Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-11-11


enthusiastic on the subject
II am. believe in the proposition
thoroughly" Cherry limped on. "hut-
well. l was entirely selfish IN ca.I'n.:
you started for it possibly means my
own salvation. but
Its my last chance Also" Boyd
broke in.
"A few days ago you were stranger:
now you are friend" she said stead
| ily Ones likes and dislikes grow
rapidly when they are not choked by
convention. like you too well to see
you do this. You are too good man
, 10 become the prey Of those people.
Remember George Bait"
"Balt hasn't started yet For the
irst time he is real menace to Willis
Marsh"
Wont you take my advice and re-
.onsider?" urged the girl.
Listen" said the young man. II
came to this country with definite
purpose in mind. and had three years
in which to work it out. ! needed
money God. how needed money!
They may talk about the emptiness Of
riches and tell you that men labor
not for the kill but for thr pursuit;
70. for Tire score, but for the contest.
Maybe some of them do. but with me
il was gold | needed. gold | had to
nave. and didn't care much how
got it so long as | got it honestly.
focused every power upon my desire.
but Il curse was on me-a curse.
nothing less At first took misfor-
tune philosophically. but when It came
md slept with me began to rage AT
t. 1t was terrifying because my time
was shortening. and the last day OF
grace was rushing toward me.
"Just to show you what luck play
| hat would have made most men rich.
md. although such thing had never
happened in that locality before. 1t
1inched out tried again and again.
and finally found another mine. only
70 be robbed Of it by the Canadian
! n VS. in such a mannc: that there was
not the faintest hope Of my ever re-
covering the property. finally shifted
rom mining to other ventures. and
he town burned. ! awoke in mid
light blizzard to see my chance for
'ortune licked up by flames. while the
Mss of the water from the tiremen's
aose seemed directed ut me. and the
7oice Of the crowd sounded like jeers.
81 was among the first ut Nome and
,taked alongside the discoveries who
| undertook to put me In right for once:
out although the fellows around me
made fortunes in day. my ground
was barren and my bedrock swept
clean by that unseen hand which |
always felt, but could never avoid.
| Once a broken snowshoe in race
to the recorders Office lost me for
tune: at another time corrupt judge
plunged me from certainty to despair.
and all the while my time was grow
Ing shorter and l was growing poorer.
1.-Two hours after the Topkuk strike
was made drove past the shaft. but
the one partner known to me had gone
to the cabin to build fire and the
other one lied to me. thinking was
a stranger. l heard afterward that
Just as l drove away my friend came
TO the door and called after me. but
the day was bitter, and my ears were
muflled with fur, while the dry snow
beneath the runners shrieked SO that
it drowned his cries. He chased me
for half a mile to make me rich. but
the hand of fate dashed my dogs faster
and faster. while that hellish screech-
Ing outdlnned his voice. Six hours
later Topkuk was history. You've seen
stampedes-you understand.
"My name became a byword and
caused people TO laugh. though they
shrank from me. for miners and sail
ors are equally superstitious. No man
ever had more opportunities than l..
and no man was ever so miserably
unfortunate in missing them. In time
became whipped. utterly without
hope. Yet almost from habit l fought
on and on with my ears deaf to the
voices that Knocked me.
"And something tells me that ! have
left that i'll omened thing behind at
last. and am going to win!'
But you're too late" suggested
Cherry. you say your time was up
some time ago"
Perhaps" he returned staring into
the distances. THAT'S what ] was
going out to ascertain. l thought
might have few days of grace allow
ed me. That's why can't quit. now
that you've set me in motion again,
now that you've given me another
chance. That's why we leave tomor'
row and go by way Of the Katmai
pass"
ITO be continued>