pisbly, but tripped, plunged forward
ana would have rolled down, the stairs
mad not Glcnister gathered him up and
borne him back into the office, where
he tossed him upon a bed in n rear
room.
Now what, Miss Chester?' asked
the young man, returning.
isn't that drcadful?" she shuddered.
ION, and | must see him tonight
She stamped impatlently. Il must see
him alone
mo, you mustn't" said Glcnister.
with equal decision. In the first
place, he wouldn't know what you
were talking about. and. in the second
place, | 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 - erStand more than he could.
He's III no condition To act on any
important matter. You come around
tomorrow when he's sober
1T means 80 much brcathed the
girl. The beast!''
GleniSter noted that she had not
wrung her hands nor even limited at
tears, though plainly her dlsappoint-
ment and anxiety were consuming her.
"Well, l suppose I'll have to wait,
but l don't know where to go--some
hotel. l suppose"
There aren't any. They're building
two. but tonight you couldn't hire a
room In Nome for money. l 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 a friend whose wife will take
you in
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 beginning-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 disllked n with
whom She had henn thrown so fatacnI. |