The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-11-16

ally he was surrounded by friends, for
he continued to entertain In the lavish
fashion for which he had gained a rep
u~tation. but sometimes he was alone
and then his solitude became more
oppressive than it had ever been ever
in the farthest wastes Of the north.
land. He was made to feel his re
s~ponsibility with dreadful ~kcenness.
for his associates were in a panic
and bombarded him with daily In.
quiries. vexatiOus and hard to answer.
one evening as he ran through his
mail he found a letter in ii woman's
handwriting and. glancing ut the sig.
nature, started. 1t was signed Gloria
Gordon" Briefly It appriscd him OF
her marriage and Of her and Natalie's
return to Hope Gloria thanked him
p~crfunCtOrily for his many kindnesseS.
but she neither expressed nor implied
an invitation for him to visit them
He smiled "A little grimly. Already her
loyalty had veered to Gordon's side.
and Natalie no doubt shared her feel
ing. Well, II was but natural per
haps.
He was aroused from his train OF
thought by a stranger whom he found
standing beside his table and looking
down at him with wavering eye.
''Mlsser O'Neil. amt IT." the fellow
inquired. Sure! Thought knew
you. I'm Bulker OF the old North pass.
Remember me-
Mr.. Bulker had been imbibing freely,
He showed evidences OF a p~rotracted
spree not only In his speech, but In the
trembling hand which he extended.
His eyes were bloodshot, and his good
natured face was purple.
O'Neil greeted him pleasantly, and,
considering himself enthusiastically
welcomed. the newcomer sat down
suddenly as If some one had tripped
him.
Been washing you for ten minutes"
washing meY'
mo. washing you. Couldn't make
you out; eycsight's getting bad. Too
many bright lights in this town. Ha!
Joke, Let's have a gill;
Thank you. no"
Must have a little dram for old
times sake. You're the only one Of
the North pass crowd I'll drink with"
Mr.. Bulker gestured cOmprehensively
at a group OF walters. and Murray
yielded. You were my friend, O'Neil
You always treated me right"
What are you doing nOw?" asked
O'Neil, with the interest he could not
refuse to any one who had ever worked
with him. He remembered the fellow
perfectly. He had come on from the
east as auditor and had appeared TO be
capable. although somewhat given to
drink.
I'm a broker. Wall streets my hab-
itat. Fine time to buy stocks, MiSser
O'Ncil." Bulker assumed an express
sion Of great wisdom. Like to have a
tip? No? Good! You're a wise man.
They fired me from the North Pass.
Wha'd you know about that? Fired
me for drinking. Greatest injustice |
eve heard of, but | hit running, like Il
turkey. That wasn't the reason they
let me go, though. Not on your life"
He winked portcntouSly and, strangely
enough, his cyelid failed to resume its
normal position. 1t continued to droop,
giving the appearance Of n waggish
leer. II knew too muSh! Isn't healthy
to know too muSh, is it,
I've never had Il chance to find out"
smiled Murray.
'Oh, don't be an ingenue; you say
We'd more than anybody on the job.
I'll admit | took n nip now and then,
but | never got picked. Say! Who
d'you s'pose | saw today? Old man
Illis!'
O'Neill became suddenly intent. He
had been trying TO get in touch with
POultney His for more than a fort
night, but his cables to London had
brought no response.
when did he arrive?"
Just lately. He's a game old roost-
er, amt he? Gee, he's sore!'
Sore about whatY"
Bulker winked again. with the same
lack of muscular control.
About that North Pass deal. of
course. He was blackmailed out of a
cold million. The agreements about
up now. and | figure he's over here to
renew it."
You're talking Greek" said O'Neil.
but his eagerness was manifest.
II s'posed you knew. The North
Pass has been paying blackmail to the
Yukon steamboat companies for three
years. When you built the line it prac-
tically put EN- out Of the Dawson mar
ket, understands
"Of course"
Now that Mr.. Bulker's mind was
running along well worn grooves his
i%ntoXication became less apparent.
Those Frisco steamboat men got to-
gether and started a rate war against
the railroad. They hauled freight to
Dawson by way of st. Michaels at a
loss. or course Ills and his crowd
had to meet competition, and 1t nearly
broke 'em the first i've seasons. Gee.
they were the mad ones! Finally they
fixed up an agreement-had to or 60
husband Of course the Native Sous
put 1t over our English cousins. They