Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1910-09-22
By REX BEACH


"Katmaiv she broke In sharply,
"You said you were going by the liam
ma route" She turned on Bait angri-
ly. "You know better than to suggest
such thing"
II didn't suggest it" said Bait. Its
Mr.. Emerson's own idea; he insists"
II shall be dreadfully worried until
know you are safely over" said the
girl a new note Of wistful tenderness
In her voice.
Nonsense. We've all taken bigger
risks before"
do you know" she began hesitat-
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"
II am. | believe in the proposition
thoroughly" Cherry limped on, but
well was entirely selfish in getting
you started. for it possibly means my
own salvation. butt
TITS my last chance also,' Boyd
broke in
"A few days ago you were stranger;
now you are friend" she said stead
fly. zones 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
to become the prey Of those people.
Remember George Bait"
"Balt hasn't started yet. For the
first time he is real menace 10 Willis
Marsh"
Wont you take my advice and re
consider?" urged the girl
Listen" said the young maa. IT
came TO this country with a definite
purpose In mind. and had three years
In which to work 1t out needed
money-God. how needed money!
They may talk about the emptiness of
riches and tell you that men labor
not for the XIII. but for the pursuit:
not for the score, but for the contest
Maybe some Of them do. but with me
II was gold needed. gold | had TO
have, and / didn't care much how I
got II so long as got II honestly
focused every power upon my desire.
but cIlrse was on me-a curse,
nothing less. At first I took misfor
tune philosoph.cally, but whcr It came
and slept with me began to rage at
1t. II was terrifying because my time
was shortening and the last day OF
grace was rushing toward me.
Just to show you what luck play
ed in. at Dawson ! found prospect
that would have made most men rich.
and. although such thing had never
happened 10 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 snch a manner that there was
not the faintest hope of my ever re-
covering the property ! finally shifted
from mining to other ventures, and
the town burned. | 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 Nome and
staked alongside the discoveries who
undertook to put me In right for once;
but. although the fellows around me
made tunes In day. my ground
wa ~fren and my bedrock swept
clS- jby that unseen hand which |
always felt, but could never avoid.
Once broken snowshoe In race
to the recorders Office lost me a for
tune; at another time corrupt Judge
plunged me from certainty to despair.
and oil the while my time was grow
Ing shorter and 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
70 the cabin to build a FIRE and the
other one lied to me. thinking was
q stranger. heard afterward that
inst a. I drove away my friend came
90 the door and called after me. but
the day was bitter. and my ears were
mufled with fur. while the dry snow
beneath the runners shrieked 90 that
Il drowned his cries. He chased me
Tor half 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
atampedes- understand.
my name became byword and
enuoad manila 70 Iau0h fhou0h they