Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-10-01

iy. You know better than to suggest
such a thing"
Il didn't suggest it, said Bait. SITS
Mr.. Emerson's own idea: he insists"
II shall be dreadfuliy worried until
know you are safely over" said the
girl. new note OF wistful tenderness
In her voice.
''Nonsensel We've all taken bigger
risks before"
do you know" she began hesitnt-
ingly. I've been thinking that per-
haps you'd better not take up this
enterprise after all"
why not?' he asked. with an In
credulous stare. II thought you were
enthusiastic on the subject"
Il am believe in the proposition
thoroughly" Cherry umped on. but
well. was entirely selfish In getting
you started. for 1t possibly means my
own salvation. but
Its my last chance Also" Boyd
broke in.
"A few days ago you were n stranger;
now you are n friend" she said stead
lily. 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 a man
to become the prey OF those people.
Remember George Bait"
'Balt hasn't started yet. For the
first time he IS a real menace to Willis
Marsh"
Won't you take my advice and re-
conSiderr' urged the girl.
Listen" said the young man. 1T
came TO this country with a definite
purpose In mind. and had three years
In which TO work II out l needed
money-God. how I needed money!
They may talk about the emptiness OF
riches and tell you that men labor
not for the Kill but for the pursuit;
not for the score. but for the contest.
Maybe some OF them do. but with me
It was gold I needed, gold ] had to
have. and / didn't care much how I
got II so long as l got It honestly. I
focused every power upon my desire,
3 but curse was on me-a curse,
! nothing less. At first | took Risfor-
tune philosophically. but when 1t came
and slept with me began to rage at
H. 1t was terrifying because my tima
was shortening. and the last day OF
grace was rushing toward me-
Just to show you what luck play
/ ed IN. at Dawson ] found a prospect
that would have made most men rich.
| and, although such a thing had never
happened In that locality before. II
pinched out tried again and again.
and finally found another mine. only
TO be robbed OF II by the Canadian
laws IN such a manner that there was
not the fnintest hope OF my ever re-
, covering the property finally shifted
from mining 20 other ventures, and
I the town burned. I awoke In a mid
| night blizzard TO see my chance for a
| fortune licked up by flames, while the
hiss OF the water from the firemen's
hose seemed directed at me. and the
voice OF the crowd sounded like jeers.
Il was among the FIRST at Move and
| staked alongside the discoveries who
undertook 10 put me In right for once;
but, although the fellows around me
made fortunes In a 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 I'm a race
20 the recorders office lost me a for
| tune: at another time n corrupt judge
| plunged me from certainty to despair.
ana all the while my time was grow
| ing shorter and l was growing poorer.
1.-TWO hours after the Topkuk strike
was made I drove past the shaft, but
the one partner known 10 me had gone
to the cabin to build a FIRE and the
other one lied 10 me. thinking / was
stranger l heard afterward that
| Just as ! drove away my friend came
to the door and called after me. but
the day was bitter. and my ears were
mufiied with fur. while the dry snow
| beneath the runners shrieked so that
I Il drowned his cries. He chased me
/ for half n mile TO make me rich. but
the hand OF fate dashed my dogs faster
and faster. while that hellish screech-
ing outdinned his voice. Six hours
, later TOpkuk was history. You've seen
stampedes-you understand.
any name became a byword and
caused people to laugh. though they
4 eli AAO'h lNl anu kdAt-
ors are equally superstitious. No man
ever had more opportunities than 1,
and no man was ever so miserably
unfortunate in missing them. In time
I became whipped. utterly without
hope. Yet almost from habit I 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 al
last. and / am going TO VIM
But you're too late" suggested
Cherry. You say your time was uI
some time ago"
Perhaps he returned. staring into
the distances. That's what / was
going out TO ascertain. I thought
might have a few days OF grace allow.
ed me. That's why can't quit. nov
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"
TTo BE Continued