The Owosso times., 1907-11-15

Midas" They pushed through the tan
gle OF tents, past piles OF lumber ant
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 saloon
There were fair looking blocks which
acplrcd 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.
)ects 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 q 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
music within the saloons.
"And this is midnightv' exclaimed
Helen breathlessly. "Do they ever
| restY
"There isn't time. This is 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
Dunham & Struve, and in answer to
their knock red faced, white haired,
tousled man in shirt sleeves and stock
ing feet opened the door.
"What dye wan'?' he bawled, his
legs wavering uncertainty. His eyes
were heavy and bloodshot, his lips
loose, and his whole person exhaled al
coholic fumes like a gust from q still
house. Hanging to the knob, he strove
vainly to solve the mystery of his sus-
penders, hiccoughing intermittently.
'Humph! Been drunk ever since 1
left? questioned Glenister.
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 young man, with
marks Of brilliancy showing through
the dissipation betrayed by his silvery
hair and coarsened features
"Oh, don't know what to do" la
mented the girl.
Anybody else here besides you?"
asked her escort of the lawyer.
"No. I'm runnin' .he law business
nnassisted. 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 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
bornes him back into the Office, where
he tossed him upon bed in a rear
room.
"Now what, Miss Chester?" asked
the young man, returning.
hot f,,J .t.c
"Oh, AAd 1 must see him tonightw
She stamped impatiently. II must see
him alone"
mo, you mustn't" said Glenister,
with equal decision. "In the first
place, he wouldn't know what you
were talking about, and, in the second
place, know Struve. 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"
II 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 beasty'
Glenister noted that she had not
wrung her hands nor even hinted at
tears, though plainly her disappoint-
ment and anxiety were consuming her. |
"Well, suppose I'll have to wait,
but l don't know where to go-some |
hotel. suppose"
"There aren't any. They're building |
two, but tonight you couldn't hire o
room I'm 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. |
/ 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 1t came to know better
the man whom she disliked and with
whom she bad been thrown so fateful-